Reddit mentions of Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle No. 1)

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang. Short fiction collection.

Ilium by Dan Simmons.

Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand by Samuel Delany.

The Islanders by Christopher Priest.

Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson.

On My Way to Paradise by David Farland.

Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfus (fantasy-ish)

[The Shadow of the Wind] (http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Wind-Carlos-Ruiz-Zaf%C3%B3n/dp/0143034901/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374006329&sr=1-1&keywords=shadow+of+the+wind) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (hard to describe, but really engaging)

Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (cool historical fiction)

"Cryptonomicon" by Neal Stephenson. A fantastic book; one of those that you hate when it ends!
You may also enjoy "the Baroque Cycle" by the same author. It does not go back and forth to modern times (Crypt. does), but is another great story about science, the beginnings of physics, and the start of money, among other things

You might also be interested in reading Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.

cracks knuckles I have no idea if these have audiobooks. I'm sorry if they don't. Most of these are only three books long or shorter, sorry.

Sandman Slim and the sequel. It wasn't my favorite book, BUT it sounds a lot like what you're looking for. And it was fun.

China Mieville's Bas-Lag series (Perdido Street Station, The Scar and Iron Council. Three (~500 pg) books long, fantastic world building, twisty plots and great characters.

The Baroque Cycle, Neal Stephenson (Quicksilver, The Confusion and The Confusion of the World. Three books long, but you could kill a small animal by dropping one of those books on it. These are good, but his stand-alones are better (Snow Crash and Diamond Age for sure).

Most of Stephen King's stuff has the kind of sprawl you're looking for.

Dune, at least until God Emperor (#4).

Honestly, I think if you liked John Grisham, you'll like The Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo books. I think I'm making that leap based on the last book in the trilogy. They're definitely entertaining.

im really suprised no one has recommended niel stephenson yet. the baroque cycle is one of the most off the epic pieces of historical fantasy ever written. i took me three tries to get through the first hundred pages of the first book but when i finally got through it i couldn't put it down for the next 4000 pages of the series and the second book has sooo many wtf moments.
http://www.amazon.com/Quicksilver-Baroque-Cycle-No-1/dp/0060833165/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375674363&sr=1-11

Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle

The book opens with the main character chatting it up with a ten year old Benjamin Franklin. I think you know how that will go.

If you'd like a similar setting about the early industrial revolution, enlightenment and political intrigue there is Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle https://www.amazon.com/Quicksilver-Baroque-Cycle-No-1/dp/0060833165