I had a similar experience. I'd heard Flynn being interviewed on Hugh Hewitt's show and decided to look him up. I, too started with Term Limits and raced through all the rest (is there any other way to read a Flynn novel other than racing through it?).
My wife got me The Last Man as a birthday present last year. I kept putting off reading it because I knew I'd start it and it would be over in no time. I was already reading War and Peace, so I waited until I had to fly out of town last month. I love reading Vince's novels on planes. Aside from Flynn, almost all my reading is non fiction history stuff. But on a plane, I like something to keep me alert and awake. I thought The Last Man was one of his best books in years.
I daresay I was shocked at his passing. It seems so recent that he was on shows like Morning Joe publicizing The Last Man, and he looked great. I was still receiving Vince's email updates but had no idea his illness had progressed so far. I've been bummed all day since hearing the news. Kinda reminds me of the day Andrew Breitbart died.
“Racing” is the word for it! Yes, The Last Man was thrilling and more original than I was expecting. All of his work just keeps you guessing and then marveling that he writes about stuff that hadn’t happened yet. I half-suspect that friends and foes alike have been reading him and plotting actions. The most chilling event to me was the terror attack in Mumbai a few years back where the terrorists were wearing bomb vests. And Flynn already used that in one story beforehand. I will miss him, greatly.