The System of the World

In 1714 London, natural philosopher Daniel Waterhouse returns to England during political instability surrounding the succession to Queen Anne's throne. He aims to reconcile the escalating feud between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz over the invention of calculus. Meanwhile, mysterious clockwork explosives threaten London's scientific and financial community, prompting Waterhouse and Newton to investigate.

by Neal Stephenson

Penguin Random House · First published 2004 · 912 pages