I doubt it touches ASOIAF!
It's more consistently awesome. ASOIAF has higher highs but some really boring lows imo. Also, Erickson is a MACHINE when it comes to writing. Book 8 is done and will be out this year, Book 9 in 2009 and Book 10 in 2010.
Basically, all you're doing is prolonging the inevitable. Once you get about 2/3 of the way through the first book you'll be saying OMFG BRIDGEBURNERS SO AWESOME OMFG QUICK BEN BEST CHARACTER OF THE EVER. And the first book isn't even anywhere NEAR as good as the second and third ones.