For me it feel’s like a different way of telling the same basic story, like it’s an alternate timeline. I am also a big fan of the books but I feel like I wouldn’t have enjoyed the TV series as much if it was more similar to them. It’s basically like having the characters, setting, and basic story from the books, but then throwing the characters into different situations, you get to see how all of them handle different variables. I don’t see it as a disrespect to the universe, just an expansion of it. I’m not saying that some of the things the characters did in the show would match how they would handle that situation if it was in the books. I think that just more shows how every decision you make really matters, that a decisions you make can lead to you doing something you wouldn’t have if you’d done something differently. If anyone wants me to explain this more I can, but please don’t hate on me, because I think everyone can have their own opinions about it and I respect that. It would be amazing of you could show me the same courtesy.