Release schedule:
Friday, September 1: Episodes 1-3 “A Taste of Solitude,” “Strangers and Friends,” and “What Might Be”
Friday, September 8: Episode 4 “Daughters of the Night”
Friday, September 15: Episode 5
Friday, September 22: Episode 6
Friday, September 29: Episode 7
Friday, October 6: Episode 8
“This series is 1:1 replica of a book” and “this series is only taking a passing inspiration from original books” are merely facts and a starting point to set expectations before moving on to describe and judge an adaptation. It’s okay to judge by comparing original to adaptation but “this is not a faithful adaptation, therefore it is bad” does not help in evaluating quality of derived work.
In as much as Lord of the Rings we’re to be adapted about a Hobbit (who looks like a minotaur and hates grass) wearing a magical necklace (which grants him extra speed) on the way to a mythical hot springs guarded by unicorns would be a faithful adaptation.
You’re assuming that readers of the books are expecting to see their internal movie played out before them. I think most are expecting an adaptation. What they’re getting is an “Inspired by a true story” level of faithfulness to the original work.
I can only speak for myself, which is to say I’m fine with the changes in timeline, consolidation of enemies, etc. Yet there are fundamental changes to characters, motivations, etc. That drastically change who these people are. That’s where my disappointment lies.
I see why Brandon Sanderson wants creative control over his adaptations if/when they ever go to screen.
Agreed. One of my biggest complaints about the first season was how much time they wasted on subplots that didn’t exist in the books, trying to explain stuff that would have gotten covered later anyway with better, more established characters.