Neil Stephenson, author of the magnificent nanotech-future dystopia The Diamond Age, has just published Quicksilver, a prequel to Cryptonomicon.

I've not read Cryptonomicon, which is unfortunate, since it seems to involve cryptography, game theory, and the Wandering Jew, three topics in which I have a passing interest. But it's huge, and I'm never going to have time to read it.

Now Stephenson's come up with a historical novel featuring characters I might want to read about in historical locations which fascinate me. The bastard. I'm taking it as a personal affront, and deciding that he wants to ruin my law career.

If he weren't already quite friendly to me, I'd blame The Yin Blog for having pointed this out to me. Twice.

Maybe I'll have time to read it over Christmas.