I'd read the books long before the series was even announced and got a tad over excited when it was. After watching all the episodes of the 1st series i'm so horribly disappointed. It doesn't hold a candle to the books. Camelot on ch4 is much much better.
I loved the first season, and I intend to keep watching it. I haven't read the books, but I've been told major spoilers, and some of them really annoy me, he seems very trigger happy, let's leave it at that.
I'll just watch it until it starts getting bad
since i haven't read the books I'd -almost- put Game of Thrones up there with my favourites Band of Brothers and Rome. Game of thrones isn't quite as good as them though, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.