Game of Thrones has reached its eighth and final season, and the fans couldn’t be more excited. As the Night King and his army lay defeated, audiences are waiting with bated breath to see who will finally claim the Iron Throne.

But audiences can’t help but feel disappointed as well. People have come to love the world of Westeros and the characters within it; they don’t want to see it go forever. After all, once Thrones ends, what else is there to take its place? Luckily, I know just what you need.

For you fans of the show, now is the perfect time to get into the books. I know you may be skeptical at first, considering you’ve seen most of what happens already in the show. Or have you?

While Game of Thrones initially followed George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire closely, it started to drift away from the books even when it was still written within their frame, cutting out characters or simplifying plot threads. As a result, the show has become its own story, one much different from the books. So when you pick them up, you’re going to get a far different story.

Do you feel that Cersei Lannister and Euron Greyjoy are let downs as the show’s final villains? Book Cersei is more akin to the paranoid Emperor Nero than a mafia boss, making her far more dangerous and devious. Euron in the books is more than the swaggering pirate he is on the show; he is a master of dark, ancient rituals, and is gathering priests and sorcerers for his aspirations for godhood.

While the show has killed off  the White Walkers, they are still haunting the North in the final book, which is far more in line with the Martin’s message that fighting for power only distracts from real threats.

As for the books themselves, they are exceptionally well written; Martin’s style is elegant, yet wholly accessible. They’re also very long; each title is around 1,000 pages each. But don’t let that dissuade you; since each book is the equivalent of a single season of Thrones, they should be read in the same way you view the show; one chapter at a time.

Overall, A Song of Ice and Fire will allow you explore old plotlines with new perspectives and prepare you for a vastly different ending. So when Game of Thrones ends for good, there’s no need to despair. There’s plenty more to come, and until Winds arrives, why not read the rest?