I'm reminded of what Barristan said in season 3. It was something like "Robert was a good man, but a terrible king." I'm kinda of the mind that Old Barry was being too forgiving towards Robert
Anyways, do you guys agree that the show has surpassed the books in terms of quality?
I don't feel the need to read the books anymore, I honestly have more faith in the show's producers then GRRM. They tell stories much better then Slowpoke Martin
Well, the first 4 seasons are pretty faithful to the first 3 books, and they're well crafted for the most part. In that sense it becomes and argument of "does what you imagined in your head compare to what you saw on screen?" discussion.
I'd say to that, in some cases the show did it better, like anything with Drogo/Dany/Viserys in season 1 ( :hrt ) or Arya and the Hound getting more time together to develop a relationship, the Dracarys scene in season 3, or Stannis in Blackwater, and other times it doesn't quite live up to what was in the books. Jon's season 2 storyline was a big one, which in my head was probably closer to something you'd see in The Grey rather than what we got. I felt like the whole ASOS-Dragonstone plotline was hurt by trying to stretch it over two seasons, likewise I wish we had more time with Jon and Ygritte to get more of the intimacy that books brought to life...it's give and take. I like them both, but for different things.
Books 4/5 to the 4 episodes we've seen of season 5? That's another matter. It flows better than those books, especially AFFC, did, but at the same time they're making a lot of the same mistakes. Brienne's storyline...it's better, but it's still really bad for me. The character isn't one that I think is particularly entertaining or interesting, but if my suspicions are correct, and she does indeed take the role of Mance/Spearwives in Winterfell....well maybe they can do something there. In general, I'm not flash on a lot of those plotlines set in the South of Westeros, the show hasn't really changed my opinion in that regard. I like some of the casting though, Jonathan Pryce is a lovely man and Alexander Siddig's a pretty classic fan cast come to life.
The real meat of the story is in the North, and the East. I'll say this right now, I think everything with Stannis and Jon this season makes sex look like a church. Two of my favorite characters finally getting their due and the build up to the Battle of Ice is great. Sansa going to Winterfell is better than her book storyline, and given that she's been absorbed into what I personally felt was the most emotional storyline Martin ever wrote (Theon in Winterfell and finding redemption) I'm extremely excited for what could come of that, and how she could enhance what is already a great storyline. Pretty damn happy with the North. The East though, even without Quentyn Martell or Young Griff, or the various Meereen politics, is still a slog for me to get through. Im curious about Tyrion meeting Dany sooner, but the death of Barristan (RIP) in favor of increasing Daario's presence really sucks. His chapters in ADWD and what I've read of WoW are really great, epic stuff, so that's a major disappointment, as is the removal of the overall Siege of Meereen/Battle of Fire. The chapters of that look bat**** insane and the biggest battle that's been in books. So overall, I feel that's a let down.
I also think that keeping the Martells was a big mistake. I didn't like it in the books and I don't like it on screen, even in it's altered form. They're doing what GRRM did, which was trying to ride the popularity of Oberyn and give us a bunch of similar figures. The problem is, that outside of Doran, none of them are near as likable as Oberyn, plus the plot is very ponderous. But probably, it's the absence of Victarion and Euron Greyjoy that I think hurts this season the most. They're both very cinematic characters, and I think having them included in some way would have given this season a bit more spice to it. Victarion fighting around the world Russell Crowe style and becoming and undead Fire Wright was so insane, it would have been glorious. But, on the flip side, David Benioff said in an interview that with some of the characters it's not a case of being "cut" as it is their plot being shuffled around/later, so I think there's still a good chance we could see Euron and his megalomania come into it in season 6 as a Dany villain.
Basically, there's a lot I love about both versions of the story, and some stuff I dislike about both. They're not going to be the same, and sometimes the weakness of one will become the strength of the other but enjoying one doesn't mean I can't enjoy the other, and it's my hope that both are good and that everyone finds some level of enjoyment from the franchise in general.
, Stannis, Shireen, Bronn, Jaime, Sansa, Tyrion. All good. But the best thing, well other then Mel's scene, had to be all the talk of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Got to set up that Jon Snow reveal. 
t:
Littlefinger definitely knows the truth too. Maybe not about Jon but he definitely knows that Rhagar didn't kidnap or rape Lyanna. The look he gave Sansa and his silence confirms for me that that **** was consensual. I love it!
