yea definitely! i have read the first one a while ago and started the second one, but i needed to swap out for something... lighter since that is a pretty heavy book. i actually don't mind if shows or movies stray from the books, it's like they are making it their own and i won't guess everything that's happening. i felt like that about true blood as i read all of the sookie stackhouse books and they are VASTLY different, like oh my god different. but i didn't mind because it was like the same characters in a different universe. just a new spin on some good characters i already liked