I don't have a lot of experience with graphic novels, but as a huge fan of the show, I really wanted to give it a shot. I wasn't disappointed! 
 I was worried that I had made the #1 readers blunder, in seeing the show first. I have always preferred reading a story with a fresh mind, with no expectations. Having watched the show first, it made it difficult to read this without assuming I know what's going to happen. Luckily for me, the plot was NOT the same. What an awesome surprise! 
 The author's promise was that the story was not all about the gore (which, of course, there is plenty of), but is instead about the characters. With graphic novels it's incredibly difficult to portray the character's personalities, using minimal words. But together with the artwork, beautifully rendered, I did find the author's statement to be true. 
 This is, undoubtedly, not for the squeamish, but if you're confident that your stomach will stand true, it's definitely worth a read.