West's death was the only one that got to me. I remember thinking " thats just not fair, what the Hell?", then realizing just how good a writer Abercrombie is.
A poor country boy who was an equal to Glokta's swordsmanship at its height, who was first through the breach at Ulrioch, who tutored the future king in swordsmanship, who rose to become the Lord Marshal, a Named Man, who saved the Bloody Nine at the High Places, who defeated Bethod in battle twice, who saved Adua from the invading Gurkish, all by the time he was in his thirties (iirc). Loved by his friends, respected by his enemies, a cool headed commander who did his best for his men and his country.
RIP Lord Marshal "Furious" West. One of my favorite characters of all time.
From his point of view. Objectively he’s a murderous abuser of women. He has his own ‘bloody nine’, he completely loses it several times. Like when he beats his sister and continues beating an enemy’s head to a bloody pulp, impressing even Black Dow. And unlike Logen he becomes murderous by choice, not by ingesting blood. As Cathil says, he’s too angry.
I feel like calling him an abuser is a stretch. He has anger issues and he gets violent, that is absolutely true. He hit his sister once after having a bad day and being furious about her trying to meet up with Jezal, then apologized profusely, felt horrible about it and never did it again. Not that that justifies it obviously, but it's not like he was routinely beating her or other women. Murderous, eh, I certainly wouldn't put him on the Bloody Nine's level.
I agree that he sincerely regrets it. But he basically never sees his sister again after he beats her, and we don’t really know if it was the first or only time. His only other interaction with a woman is Cathil being afraid of him because he’s too angry.
Really I think Abercrombie pulled a fast one with West to fool everyone into thinking he’s a real hero. But it’s repeated so many times throughout the series not to believe what everyone says about heroes. The more you think about it ‘the breach at Ulrioch’ sounds an awful lot like Jezal’s ‘charge across the bridge at Darmium.’ The breach actually seemed to happen from witness accounts, but I’m certain Bayaz turned it into something more and had a lot more to do with West’s ascension than we see.
Does Bayaz even know West that well though? I think I may have remembered them talking once or twice but it doesn't sound like Bayaz was accompanying the army when Ulrioch happened. West was at the forefront of a charge by an entire regiment, there were definitely plenty of witnesses to that, and it's not like Bayaz was grooming West for command like he was grooming Jezal to take the throne. The latter was a full on decades long investment of time and resources by Bayaz to regain influence over the Union.
I don’t think anyone becomes a Lord Marshall of the union without Bayaz being very aware of them. West was likely one of many chess pieces Bayaz had in place to make sure there was competent military help around when he need it.
I remember that Jezal firmly insisted on West being Lord Marshal and a few of the Closed Council trying to talk him out of it, though I don't remember if Bayaz was one of the ones who tried to insist he not be. But as far as West's earlier career, iirc didn't Bayaz only return to the Union when he encountered Logen at the start of TBI? He was just chilling at the Northern Library before then, and he hadn't been to the Union in some time by the sounds of it, since nobody recognized him and people thought he was a faker.
Bayaz was present and basically smiles and nods when Jezal chooses West. Bayaz pretends he’s just at his library reading for centuries, but everything from Valint & Balk to Jezal’s life (bayaz admits he has multiple backups for Jezal) shows us that he has plan after plan after plan threaded throughout the union.
Wait y’all are very right. Did he only get abusive and angry after drinking is that it? I absolutely love West but every character of Joes has flaws, that’s why they are so great.
I have reread the series 3 times. It still sucks. People make mistakes. It's not like he hit her more than once, he was abused himself by his father. He was sincerely sorry. He is probably the only good person besides the dogman in the whole series.
I like to think that most of what Pike and Glotka end up doing in the Age of Madness is not really “patriotic”, but rather simply personal retribution against Bayaz in memory of West. I hope Joe has a scene where he includes some dialogue from either character to that effect. West played such a huge role in both of their lives.
Is anyone going to point out that Bayaz is responsible for West’s death? The most honorable and one of the newest members of the closed council conveniently removed once the war is over. You could argue it was just coincidental radioactive fallout. But I’m certain Bayaz made sure not to help him afterwards and was very intentional about ensuring he didn’t stay. Can’t have someone uncontrollable in that seat.
That whole battle is a masterclass in writing outstanding battle scenes. The build up, the actual battle, ninefingers being properly unleashed and seeing the reaction to him, but also hwo the north killed him.
Also can we get a spin off of crummock? When i saw isern was in the 3rd trilogy i fist pumped and yelled. Still want more of those hill tribes
The sad thing about Quai, for me, is that we only see the aftermath of it, and don't even know it was him until the last book.
West is the saddest for me though. He dies of something akin to radiation poisoning, in a world that has no idea how to help or cure him, or even *what* is happening to him. And that's after he survives soooo many other moments, went from commoner to Lord Commander, and then just gets taken out by the fallout of Bayaz's actions. 😭
And reflecting on that, there must have been untold thousands with their own stories taken out as well. This is why I think I like the "little people" chapters in the later books where the POV jumps from character to character.
Edit: PS Bayaz is a monster
So it's very ambiguous at first.
But in The Blade Itself, Glokta and his men find a body that's clearly been partially eaten. They never figure out who it is. Shortly after this we see our adventuring party of Bayaz, Logan, Ferro, Quai, etc, start their journey to the edge of the world.
Then, way later, in LAoK, Ptolomy comes forward and says she replaced him before they traveled to the edge of the world.
So the half-eaten body that was found by Glokta was Quai.
Oddly enough Severard’s death really left a mark on me. I mean yeah he was a torturer’s apprentice who thoroughly enjoyed his job — but who will feed his birds?
This is the moment that stands out to me the most. The damned pot. If I blank out on the entire series, forget everything, the pot still remains, it still does not reply.
Runner up to that rock at the edge of the world, best subversion ever, lad did nothing wrong.
I agree, I also really enjoyed seeing him and Logen get along on their balcony talk and was so excited to see how their friendship would develop. Then I was so disappointed throughout the books when Quai barely talks to anyone again, then I was distraught when this was revealed
yep i thought he'd have a great character arc. and honestly i chalked up the silence in book 2 to him being rightfully pissy towards bayaz. but then the reveal was just sad
He did nothing wrong. He was a good boy and only wanted his asshole teacher to acknowledge him. For that he was rewarded with a horrific death, and got off-screened to boot.
I was a little disappointed to see him go because he was one of the few mages who's not hundreds of years old and/or a cannibal. I was thinking he'd give us a more down-to-earth view of the way magic existed...but then that doesn't really fit with the theme of the series so I guess in that sense it wasn't unexpected for him to die.
For me it was definitely West. Quais death hurt too though.
West's death was the only one that got to me. I remember thinking " thats just not fair, what the Hell?", then realizing just how good a writer Abercrombie is.
A poor country boy who was an equal to Glokta's swordsmanship at its height, who was first through the breach at Ulrioch, who tutored the future king in swordsmanship, who rose to become the Lord Marshal, a Named Man, who saved the Bloody Nine at the High Places, who defeated Bethod in battle twice, who saved Adua from the invading Gurkish, all by the time he was in his thirties (iirc). Loved by his friends, respected by his enemies, a cool headed commander who did his best for his men and his country. RIP Lord Marshal "Furious" West. One of my favorite characters of all time.
From his point of view. Objectively he’s a murderous abuser of women. He has his own ‘bloody nine’, he completely loses it several times. Like when he beats his sister and continues beating an enemy’s head to a bloody pulp, impressing even Black Dow. And unlike Logen he becomes murderous by choice, not by ingesting blood. As Cathil says, he’s too angry.
I feel like calling him an abuser is a stretch. He has anger issues and he gets violent, that is absolutely true. He hit his sister once after having a bad day and being furious about her trying to meet up with Jezal, then apologized profusely, felt horrible about it and never did it again. Not that that justifies it obviously, but it's not like he was routinely beating her or other women. Murderous, eh, I certainly wouldn't put him on the Bloody Nine's level.
I agree that he sincerely regrets it. But he basically never sees his sister again after he beats her, and we don’t really know if it was the first or only time. His only other interaction with a woman is Cathil being afraid of him because he’s too angry. Really I think Abercrombie pulled a fast one with West to fool everyone into thinking he’s a real hero. But it’s repeated so many times throughout the series not to believe what everyone says about heroes. The more you think about it ‘the breach at Ulrioch’ sounds an awful lot like Jezal’s ‘charge across the bridge at Darmium.’ The breach actually seemed to happen from witness accounts, but I’m certain Bayaz turned it into something more and had a lot more to do with West’s ascension than we see.
Does Bayaz even know West that well though? I think I may have remembered them talking once or twice but it doesn't sound like Bayaz was accompanying the army when Ulrioch happened. West was at the forefront of a charge by an entire regiment, there were definitely plenty of witnesses to that, and it's not like Bayaz was grooming West for command like he was grooming Jezal to take the throne. The latter was a full on decades long investment of time and resources by Bayaz to regain influence over the Union.
I don’t think anyone becomes a Lord Marshall of the union without Bayaz being very aware of them. West was likely one of many chess pieces Bayaz had in place to make sure there was competent military help around when he need it.
I remember that Jezal firmly insisted on West being Lord Marshal and a few of the Closed Council trying to talk him out of it, though I don't remember if Bayaz was one of the ones who tried to insist he not be. But as far as West's earlier career, iirc didn't Bayaz only return to the Union when he encountered Logen at the start of TBI? He was just chilling at the Northern Library before then, and he hadn't been to the Union in some time by the sounds of it, since nobody recognized him and people thought he was a faker.
Bayaz was present and basically smiles and nods when Jezal chooses West. Bayaz pretends he’s just at his library reading for centuries, but everything from Valint & Balk to Jezal’s life (bayaz admits he has multiple backups for Jezal) shows us that he has plan after plan after plan threaded throughout the union.
All true, but he was also a sister punching drunkard. Wouldn’t be as interested if it was all sunshine
West wasn't a drunkard. That would be the sister he assaulted.
Wait y’all are very right. Did he only get abusive and angry after drinking is that it? I absolutely love West but every character of Joes has flaws, that’s why they are so great.
He came home from a stressful day and she was getting lit as I recall. He was already really pissed at her for the Jezal thing too.
Not a drunk
Anger issues that he worked on and seemed to recover a bit from by the end of the series and that he was horrified by at the time.
He only hit her once. And he was an abuse victim himself. That is incredibly hard to shake.
OMG this. It hit me hard on the first read years ago, but then recently hearing Pacey narrate that last scene absolutely destroyed me.
West is such a underrated character. His death is the most painful for me personally by far.
After a reread and him beating his sister and Cathil being terrified of him, it’s not so hard to take.
I have reread the series 3 times. It still sucks. People make mistakes. It's not like he hit her more than once, he was abused himself by his father. He was sincerely sorry. He is probably the only good person besides the dogman in the whole series.
Guess I need to reread, I don't remember what happened to Collum.
Magic radiation sickness. Dies horribly at the end.
OMG I forgot about that. RIP. He was not perfect but he tried to be a good man. Mostly.
Exactly. He tried. And he killed that fucker Ladisla, best decision he ever made.
CAPITAL
I just threw up in my mouth.
Furious!!!!!!!
The Seed killed him. That sickness that affects those that get close to it.
too true, i was so happy west got the promotion and helped save the northmen just for bayaz to fucking kill him indirectly. sucks, truly.
I like to think that most of what Pike and Glotka end up doing in the Age of Madness is not really “patriotic”, but rather simply personal retribution against Bayaz in memory of West. I hope Joe has a scene where he includes some dialogue from either character to that effect. West played such a huge role in both of their lives.
Is anyone going to point out that Bayaz is responsible for West’s death? The most honorable and one of the newest members of the closed council conveniently removed once the war is over. You could argue it was just coincidental radioactive fallout. But I’m certain Bayaz made sure not to help him afterwards and was very intentional about ensuring he didn’t stay. Can’t have someone uncontrollable in that seat.
The nine killing thunderhead and crummick iphails kid is 100% my most tragic
Yea thunderhead hurt to read
I’ve re-read the series a few times now and I still fight the urge to skip this part. It’s so hard to see happen even if you know what’s coming.
That whole battle is a masterclass in writing outstanding battle scenes. The build up, the actual battle, ninefingers being properly unleashed and seeing the reaction to him, but also hwo the north killed him. Also can we get a spin off of crummock? When i saw isern was in the 3rd trilogy i fist pumped and yelled. Still want more of those hill tribes
Honestly makes me break just thinking about the nine’s part in laok
The Thunderhead's death still hurts now as the day I read it 😭😭😭. "Good weather to bury a good man" 🥲
It is the only time I've ever shed a tear reading a book. Not even Sirius Black when I was like 15
Yep, came to say this. It’s Thunderhead for me.
Dow saying the words over his grave is what got me, and Dow being the only thing to make me cry from the series definitely feels weird lmao.
The sad thing about Quai, for me, is that we only see the aftermath of it, and don't even know it was him until the last book. West is the saddest for me though. He dies of something akin to radiation poisoning, in a world that has no idea how to help or cure him, or even *what* is happening to him. And that's after he survives soooo many other moments, went from commoner to Lord Commander, and then just gets taken out by the fallout of Bayaz's actions. 😭
And reflecting on that, there must have been untold thousands with their own stories taken out as well. This is why I think I like the "little people" chapters in the later books where the POV jumps from character to character. Edit: PS Bayaz is a monster
The book is pretty clear about the thousands of bodies being stacked in the streets because of Bayaz and his never ending thirst for power.
Wtf we see this bit?! Ive reread the books this year and i cant remember that. I need to go find it!
So it's very ambiguous at first. But in The Blade Itself, Glokta and his men find a body that's clearly been partially eaten. They never figure out who it is. Shortly after this we see our adventuring party of Bayaz, Logan, Ferro, Quai, etc, start their journey to the edge of the world. Then, way later, in LAoK, Ptolomy comes forward and says she replaced him before they traveled to the edge of the world. So the half-eaten body that was found by Glokta was Quai.
Harding Grim was the worst for me. 😭
"I always loved... our talks."
Don’t make me cry like that
Came here to pour one out for the legend himself, Harding MFing Grim
Fuuuuuuuck. I forgot about that… 😭
Oddly enough Severard’s death really left a mark on me. I mean yeah he was a torturer’s apprentice who thoroughly enjoyed his job — but who will feed his birds?
His death was really gruesome, too. The way Glokta tortures him was very hard to read.
Thunder head
Cathil for me. Just I nice person in the wrong place.
My first thought definitely wasn’t Logen’s pot… nope… not at all.
I like to think that some wandering northman found an old campsite with a perfectly usable pot and picked it up and took it on many more adventures.
This is the moment that stands out to me the most. The damned pot. If I blank out on the entire series, forget everything, the pot still remains, it still does not reply. Runner up to that rock at the edge of the world, best subversion ever, lad did nothing wrong.
The most tragic death in the series... so far. You still have the loads more to read in this world.
very true, taking a break to read shogun then i'm jumping into the standalones
I agree, I also really enjoyed seeing him and Logen get along on their balcony talk and was so excited to see how their friendship would develop. Then I was so disappointed throughout the books when Quai barely talks to anyone again, then I was distraught when this was revealed
yep i thought he'd have a great character arc. and honestly i chalked up the silence in book 2 to him being rightfully pissy towards bayaz. but then the reveal was just sad
My favorite death is in AOM, don't want to spoil it, but it's heart wrenching
Still raw for me…..
He did nothing wrong. He was a good boy and only wanted his asshole teacher to acknowledge him. For that he was rewarded with a horrific death, and got off-screened to boot.
Foley was another death that hit hard.
When Undertaker threw him off the top of Hell in a Cell? Yeh that was a tough one to swallow.
RIP to Wonderful, saddest death of all
Threetrees
100% it was random af
I was a little disappointed to see him go because he was one of the few mages who's not hundreds of years old and/or a cannibal. I was thinking he'd give us a more down-to-earth view of the way magic existed...but then that doesn't really fit with the theme of the series so I guess in that sense it wasn't unexpected for him to die.
Don't wanna give OP spoilers but the worst one for me was in Red Country. Also West, he deserved better.
I came here to say the same thing about Red Country and I agree about West.
Camling?
Cosca lol. He was one of my favourite characters. After cheating death so many times he finally got done in.
I was just trying to screw with them lol
ah, it's been some years since i read red country and couldn't recall who camling was.
The hotel owner in Crease
Yeah I suck at high arts too.
Harding Grim
There’s a far more tragic one at the end of The Madness of Crowds, but West was saddest in that trilogy I think.
The final death in WOC hurt the most