I liked it, and I too saw it as a prequel to "The Hidden Knowledge".
Cooooooooooould beeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Make that "SHOOOOOULLLD BEEEE" and we;re getting somewhere. Obviously, you enjoy writing in other times & climes, and this gives you a very broad spectrum on which you can draw. But don't neglect the present; many of us would prefer continuing Hidden Knowledge to prequels & alternatives...and if you don't believe me, look at the survey (hey, i went 3-for-3, so i'm feeling like Mr. Target Audience right now).