Normally, I always read a book before watching the tv show or movie made from it. I didn't with this one, and I think that made my experience better. There are so many characters. I think I would have felt and little overwhelmed and lost reading it first. I'm current on the tv show, and I read the prequel book so I have a much better understanding of who people are and what's going on. It's been so long since I saw the first season of GoT that this book was also a great reminder of who the characters were in the beginning. I noticed things that didn't make it into the show and things that didn't register before. I highly enjoyed reading this and can't wait to continue the series.