When I read this book in the early '80's, I was blown away by the sophistication and suspense of the story. I had never read anything quite like it. I obsessed about it for some time afterward. When I recently heard there will be a prequel coming out next spring, I remembered again that this reading experience was excellent entertainment. One of my all-time favorite novels. Don't know if it still holds up, but by the looks of many reviews, I'm not the only one who liked it. :-)