Normally the phrase you always hear is: the book was better.
In this case, the series seems clearly better than the book. Or am I prejudiced because I saw the show first?
I disagree with your “clearly” there. I think both are good. The TV series definitely has an advantage of being able to show explicit nudity.
A lot of people complain about the books’ level of detail, but I like that about the books.
I think they’re both great- and I think the tv show probably couldn’t be done any better. In this case I don’t think either can be called “better” (through season 3 and book 3, anyway)- they’re both doing a great job at what they’re trying to do.
I totally disagree. The books are better. At least to the point they have reached in the series.
The one example I always give is Jaws. The movie was way better.
The books are far far superior.
Having never read the books, I still think it comes down to how you look at it. Among Fantasy TV series, GoT is pretty much as good as you’re going to get, if not the best. Can the same thing be said about the books when compared to other books of the genre? (I don’t know, I’m asking for opinions.)
ETA/IOW: Basically, what I’m getting at is that it’s hard to compare two things as disparate as a series of TV shows and a series of books. Instead, if you compare them to their peers, what is their relative rating?
Possibly. The series might have skewed your expectations a certain way, particularly in terms of pacing. The books are far more detailed and deliberate, which some just don’t like. Glacial is the phrase such people might use :). I prefer that level of detail and development myself, so I prefer the books.
However…the series has done a quite good job at a number of things and exceeded the books in a few respects ( my favorite, oft-repeated example being show Cersei crushing book Cersei in terms of expressed depth of character ). I don’t think someone who prefers the show is crazy by any means - it’s a very good treatment.
The books are good to a point. In the most recent books the story has moved at a literal snails pace, and the writing is so meandering and overstuffed it’s on the edge of being a “There are you satisfied!” “fuck you” to readers. His heart just really has not been in the last books. You kind of got the feeling he was tired of it and just going through the motions.,
On the author’s side he was an extremely successful author before the TV series and the GOT was just one of his successful series. He has also had health issues. In all honesty the GOT readers are extremely badgering and the sense of entitlement that they are owed a timely update to the story is palpable. Were I he I’d be tempted to tell them to piss off.
The series as an artistic endeavor is a better TV series (so far - overall) than the books are a work of literature (taken as a collection). If compared to just the first or second book they might be on equal footing.
I would like more detail in the series, but I dislike Martin’s actual writing of the detail (and other things), so I still prefer the series.
I agree with the phrase “Read the fucking book!”
The series is fine, but I always like the books better. Although I will admit Lord of the Rings is a close call for me.
I like the TV show quite a bit. It’s not the best show evar!, but it’s a solid, well done show, easily in the top 10 for fantasy television series.
It took me four attempts to get through the first book. Due credit, on the fourth attempt I really liked it, and rolled right into the second, and then got bogged down again. Finished them, but can’t bring myself to begin the third. And I’m a voracious reader, especially of fantasy. I don’t think they’re particularly well done fantasy books; I wouldn’t even put them in the top 10.
Of course, “fantasy television series” is a whole lot smaller category than “fantasy book series”, but I think it’s still telling. The TV show is top of its game, the book series isn’t.
While both forms have accomplished their artistic and audience goals, I much prefer the TV show this time, which is very rare, perhaps unique.
I feel the same way about the books. I read Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings, but it was like trying to run through hip-deep mud at times. I much prefer the TV series.
If you stopped at book 2, you made a big mistake. Storm of Swords is by far the best book of the series. If I was to list my 10 favorite scenes, probably 8 happen in that book.
I like the books better. I think the TV series is more consistent. The books had higher highs, but lower lows. The past episode’s scene of Dany sacking Astapor is probably the first time the TV show has made me feel like the books have.
If somebody feels like abandoning a story after making it through, or near, two whole volumes… I think they’ve given it a fair shot. I wouldn’t expect anyone to keep watching a show if two seasons weren’t enough to convince them, either.
I’ve heard that before. But at this point, I’d need the strength of Dany to get me to open that third book! 
The books are better, at least as far as the show’s gotten. Not that the show is bad, it’s very good, but it’s impossible for them to fit everything good from the books into the show.
I read the entire series out loud to my wife doing the voices as well as I could.
It is a long and rambling tale.
As a piece of popular fiction, the video adaptation appears to be superior.
And (as has been noted upthread) this is rather odd.
Perhaps, unique?
The thing is there is a vast vast number of great fantasy books, while great fantasy TV show is almost an oxymoron. Saying the books are one of the best fantasy book series around is an actual accomplishment, and while i love the TV show claiming it is the best fantasy TV series is kinda like claiming to be the toughest guy on the Justin Bieber fan club. Even if it is true it doesn’t exactly mean much.
This “fair shot” concept really is irrelevant. If the third book is of the highest quality, then it is of the highest quality. If someone who hasn’t read the third book is asking about the quality of the series, then it makes sense to say that “book three is the best.” In that context, who cares about “fair shot” or not? It has nothing to do with fairness.
Meh same but different, I love the detail of the books and the boobies of the show.