'License to Quill' - The Reviews

"AN ERUDITE TOUR DE FORCE"

Della Quercia turns the Gunpowder Plot into a stage for Will Shakespeare to assume the role of a 17th-century James Bond. . . . The narrative is dotted with footnotes identifying historical gems - for example, the way Venice was a refuge for Europe's persecuted Jews. But it's the characters, real and imagined, who race into memory - Will, wily and loyal; Marlowe, courageous and hedonistic; Bianca, the Dark Lady, peasant-born Jewish converso-turned-nun, then spy and assassin, then Shakespeare's lover. . . . Add bull-baiting, human sacrifice, gruesome executions, and an epic London street battle, and what results is an erudite tour de force.

- Kirkus Reviews

"Macbeth has never been written better"

Using tons of research, the author writes a wonderful book. In fact, “Macbeth” has never been written better, and Shakespeare has never been portrayed like this. . . . a real blast!

- Mary Lignor, Suspense Magazine

"Intriguing... thrilling... highly entertaining"

In approaching the time period in the style of a modern spy thriller, Quercia brilliantly animates and explains the figures and events that occurred hundreds of years ago. . . .​ License to Quill is a highly entertaining spy thriller, complete with vivid characterization and creative depictions of a significant and infamous chapter in European history.

- The Cornell Daily Sun​,  Cornell University

"a 17th-Century James Bond"
- Publishers Weekly

"part spy thriller, part satire, part historical fiction – and all fantastic"

“License to Quill” is an unlikely combination of elements. Meticulous research, detailed storytelling and strong characterization – as well as an abundance of humor that strikes a remarkable balance between highbrow and lowbrow – all come together into one piece of eminently readable, wildly enjoyable fiction. It is part spy thriller, part satire, part historical fiction – and all fantastic.

- The Maine Edge

"an excellent job capturing the look and feel of early 17th century England"

If you are one of those weird kids (like me) who actually enjoyed reading Shakespeare in high school or will always pay to see the new James Bond film, then you should pick up a copy of License to Quill.

- Matt Mitrovich, Amazing Stories

"Quick-on-your-feet sarcasm and a great sense of humor"

The novel engulfs readers with its setting, taking place during the Gunpowder Plot, the historical figures, boundless action, Macbeth, spies, and humor. While it is a lot to take in, once immersed in the story it is easy to understand and it flows effortlessly because of how well written it is. Not only is it fast paced, but it keeps its reader on the edge of the seat.

- Albany Student Press, University at Albany

"[Jacopo's] insights on dialogue and research are priceless."
- Max Timm, ​The International Screenwriters' Association

"Must-read"
- Folger Magazine, The Folger Shakespeare Library

"I'll never read Macbeth the same way again"

This is William Shakespeare as we’ve never seen him before – a secret service agent armed with high-tech gadgets taking on Guy Fawkes and an army of witches. A freerunning Christopher Marlowe scales the bell towers of Venice and Rome, and Leonardo da Vinci’s scythed chariot sweeps through the streets of London. License to Quill  is a work of deep historical research and, even better, of prodigious and inventive literary imagination. I’ll never read MacBeth the same way again.

- Ross King, New York Times bestselling author of
MICHELANGELO AND THE POPE'S CEILING
and
Brunelleschi's dome

"a unique blend of thoroughly researched facts and captivating fiction"
- Jean-Vincent Roy, Historian, Assassin's Creed™​Syndicate​

"Wonderful, uproarious... Recommended most highly"

This is a wonderful, uproarious novel, with so much history that it makes your head spin with the cleverness of the dialog and plot. . . . This is a book no lover of Elizabethan/Jacobean history can afford to miss. Recommended most highly.

- The Historical Novel Society   (Editors' Choice)

"a lot of fun... really enjoyable to read, and a page turner."
- Joe Donahue, WAMC's "The Roundtable"

"Entertaining, meticulously researched"

Della Quercia follows The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy  with this beguiling tale of espionage and derring-do. An entertaining, meticulously researched response to questions about Shakespeare’s authorship and the haunting aspect of Macbeth.

- Michele Leber, booklist

"Shakespeare in Love  meets The Spy Who Loved Me "

Like a sonnet backed by a Smith & Wesson, ​LICENSE TO QUILL is a master mash of thrilling adventure and intrigue. . . . an exciting, violent, sadistic and sexy piece of reading matter with the mayhem outstandingly good. . . . Shakespeare in Love meets The Spy Who Loved Me, Goldfinger  meets the Gunpowder Plot, it’s bard and beyond, a Bond-fire of the vanities, a whip- cracking, ribald, robust and rapier witted riposte to classic storytelling. A fun and frolicsome way to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare shuffling off his mortal coil.​

- Sydney Arts Guide

"I was hooked from the very start"

Teachers sometimes talk about an “author’s voice.” This author brings Shakespeare’s voice to life believably well. Not only does Jacopo della Quercia weave Shakespeare’s words into his novel, he crafts a mystery surrounding the creation of Macbeth, one that is fraught with danger and intrigue at every turn. . . . I highly recommend this novel. I enjoyed it so much, I am now going to read The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy. . . . I love it! I cannot even believe you are not already reading this book.

- Olympus Athens, Geeks of Doom

praise for 'the great abraham lincoln
pocket watch conspiracy'

"REVEL IN THIS ROLLER COASTER RIDE"

STEAMPUNK FANS, AS WELL AS READERS WHO ENJOY THEIR THRILLERS HEAVILY DOSED WITH HUMOR, WILL REVEL IN THIS ROLLERCOASTER RIDE. . . . A WILD ADVENTURE THAT INVOLVES A KILLER AUTOMATON, TEDDY ROOSEVELT'S AMBITIONS FOR A THIRD TERM, AND A DANGEROUS MISSION INTO THE NEW HAVEN TOMB OF THE NOTORIOUS YALE SECRET SOCIETY, SKULL & BONES.

- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"Insanely Entertaining"

Devious alt-history slams head-on into steampunk action in The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy. High concept and high adventure collide in a dizzying and thoroughly riveting story.

- Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of CODE ZERO
and
FIRE & ASH

"Sheer escapist fun"

get a copy of The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy, Settle in by the fire and prepare for a laugh-out-loud return to those thrilling days of yesteryear.

- Washington Times

"a Jules Vernian thrill ride through American history"

Historical fiction takes a deft hand to do well, and Jacopo della Quercia mixes fact and fiction seamlessly in The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy. It is an adventure tale filled with thrilling incidents, fantastic inventions, international conspiracies, and great characters. How can you not love a book starring a gluttonous and heavyweight-boxing president, the brilliant oldest son of Abraham Lincoln, and an irreverent, cigar-chomping secret service chief? This is a Jules Vernian thrill ride through American history like I’ve never experienced — and I couldn’t put it down.

- Jason Emerson, author of Lincoln the Inventor
and
Giant in the Shadows: The Life of Robert T. Lincoln

One of "The Best Comedy Books of 2014"
- Splitsider.com

"CLEVERLY DESIGNED TO KEEP READERS GUESSING"

When President Lincoln’s long-missing timepiece is rediscovered, both continents and genres are crossed in a mad rush to uncover clues to solve the secrets impacting the course of lives and history. Quercia deftly adopts a serialized literary style that suits the turn-of-the-century setting. Science fiction, action, adventure, melodrama, comedy, and suspense combine in this delightful steampunk romp cleverly designed to keep readers guessing and the pages turning.

- Margaret Flanagan, Booklist

"AN ENGROSSING, ENTERTAINING AND JUST PLAIN FUN READ"

It's doubtful you've ever picked up a book like this before. . . . A tale involving aliens, automatons, ruthless Belgian rulers, American business tycoons, ex-presidents and a very famous disaster. The line between historical fact and historical fiction can easily become blurred in a book like this, but luckily, the author provides footnotes for the details that seem too good to be true — but that really happened.

- The Cauldron, Cleveland State University

"WELL WRITTEN AND CLEVERLY CONSTRUCTED"

Jacopo does a great job of blurring the line between fact and fiction - you just might finish the book with a revised account of some of our nation's most prominent figures.

- ZACK HEMSEY, RECORDING ARTIST AND COMPOSER
for the films Inception  and Lincoln

"MOVE OVER, JULES VERNE!"

From the secret passages through the steam tunnel labyrinth beneath the Yale campus to a mid-ocean battle upon which hangs the future of humanity, Jacopo's fantasy novel stretches time and space across a carefully detailed real past. Aboard a floating White House, the pugilistic gourmand President William Howard Taft and a cast of other larger than life characters jump out of the past in a rollicking race to save the world from the forces of darkneSS. WHAT A RIDE!

- MARC WORTMAN, AUTHOR OFTHE MILLIONAIRES' UNIT
AND
THE BONFIRE: THE SIEGE AND BURNING OF ATLANTA

"Jacopo is an insight machine"

His mind contains museums of fascinating history, and his writing never fails to change the way you look at the world around you.

- Jack O'Brien,
 founder, Editor in Chief, and General Manager of Cracked.com

"A cleverly composed and daring steampunk adventure"
- G. D. Falksen, author and historian

"JACOPO DELLA QUERCIA IS A MASTERFUL AND CONFIDENT STORYTELLER"
- TIMES UNION

"Amazing... one of the best reads of the year"

This book is an amazing, intricate journey through the history that we didn’t learn in school, but now wish we had. Jacopo skillfully weaves together one of the best reads of the year as he combines “real” history with his vivid and somewhat off-beat imagination. As I read Jacopo’s descriptions and the exploits of the men of the era, early 20th century, including Teddy Roosevelt, President Taft, J.P. Morgan, and Robert Todd Lincoln, I was amazed at how well he combined the real essence of the men with crazy and often bizarre fictional situations. It was a delight to read. I know of no one else who has merged Martians, speeding blimps, comets, mysterious pocket watches, accurate historical references and international intrigue into one awesome and unique read! Believe it or Not!

- Tim O’Brien, VP Communications,
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

"A Good-fun entry point into the world of steampunk"

In his fiction debut, della Quercia imaginatively steampunks a worldwide conspiracy confronting President William howard Taft, a crisis that threatens the U.S. . . . the narrative moves smoothly, a tale laced with dialogue often incorporating tom swift-ian charm and constructed so that techno-wizardry doesn't overwhelm the story.

- Kirkus Reviews

"OUTRAGEOUSLY HUMOROUS"

The author manipulates history as he spins his outrageously humorous yarn. The result is a frenetic adventure that’s entertaining. . . . A fun read that weaves conspiracy theory, mystery, and unimaginable technologies.

- The Historical Novel Society

"Exciting but always tinged with a fun silliness"

It’s worth reading with a web browser close at hand so you can follow the author’s bread crumbs to confirm that, say, a prominent scientist really did believe in 1910 that poison gas from Halley’s Comet threatened to end all human life. Della Quercia doesn’t just want you to get caught up in his story. He wants you to share his enthusiasm for the actual dramas and insanities of the era. . . . It all swirls together to create a kaleidoscopic view of the actual 1910s. The true conspiracy here is the one between author and reader, a tacit agreement that history’s gaps can and ought to be filled in with effervescent madness.

- The A.V. Club

"this book is flat-out great"

The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy is an absolute delight. . . . Not just because of the jumbled juxtaposition of real historical figures and outlandish situations – although that’s a big part of it. Nor is it just because of the well-crafted characterizations that offer truthful-feeling connections to those real-life figures – though that’s a part of it too. No, the most striking reason for this book’s success is della Quercia’s meticulous and painstaking research. It’s remarkable, really; he has immersed himself in the history of the period, following the lives and careers of each and every one of his major players. From there, he has constructed a behind-the-scenes narrative, a secret history that aligns perfectly with the official story. His in-depth understanding of that actual history is the foundation on which he builds this fantastical tale.

- The Maine Edge

"A REMArKABLY CONFIDENT DEBUT... a deft, engaging mystery"

Della Quercia’s love and knowledge of American history is infectious, and it will be hard to put down Pocket Watch Conspiracy  and not want to pick up a history book.

- Gambit  Magazine

"the stuff of potent yet poignantly humanized myth"

With the sweep and scope of a Jules Verne adventure, The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy not only charts its own fantastic course through a dizzying alternate history of the United States presidency — it takes on literary history itself, turning anachronism into action, politics into pop, and a handful of America’s Commanders-in-Chief into the stuff of potent yet poignantly humanized myth. If you think Honest Abe and his brethren have been resurrected to death (so to speak), think again; Jacopo della Quercia has brought the speculative presidential yarn to another level.

- Jason Heller, author of Taft 2012
 and Hugo Award-winning editor of
Clarkesworld