I don't know what's coming, so that episode was a total shock!
It's a shame to hear that the books don't get any better, style-wise, because I do enjoy the story, especially the idea that anyone could go at any minute.
Having said that,
I've heard that the TV series has deviated quite strongly from the books, including killing of some people that were around in book 5, and giving screentime to a particular character that dropped off the face of the world, and was possibly dead, until they turned up in one of the later books
By the way,
this video popped up in my Youtube suggestions, an 84 minute panel timed with the Emmys, which I guess was before Season 3: it has Sansa, Arya (sp?), GRRM, Cersei (sp?), Tyrion, the producers, Jon, Catlyn (sp?) and the Kingslayer, and is quite fun