From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next picks:
Hardcover
Stray Dog Winter by David Francis (MacAdam/Cage, $24, 9781596923157/1596923156). "David Francis has created a flashback to 1980s Communist Russia filled with suspense, intrigue, and a good deal of sexiness. Stray Dog Winter is a novel of breathless moments, passion, politics, and atmosphere so thick you can feel the cold."--Calvin Crosby, Books Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe (Soho, $25, 9781569475225/1569475229). "Mark Barrowcliffe's memoir of his teenage years playing fantasy role-playing games champions the cause of a widely unacknowledged population of geeks, nerds, and dorks. The Elfish Gene is touching, hilarious, and far too familiar."--Bridget Allison, Phoenix Books, Essex, Vt.
Paperback
A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco by Suzanna Clarke (Pocket, $15, 9781416578932/1416578935). "Suzanna Clarke's account of restoring a dilapidated house in Fez is full of wonderful descriptions and characters. She's given us a refreshing change from the way we usually view the Muslim world."--Susan Porter, Maine Coast Book Shop, Damariscotta, Me.
For Ages 9 to 12
Mothstorm by Philip Reeve (Bloomsbury, $16.99, 9781599903033/1599903032). "When a rescue mission to Georgium Sidus yields a new foe, the Mumbys must save the Empire from certain peril--again. This thrilling and rewarding conclusion to Reeve's Larklight trilogy is exactly what I wanted from this masterful storyteller."--Krys Tourtois, Schuler Books & Music, Lansing, Mich.
Enjoy!
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]