Tower of the Hand

The next entry is for Brienne VI.

So Sandor really is dead. I knew he was dying at the end of ASOS, but Martin has a way of making readers think one thing right before he does another. So I figured he’d recover somehow. I don’t like how this was done…….one of the most interesting characters in the novels just quietly dies in the background, relegated to a piece of conversation between Brienne and some nameless bit character? He deserved better than that. Hell, he should still be alive – he was easily the most complex of the minor characters, and I liked having him around. But if he had to die, it should’ve been done differently. I suppose it’s possible Martin’s just trying to throw readers off, as he tends to do. But I doubt it. Why would this monk lie to Brienne? The whole thing checks out fairly well – he knew Sandor’s whole story and is in possession of his horse. Anyway, the point is: I liked Sandor, and I’m choked that he went out this way. He should’ve died fighting, not cringing under a log, begging for death. I guess it suits his whole “dog” persona, though.

So, we get more details on what happened at the Saltpans. I can’t wait until someone finds this group of outlaws and slaughters them. Jaime and Brienne both seem to be moving in that direction (I don’t think he much cares to get to Riverrun), perhaps they’ll join forces. Wouldn’t that be nice.

Brienne certainly poured herself out to this monk. Catharsis seems to be the order of the day, these last couple chapters. At least she now knows she was chasing the wrong Stark girl. It would’ve been too much to learn of Sandor’s death and see Brienne continue chasing after the wrong girl in the same chapter.

Sandor deserved better.