As many have pointed out, it is hard to hear the basic plot of this book and not compare it to Battle Royale: a group of teenagers is coerced into an arena to fight to the death. Hunger Games is however a lot less brutal; I would recommend this book to people who I don't think could stomach Battle Royale. The fight also seems a lot more fair, at least when it begins. 
 Hunger Games is a much more complex story, so I found that I enjoyed both books in different ways. I like the world in this one, and look forward to the other books in the series, as well as the film planned for 2013.