I just finished 7th Sigma by Steven Gould. It was really great, and not what I would have guessed based on the title or cover. It's a retelling of Rudyard Kipling's "Kim", except in a futuristic American southwest where "bugs" have eaten everything metal, and Kim's first real teacher/parent figure is a Sensei starting her own school. It was clearly initially written as a bunch of short stories, but what comes together is a fantastic story. I strongly recommend it!