For the fans of Showtime's "Dexter", did you read any of Jeff Lindsay's books that inspired this show? If so, are they very different? Would I benefit reading the books, or am I better off just watching the show and keeping the characters as they are?

I've read all of the Dexter books, and the only book that is similar to the show is the first one. After that they go in different directions.

So, I just read Darkly Dreaming Dexter and I can say that it and the first season of Dexter have the same plot. In the first part of book and the tv show, any differences are fairly insignificant. I did get some different feelings reading the book, though. In the book, it is much more obvious that Dexter thinks LaGuerta is an idiot. Dexter refers to himself as emotionless more often and Dexter's urge to kill is more of a separate entity within him, not something I noticed watching the show. It is his "Dark Passenger" always, a term that is first used, I believe, in the second season of the television show.

The main differences emerge towards the end of the book, so watch out for spoilers in the next sentences. Before I go any further, I want to note that Paul never comes back in the book, so Dexter doesn't hit him with the pan and shoot him with heroine. Anyways, when Deb and Dexter go to the hockey arena the second time and find the video of the killer, he closely resembles Dexter. Dexter cannot tell Deb with certainty that it is not him in that picture. Dexter has been wondering if, in fact, he is the killer. He's been having very vivid dreams that give him insight into the murders. Dexter wonders if maybe, while he thinks he's sleeping, he's really committing these murders. Deb tells Dexter to examine the webcam feed at his house and tell her if it is reliable. She would stop by his place later and take him into custody if necessary. Dexter, after pouring over the tapes for hours, concludes that he can't possibly be the killer. He goes to bed and wakes to a phone call from Matthews. He asks when Deb left Dexter's apartment. Dexter tells Matthews that she never arrived to collect the evidence.

Dexter goes out to his car and finds another Barbie in the passenger seat. The doll is wearing a sailor suit and in the tiny suitcase is Deb's class ring. So, Dexter sets off and arrives at this shipping yard. On the other side of the fence are storage containers. Dexter can't find a way to get in and he's sure the guards will be arriving soon. Then he sees a hole cut in the fence that is being held open by the killer's truck. Dexter goes back to his car to park it and another car parks next to his: LaGuerta. She suspected something when Deb was gone so long and so she followed Dexter from his apartment here. Dexter tries to explain himself and talks LaGuerta into going inside with him. LaGuerta says that if they don't find the killer she'll take Dexter in. Dexter talks LaGuerta into splitting up so he can go where his gut leads him. He arrives at a container, leans on it, and the door opens. Inside, Deb is taped down. Dexter meets his brother and remembers sitting in the blood and everything. (So there was no "Rudy," no engagement, or anything.) Mind you, Deb is conscious and she's seeing this twisted side of Dexter where he contemplates killing her. I really don't like that Deb saw Dexter like this in his moment of weakness when he almost kills her. LaGuerta bursts in in time, but Brian makes a move toward her. LaGuerta shoots him, but is stabbed by Dex's brother.

Dexter pulls the tape off Deb's mouth, but sees that she is still helpless and again fights with himself about killing her. Deb keeps telling Dexter to snap out of it: it's her, his sister. He can't kill Deb, but he can't move his arm away. Deb warns Dexter that LaGuerta's going to shoot him. Brian stops her and returns to Dexter's side. Dexter tells him he can't kill Deb. Brian takes the knife from Dexter and says, "That's too bad," and "the knife went down." In the next scene Dexter's at a funeral. All her fellow officers are there, and Dexter keeps sighing and saying Deb's name. Then Deb elbows him and tells him to shut up and now it's obvious that this is LaGuerta's funeral. Dexter's brother got away... though Dexter doesn't hunt him down.

This is, I think, the ONLY instance when I liked a television show/movie more than I liked the book. Jeff Lindsay created a truly remarkable story, so I have to give him a lot of credit. Showtime just made it more... exciting.

I haven't read them, but I am certainly planning to. I will let you know when I do :)