Neal Stephenson (1959) is an American author, futurist and game designer most well known for his works of speculative fiction. He was first published in 1984, but it was not until the publication of his third book Snow Crash that he became widely known. He gained further notoriety in 1999 with the publication of Cryptonomicon which would later go on to earn the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award in 2013. Since 2000 he has published several other major works including his Baroque Cycle, Anathem and most recently Seveneves. He lives in Seattle.