I like the TV series, too, probably because I liked a lot about the setting of the books, but not much else. Richards is a lot more likeable in the series, not nearly as arrogant and violent, but this does not take away from his badassery from the books. The character Zed seems little changed, which I think is good, he was one character I did like in the books.
There's little comparison between the two, besides that the series is a cheesily enjoyable action/adventure story in the same general family as Xena and Hercules, whereas the books sucked.