So I'm almost done with book 1 and I'm really enjoying it. I'm up to date with the tv show, and I think reading the book after seeing the show is helpful because there is so much going on with the storyline, it's easier to follow with the tv show and then get the deeper details from the book.

Are there any others who watched the show first then picked up the books? Or am I the odd one?

I doubt if you are, as there is a real upsurge in book sales and orders of it from the library, since the show started.

I also am seeing a lot of copies in the used book store and at thrift stores, so I suspect at least some of those who got into the books because of the show found them hard going. They're not really all that dense for the type of book they are - epic fantasy of this sort tends to be character and plot heavy - but for those new to the genre who normally just read beach novels, they might be a bit heavy

I'm a late comer to GoT. I read the first book a couple of months ago after resisting all the hype for several years (and I'd finished all the other books on my bedside table). Two months later, I've just finished 'A Dance with Dragons'. I've become totally immersed. And now I have to wait x years until GRRM produces book 6. I've felt the standard of writing has waxed and waned but always sufficiently entertaining and evocative to keep my attention.

Towards the end of book 1, I rented the DVDs for series one of the TV show. I then watched series 2 and 3 over the next fortnight. Hence I was watching and reading in approximate tandem. Despite the plot simplifications and lack of many characters, I've also really enjoyed the TV show and watching how the producers have interpreted the book and made it tractable for visual presentation. Unfortunately for me, I started watching just as series 4 finished on TV here so I either have to find a way to get access or wait for the DVDs to be released (Jan next year?).

I'm still waiting to see how the various threads will be drawn together now that winter has officially arrived :-)

I'm not normally a reader of fantasy literature, so am slightly amazed that I've been drawn in so completely. I guess for me that is one mark of excellence in the storytelling. I also enjoy discussing various reactions to the major plot twists with my research group over morning coffees every now and then (the discussions are every now and then, the morning coffees are every day of the week!)

And thinking a little more about why I'm enjoying this series so much, I realized many years ago that the fantasy that really strikes a chord with me is that which provides interesting insights into the human condition (perhaps that's a mark for all fiction, but hey, I'm a scientist, not an English Lit major!). In GoT, the most fascinating aspect is the various ways that politics and power are intertwined and then expressed through various actions, plots and subterfuges.

I think there's also a little bit of something in it for everyone. For me, Danaerys is boring and (at least judging from the show) so is Bran. But there are other storylines I like, so I muddle through the ones I don't like.