I read the first one as an adult, and loved it. After I finished, and was thinking about it,I realized it was actually a book about all the various ways that an army would try to beat a siege, and breach the castle walls. Brute force, over, under, using spies and traitors, lone operative, etc., all under the guise of a children's story. Fascinating.

Well now I have a new show to seek out.

I've never read the books, but I remember liking the show a lot!