The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
The books and Game of Thrones give Sansa Stark and Sandor “the Hound” Clegane several different moments. In A Clash of Kings, Sandor says “Enough” during Joffrey’s beating of Sansa and later tells her how Gregor burned his face. The show omits both exchanges in their book form. A later difference changes what Sandor remembers telling Arya: the novel includes Sansa singing for him, while the show leaves out the song.
What changes in the beating scene?
In Sansa’s A Clash of Kings chapter, Sandor speaks up as Joffrey’s men beat her, telling them, “Enough.” The show’s corresponding scene keeps him silent. That brief intervention is a clear difference in what Sandor does in front of Sansa.
The book scene also continues into a longer exchange after Tyrion intervenes, including discussion of Sansa’s marriage to Joffrey. The adaptation does not preserve the book chapter’s full conversation in the same way. Westeros.org’s comparison of “Garden of Bones” outlines the scene differences.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Does Sandor tell Sansa how he got his scars?
In the novels, Sandor tells Sansa how Gregor burned his face. The television series does not give them that disclosure in a conversation between the two characters. As a result, the books include a private exchange about Sandor’s past that the show does not reproduce in that form. Westeros.org’s “Mockingbird” comparison identifies who hears the story in the book version.
#1 Best Overall
What does Sandor later tell Arya about Sansa?
Both versions have Sandor claim that he saved Sansa from the mob. The detail that differs is what he says about her afterward: in the novel, he recalls that she sang for him; the show omits that detail.
The book also has Sandor take Sansa toward the Twins, intending to ransom her to Robb and possibly enter Robb’s service. The later conversation with Arya recalls the rescue while adding the song as an emotional detail absent from the show. See Westeros.org’s “Second Sons” comparison and A Wiki of Ice and Fire’s account of A Storm of Swords, Chapter 47.
Rank #2
- Used Book in Good Condition
- It is durable and long lasting
- It ensures you get the best usage for a longer period
Why do the book and show frame these moments differently?
The novels tell the story through character viewpoints, while television can stage scenes directly and can add, combine, or reshape material. A Sansa chapter gives readers access to what she sees and hears; the show has to decide which interactions to dramatize and how much of a book scene to retain. The differences here are specific changes in dialogue and scene details, not proof of a particular romantic interpretation.
The wider Season 3 adaptation also expanded the King’s Landing marriage plot. Writer Bryan Cogman said the first part of A Storm of Swords has relatively little King’s Landing material and that the marriage plot was expanded. That is useful context for the adaptation, but it does not establish why any individual Sansa–Sandor moment changed. Read the Westeros.org interview with Cogman.
Rank #3
- Three great storylines weave through the books
- Charting the civil war for control of the Seven Kingdoms
- The defence of the towering Wall of ice in the uttermost north against the unearthly threat of the Others
- Across the Narrow Sea the rise to power of Daenerys Targaryen and the last live dragons in the world
George R. R. Martin has described the versions as “two different tellings of the same story” and noted that differences existed from the show’s first season. CBS News quoted Martin’s comments on May 18, 2015.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
At a glance: the key differences
| Moment | Novel | Television adaptation |
|---|---|---|
| Joffrey’s beating of Sansa | Sandor says “Enough”; the chapter continues with a longer discussion after Tyrion steps in. | Sandor is silent in the corresponding scene; the book’s discussion is not retained in the same form. |
| Sandor’s burned face | He tells Sansa how Gregor burned him. | That disclosure does not occur in a conversation between Sandor and Sansa. |
| Sandor’s later account to Arya | He says he saved Sansa and recalls that she sang for him. | He claims he saved her, but the song detail is omitted. |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
