The show has real potential. No, it is not the books, and many one star reviewers here would only like it if every single scene, every single word of the fourteen books (nearly 1000 pages each) were portrayed here. That’s not possible. But the base story is awesome, even if the slightly different from the books. The show offers the opportunity to watch an engaging tale that is well worth viewing. Those I know who are watching (that are not book readers) are truly engaged, and looking forward to the next episode. Highly recommended.