I do agree that the books can drag out a bit. And some scenes are handled better the show than in the books, in my opinion.

But I love the amount of detail the author puts in the surroundings, though it can be tedious when he describes in great detail what EVERYONE is wearing.

And some scenes are completely different in the show compared to the books, but I like the way they are played out better on the show. It just makes more sense in some ways.

But the character development in the books are soo much better. You can really see Arya grow up in the books and see all her struggles and challenges.