Aside from the fact that George R.R. Martin has no problem writing large tomes instead of compact-size novels, A Game of Thrones is a pleasure to all who read it. (And not just because you're teaching a totally racy HBO series on a high school level.) Students may be intimidated by its length at first, but they'll be immediately drawn into the story and then develop a voracious appetite for more.

There's really something for everyone here. Since the book follows the characters as much as the plot, we have the privilege of jumping into a variety of heads. Some are young girls, some are young boys, some are morally conflicted adults. There is such a variety of voices that everyone's guaranteed to find a character they love.