I still have no idea where the story is going
That is perfectly normal in this case. No spoilers, but that is intentional. It makes the course of things clear later, and then once you know you'll be able to look back and see the pieces that were there hinting at it, but it very intentionally doesn't give the main plot away until you're ready for it.
Figure a good analogue will be the struggle to translate Dune to the big screen or a mini-series.
I hear good things about the newest movie… and I want to see it... but not until its been confirmed they're actually going to make the second half.
@TLC:
This actually has an opportunity to be a Game of Thrones with a superior adaptation to the source material and a not shitty ending. They can literally cover 3 books in one season and say what you will about the books in the mid portion, Brandon Sanderson stuck that landing.
The showrunner apparently worked out an 8 season plan before they even started. And while that's ambitious, it sounds just about right to adapt this particular work. I hope it can that far.
Same with the Foundation series that I just found out is coming like, next week. How did I not hear about THAT either?
It's tough because both shows are airing on like, Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Both are intending this to be their big hook Game of Thrones hoping to draw in huge audiences to make the worth the budget and commitment, but… not exactly HBO.
The thing is, I like both novel series and... they're not game of thrones. They have the epic scope and intrigue to work, but they lack the violence and sex and gore that drew people into GoT. If these minor stations are hoping for GoT numbers, they are likely going to be very disappointed.