I started reading the first book a couple of weeks ago, am about 300 pages in atm. I wish I'd started reading them before watching the series. I can't help but imagine the TV characters in my head. I mean Joffrey thus far has long blonde curly hair in the book, and all of the characters are much younger than what they are in the series (due to medieval times meaning you died at 30 and therefore were a man at 15). Robb and Jon are only like 14, and Daenerys is like 13 or something. Pretty hard to lose yourself in a world where you're imagining another one. That and the fact that I know what's going to happen. I know it's the same for people that read the books first, but the other way round. My friend Ben says it's annoying how he knows everything that's going to happen in the series because he's read the books. But I think I'd prefer that, considering books are more immersive than TV in my opinion. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying it so far, and you get over all that stuff after a while. Usually I start thinking about the TV series each time I start reading, but after a few pages I'm immersed in the world again, even if I do know roughly what will happen. The book, I've found, has provided much more detail as well, as you'd expect. You can know what's going on in people's heads, like for instance (MINOR spoiler for like the first episode of season 1 haha) you really get more of an in-depth view on why Catelyn feels so much hatred towards Jon for being a bastard.
Yeah, there are also several things that have been changed in the TV series, I was surprised to see how much they have actually changed, and some of the things don't really seem to need to have been changed.
I don't think that takes away anything from Game of Thrones as a TV series though, it is great in its own way even if it is not following the lore 150%.
I don't think it's a prank if you know what I mean.
It's a dawg
Actually I was referring to my mention of Hogwarts before...
