There's still a difference between the written word and the visualized story. The actors and the soundtrack and the whole plethora of visual and auditory elements bring a whole new dimension into storytelling that a novel essentially can't bring to its audience; thus, the whole military aspect of it can connect to me as a viewer in a more appealing way than if I were reading out all the details in novel format. (If I tried to read B5 in a strictly novel format, I guarantee I would get bored with it.)

It's essentially the same thing you get when you read a Shakespeare play vs. when you watch one; the performance aspect is the key to its success.