I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree about the changes made from book to screen. In the end I think it comes down to personal preference, and I much prefer the more deliberate pace of the novels to the broad strokes of the show. Martin's narrative, aside from being better written, makes more sense thematically and fits the world he has created. D&D may have kept the larger story beats, but their altering of so many little character details has added up over the years to the point where the tiny ripples in season 1 are now 30 foot tsunamis sweeping away any coherence that was left. The changes fundamentally alter the story that is being told, and casts characters in a far different light than in the novels. It's clear that D&D have been playing favorites since day one (they love the Lannisters, except Jaime, and dislike the Starks due their honor, which they think is moronic).
In the books the characters drive the plot, not the other way around. It's largely a problem of the later seasons, but still applies to characters like Cat who are a victim of circumstance instead of being in charge of their destinies. It's hard to care about characters when their actions are warped to fit preconceived plot points instead of a more natural cause and effect.
Maybe I placed too great an emphasis on the quality of GoT compared to other HBO shows (completely forgot about Entourage and True Blood), but they don't get the same level of attention or acclaim. It hurts the industry when a show like this is passed off as high art. Again, I have no problem with praise directed at the art direction, music, acting, stunt work or CGI, but the reason why this show has been so successful is because of the framework provided by the novels. If this had been an original series by D&D I doubt it would've gotten a second season. The fact that the most recent seasons (the ones that jumped the shark, narratively speaking) are the ones receiving the most awards for its storytelling is appalling. Television is supposed to be the writer's medium, the place where story is king. I don't want shows with brains to be phased out in favor of four quadrant crowdpleasers.
