Buy the books you will not regret them. Now that I'm up to date so far I sometimes re read only from certin chareters views. (The books are not told in a straight narrative, but more like the tv show you see what is going on through individual peoples eyes. Pending on what edition/publisher you get of A Storm of Swords it may be broken into two volumes i Steel and Snow, ii Blood and Gold.
After you have read A Dance with Dragons you will become one of us and curse his name to the many Gods mentioned in the book. Waiting for The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring to eventually come out.
Yes "Valar Morghulis" is true, BUT please George finish this epic first
