REAMDE, by Neal Stephenson
This was one of Neal Stephenson's more immediately accessible books in a while (I thoroughly enjoyed Anathem but the opening clock-winding scene rivalled Bilbo's birthday party for story-opening side-excursions). It's a good read, although I found I needed to use my suspension of disbelief for at least one plot point that turned around a very large coincidence.
The Tiger's Wife, by Téa Obreht
