I would suggest Terry Goodkind's First Book, Wizards First Rule, even though it is extremely lengthy because it is the beginning to what I believe to be the best Fantasy series ever to be written. Also, Tad Williams' Otherland is exceptionally wonderful. Something you maybe able to do for the longer books is assign them at the beginning of the semester and have an extra-credit test at the end of the semester over the book.
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I would suggest Terry Goodkind's First Book, Wizards First Rule, even though it is extremely lengthy because it is the beginning to what I believe to be the best Fantasy series ever to be written. Also, Tad Williams' Otherland is exceptionally wonderful. Something you maybe able to do for the longer books is assign them at the beginning of the semester and have an extra-credit test at the end of the semester over the book.