I have been hooked on Science Fiction and Archaeology since I was a small child – Conan Doyle and Wells got me started and Heinlein got me thinking. The last time I tried counting my scifi library It was upwards of 500 books.
I am a Space Cadet (neuro diverse) so apart from Archaeology and my present pastime of Military Kit Tailoring (@Surplus Freak), I have never done anything particularly useful, but I like to think that, by living more in the past and the future than in the now, that I am part of the team working on the Question to Deep Thought’s answer.
The First book of Neal’s I read was Gridlinked – at first I thought it was just the best of the ‘single agent saves the universe’ genre, but as with most authors I like I bought the back catalogue and was blown away with the scope of the whole thing so I buy each new release as it comes out
There is no other Author I have read who can mix proper Science and squaddie-banter levels of humour as Neal. Harry Harrison & Spider Robinson come close, but only Neal has me crying with laughter and pondering at the same time.
If I could be described as obsessive about anything other than archaeology (not sure if my library counts) it is old Volkswagens, preferably modified, and I collect British military load carrying kit (rucksacks, etc).
My one request is that Neal’s publishers produce an omnibus of his works for Desert Island Disks patrons.
More power to Neal’s elbow, long may he continue to pump out ideas.