The Leftovers -- I went ahead and read the novel. Pfehhh. Didn't spoil a thing. The novel has nowhere near the drama and dynamics that the series has. Most of the same characters, but they are not much like what they are in the series. I'm not saying the novel is bad, it's well written but it's very quiet and subtle. It's more about what people do with their day to day lives in the aftermath of such a weird event. There's no build up to major confrontations or weird dreams or forgotten nights out. In the book, Kevin is the mayor, not the sheriff. His daughter is described as rather plain, not cute like she is in the series.
I started to get a little weary of the series until about 2 episodes ago when they started tying things together more. I'm back into it again. I expect all hell to break loose on Memorial Day.