Cobweb

This is a political thriller set around the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. There's lots of separate threads and lots of intrigue as well as a small town sheriff doing his own thing. Definite flavours of later Stephenson books. An enjoyable, well paced read.

An under-estimated Iowan deputy Sherrif, a Vakhan Turk terrorist and a junior CIA analyst attempt to save the world from botulism in this heavily satirical thriller. Stephenson's usual jaunts into expositional territory are kept to a minimum and are always relevant which makes this much more taut than most of his work and allows for a tense ending. Only Zodiac is leaner and faster paced, I suspect.

The most alarming aspect of the book is that the way that the government of the USA, the CIA, FBI, Universities and local Sherrif's departments are portrayed as operating is completely convincing and not in the least over-the-top.