The show is very close to the books in spirit, but on a scene-by-scene level almost everything is different. And some of the best characters and scenes in the series don’t have exact book counterparts—it’s worth watching for that even if you’re read the books.

The first book ends in the middle of the second season, and the second book ends in the third season, but after that it’s one book per season.

If you read and watch at the same time, be aware that the fourth season contains some elements from the fifth book that might be minor spoilers.