It's better. As someone who is familiar with the books and short stories, I'm impressed by how faithful they remained. I am only on the second episode but thus far it's very close.

What really surprised me was how refining the storyline for the screen made it better. And that's only do the talent behind the project. They had to choose which elements to highlight and which elements to let fall behind. Is it excellent television I don't think so but it's good television and well worth watching. Is it Game of Thrones no it's it's own thing and the comparisons are only negative but that is Netflix's fault for encouraging it.