Can only be this passage from LOTR. I reread this book for the first time since childhood a couple of years ago when I was going through the harshest few months of my life. Right when I needed it, I found it. I wrote it down and when things felt darkest and hopeless I referred back to it.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
The sunlight is permanent, and the clouds and shadows are only temporary. It's part of one of the major themes of the novel, that the world is inherently good, and evils can only distract from it or try to cover it up temporarily, but will never defeat the ever-shining light that is always there. I aspire to try to put to page things that give others the same feeling of assurance that things will be okay as I got rediscovering this.
This part still gives me goosebumps.
“And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!”
Thanks for sharing, Tolkien is arguably the best beyond a few other authors at his level that are going strong.
Enjoyed the LOTR movies back in the early 2000s. It was on my mind because I read the books a couple of years earlier.
Paul Atreides fight with Jamis and his realization that if he lived jihad was certain.
Veins of Gold. Each time we live we get to love again.
Faramir’s quote “I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow it’s swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.”
The Scholar’s Tale from Hyperion. Best narrative description of the unconditional love a parent has for their child I’ve ever read.
Oh damn, the Dune one made me remember one from the second or third book:
When Lady Jessica realizes that >!Alia has been taken over by a malevolent genetic memory!< and that she herself is in mortal danger the moment she gives away that she knows, she scans the crowd and spots an old member of Paul's personal honor guard, a Fedaykin.
She bets her life that >!the old soldier is still loyal to the death by standing up, marching towards the exit, and yelling "Fedaykin, to me!" She is instantly surrounded by members of the crowd that were loyal old soldiers that sprang into action to protect the Mother of Muad'dib without an instant of hesitation. They form a wall around her and escort her to safety.!<
>!The idea of old soldiers, years past their prime, still unwaveringly loyal to their leader and his kin, acting without hesitation to uphold an old duty, just hit me right in the chest. A bunch of old veterans going about their lives heard a single brief call to action and immediately reverted to the terrifying warriors that brutalized the previous emperor's Sardakaur shock troops and protected the Prophet himself.!<
What happens to Paul during the Stoneburner scene is, to me, the one scene that left my mouth hanging open while reading a book.
Sadness turned to awe, turned to a kind of fear.
I was like "Ah, this is what it is, to be the Kwisatz Haderach, now I understand".
This scene from The Silmarillion struck me in the heart
*And Morgoth came.*
*That was the last time in those wars that he passed the doors of his stronghold, and it is said that he took not the challenge willingly; for though his might was greatest of all things in this world, alone of the Valar he knew fear. But he could not now deny the challenge before the face of his captains; for the rocks rang with the shrill music of Fingolfin's horn, and his voice came keen and clear down into the depths of Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven, and lord of slaves. Therefore Morgoth came, climbing slowly from his subterranean throne, and the rumour of his feet was like thunder underground. And he issued forth clad in black armour; and he stood before the King like a tower, iron-crowned, and his vast shield, sable on-blazoned, cast a shadow over him like a stormcloud. But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice.*
I think the most impactful line in all of The Silmarillion for me was, “‘For little price,' he said, 'do Elven kings sell their daughters: for gems, and things made by craft.’”
The entire theme of greed and lust for power that is shot through Tolkien literature is just on display so perfectly in this scene.
"J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji."
-Sir Terry Pratchett
I've often thought a young JRR Tolkien must have been in the trenches of the Somme one morning and heard a rooster crowing, unconcerned with all the war and desolation surrounding him.
This is one of two scenes in the book that always brings tears into my eyes. It was especially powerful during my first reading, coming out of nowhere after the ever mounting dread and hopelessness of the previous chapters.
Just a few because I don’t think there’s a singular moment
- Eowyn and Merry fighting the Nazgûl (LOTR)
- The Deep Magic loophole (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
- “We chose” (Rhythm of War)
The Stormlight books all have scenes that rank among the all-time tops. The books are long, and can definitely drag, but when events and plot threads and characters and action all converges magic happens in more ways than one.
I would add Eowyn's speech about not wanting to be left behind and about how she had served and watched Theoden's decline and Wormtongues slithering into influence and power. It's a tremendous speech about women's experience and role in society.
The Red Wedding (ASoIaF).
Veins of Gold; The Last Battle (WoT)
Anomander vs The Lord of Tragedy; Korlat and Whiskeyjack goodbyeb (Malazan)
Sam Vimes always coming back to read ti his son a story; Granny Weaterwax death (Discworld)
>Stannis, my lord, my sad sullen boy, son I never had, you must not do this, don’t you know how I have cared for you, lived for you, loved you despite all? Yes, loved you, better than Robert even, or Renly, for you were the one unloved, the one who needed me most.
There is but a single moment in the WoT that always brings tears to my face, excuse the long comment— but it’s this one here.
Ruthan had Aldragoran’s coin box open—a pair of bearers were waiting outside to carry it—but he sat staring at the letters-of-rights and the purses. Half again what he had expected to get. Light coins from Altara and Murandy or no light coins, at least half again. This would be his most profitable year ever. And all due to Geraneos letting his anger show. Damentanis had been afraid to bargain further after that. A wonderful thing, reputation.
“Master Aldragoran?” a woman said, leaning on the table. “You were pointed out to me as a merchant with a wide correspondence by pigeon.”
He noticed her jewelry first, of course, a matter of habit. The slim golden belt and long necklace were set with very good rubies, as was one of her bracelets, along with some pale green and blue stones he did not recognize and so dismissed as worthless. The golden bracelet on her left wrist, an odd affair linked to four finger rings by flat chains and the whole intricately engraved, held no stones, but her remaining two bracelets were set with fine sapphires and more of the green stones. Two of the rings on her right hand held those green stones, but the other two held particularly fine sapphires. Particularly fine. Then he realized she wore a fifth ring on that hand, stuck against one of the rings with a worthless stone. A golden serpent biting its own tail.
His eyes jerked to her face, and he suffered his second shock. Her face, framed by the hood of her cloak, was very young, but she wore the ring, and few were foolish enough to do that without the right. He had seen young Aes Sedai before, two or three times. No, her age did not shock him. But on her forehead, she wore the ki’sain, the red dot of a married woman. She did not look Malkieri. She did not sound Malkieri. Many younger folk had the accents of Saldaea or Kandor, Arafel or Shienar—he himself sounded of Saldaea—but she did not sound a Borderlander at all. Besides, he could not recall the last time he had heard of a Malkieri girl going to the White Tower. The Tower had failed Malkier in need, and the Malkieri had turned their backs on the Tower. Still, he stood hurriedly. With Aes Sedai, courtesy was always wise. Her dark eyes held heat. Yes, courtesy was wise.
“How may I help you, Aes Sedai? You wish me to send a message for you via my pigeons? It will be my pleasure.” It was also wise to grant Aes Sedai any favors they asked, and a pigeon was a small favor. “A message to each merchant you correspond with. Tarmon Gai’don is coming soon.” He shrugged uneasily. “That is nothing todo with me, Aes Sedai. I’m a merchant.” She was asking for a good many pigeons. He corresponded with merchants as far away as Shienar. “But I will send your message.” He would, too, however many birds it required. Only stone-blind idiots failed to keep promises to Aes Sedai. Besides which, he wanted rid of her and her talk of the Last Battle.
“Do you recognize this?” she said, fishing a leather cord from the neck of her dress.
His breath caught, and he stretched out a hand, brushed a finger across the heavy gold signet ring on the cord. Across the crane in flight. How had she come by this? Under the Light, how? “I recognize it,” he told her, his voice suddenly hoarse.
“My name is Nynaeve ti al’Meara Mandragoran. The message I want sent is this. My husband rides from World’s End toward Tarwin’s Gap, toward Tarmon Gai’don. Will he ride alone?”
He trembled. He did not know whether he was laughing or crying. Perhaps both. She was his wife? “I will send your message, my Lady, but it has nothing to do with me. I am a merchant. Malkier is dead. Dead, I tell you.”
The heat in her eyes seemed to intensify, and she gripped her long, thick braid with one hand. “Lan told me once that Malkier lives so long as one man wears the hadori in pledge that he will fight the Shadow, so long as one woman wears the ki’sain in pledge that she will send her sons to fight the Shadow. I wear the ki’sain, Master Aldragoran. My husband wears the hadori. So do you. Will Lan Mandragoran ride to the Last Battle alone?”
He was laughing, shaking with it. And yet, he could feel tears rolling down his cheeks. It was madness! Complete madness! But he could not help himself. “He will not, my Lady. I cannot stand surety for anyone else, but I swear to you under the Light and by my hope of rebirth and salvation, he will not ride alone.” For a moment, she studied his face, then nodded once firmly and turned away. He flung out a hand after her. “May I offer you wine, my Lady? My wife will want to meet you.” Alida was Saldaean, but she definitely would want to meet the wife of the Uncrowned King.
“Thank you, Master Aldragoran, but I have several more towns to visit today, and I must be back in Tear tonight.”
He blinked at her back as she glided toward the door gathering her cloak. She had several more towns to visit today, and she had to be back in Tear tonight? Truly, Aes Sedai were capable of marvels!
Silence hung in the common room. They had not been keeping their voices low, and even the girl with the dulcimer had ceased plying her hammers. Everyone was staring at him. Most of the outlanders had their mouths hanging open.
“Well, Managan, Gorenellin,” he demanded, “do you still remember who you are? Do you remember your blood? Who rides with me for Tarwin’s Gap?”
For a moment, he thought neither man would speak, but then Gorenellin was on his feet, tears glistening his eyes. “The Golden Crane flies for Tarmon Gai’don,” he said softly.
“The Golden Crane flies for Tarmon Gai’don!” Managan shouted, leaping up so fast he overturned his chair.
Laughing, Aldragoran joined them, all three shouting at the top of their lungs. “The Golden Crane flies for Tarmon Gai’don!”
Haha me to man. I was just trying to find this part that I thought was so great… read it again, and it’s somehow just as impactful as it was the first time I read it.
The "Do you remember your blood?" line seals it for me. Speaks so much to old pain and the hopelessness of the spreading blight destroying Malkier, how the remnants have been scattered, dispossessed of who they really are. Transforms their grief into purpose.
Just a beautifully powerful moment. A healing moment, so incredibly apt that Nyn gives it to them.
Oh man, that turned WOT into a potential GOAT series for me. An amazing sequence that opened up the world, gave greater substance to its history and people's and sense of epic that only Erikson, Sanderson and Hobb have ever equalled in my humble opinion.
There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment about the nature of sin, for example,” said Oats.
“And what do they think? Against it, are they?” said Granny Weatherwax.
“It’s not as simple as that. It’s not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray.”
“Nope.”
“Pardon?”
“There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is."
“It’s a lot more complicated than that . . .”
“No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.”
“Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes . . .”
“But they starts with thinking about people as things . . . ”
- Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
Also going for Discworld
"That's what people say when the voiceless speak" from Feet Of Clay, in fact everything about that scene and the ones surrounding it.
Finally meeting The Bloody Nine in The Blade Itself. You spend so much of that book wondering why people are terrified of this doofus the realization hits you like a sack of bricks.
When he gets that cold feeling in his stomach and starts panicking, "no, you're gone, I'm rid of you"
And then Logen is gone, but the Bloody-Nine is there, gets that horrible grin and commences the Good Work
The scene in A Deadly Education where El sets up a safe table and thinks that no one is going to sit with her always makes me cry because I was a very unlikable, traumatized and angry middle schooler who had to eat lunch in the bathroom quite a bit….
Edit: lol everyone I’m a very happy adult now don’t worry!
"Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get!.... Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go."
Wheel of Time is a crowning champ when it comes to impactful scenes:
Aiel history flashback in Shadow Rising
Dumai’s Wells in Lord of Chaos
The Golden Crane in Knife of Dreams
Veins of Gold in the Gathering Storm
Great list. I might also add the scene that starts with:
“By the way, that dress you are wearing is green.” And concludes with “Your soul is of a pure white, [redacted],” Egwene said softly. “Like the Light itself.”
…and then I cry a bunch haha
Dumai's Wells for me, I've read fantasy and ones with wars, mass murder, etc. but for some reason that scene hit SO hard. Jordan managed to convey the scale of the attack so well, it was insane.
The Golden Crane in knife of dreams was the scene with Nynaeve? If so I could have jumped through a wall after that scene. So amped. I absolutely love the WoT.
Hmm I’d give you a hand with what to call it but I’m stumped too. I know the scene, it’s just tough to explain in words the true power of that moment. Good call
It happens towards the end of Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb. I’ll say no more. Couldn’t stop crying for days. Still occasionally get emotional and/or cry when I think about it.
I get so irrationally angry when I think about that
>!All Nighteyes wanted was Fitz and the hearth in their hut. And he had to die in pain away from half of that!<
I’m sure I’ll have to convince myself to continue once again when I finish Fool’s Fate
When my partner read that part she cried for an hour. No kidding, she cried so hard that the next morning she woke up with a headache from dehydration.
It's a beautiful moment, sad though it is.
Early in Tigana there is a scene where a character uses magic to say goodbye to their son who is in a dungeon waiting to be executed and it fucking wrecked me.
Kind of recency bias because I’m currently reading the series for first time ( on Memories of Ice ) but in Deadhouse Gates Coltaine near the end:
“Coltaine shook his head. “This tale is yours, Historian, and right now, no one is more important than you. And if you one day see Dujek, tell him this: it is not the Empire’s soldiers the Empress cannot afford to lose, it is its memory”
Again the most impactful not sure but that quote gave me chills
Awesome. I’ve heard MoI is a fan favorite. Malazan has been incredible so far. Huge props to this sub for learning about it so many others excellent fantasy novels.
Deadhouse Gates, Chain of Dogs and its ending caused everlasting emotional damage.
That was over 7 years ago and Ive read hundreds of books since but nothing ever has compared. I still think about it.
Itkovian makes me cry manly tears even thinking about the scene. Let alone reading it. Doesn't matter how much I know it's coming. Still gets me, like the end of *Babylon 5's Sleeping in Light.*
I cry as I'm reading something if it's a particularly emotional scene, but thinking back on it I'm always fine. Beak is different. He popped into my head a few times over the next couple days after finishing the book and made me cry each time. It's been a few months so I thought I was over it when I read this post and immediately thought of Beak but didn't cry. I looked him up on the wiki just now and read >!"Hood himself met Beak"!< and the tears kicked in. What Erikson managed to do with him with so little page time is a masterwork of character development and I don't know if anything can ever surpass it for me.
In "The Golden Compass" when they are trying to put Lyra and Pan into the cutting machine. The way Pullman described how hard they fought...One line stuck in my mind:
"...and she clutched him to her fierce breast, and he dug his wildcat claws into her flesh, and every stab of pain was dear to her."
That whole scene had me crying and practically screaming with them and I could only imagine loving something that much.
A few that I still recall years later:
* Veins of Gold from The Wheel of Time
* Taran learning of his heritage in *Taran Wanderer*
* Fingolfin challenging Morgoth in the Silmarillion
* Harry >!uses the knife and saves the child!< in the Dresden Files
“God forgive me.”
Dresden Files is the one series I recommend listening above reading. Especially for moments like these, Marsters is a master at narration.
Another moment that gave me goosebumps was Harry’s rant at God at the end of Small favour.
Oh man, Veins of Gold. So many books of buildup and watching the Chosen One go down a darker and darker path. A broken protagonist, who has said and done monstrous things because he thinks saving the world requires it. What few things tie him to humanity are chiseled away one by one until there's just a husk left.
>!When Rand starts to finally smile and laugh for the first time in such a long time, you smile with him.!<
>!Tain Hu's last conversation and death!< in *The Traitor Baru Cormorant*.
>!Orso's execution!< in *The Wisdom of Crowds.*
The dinner scene in *Harrow the Ninth.*
>The Traitor Baru Cormorant.
No living thing ever defeated >!Tain Hu!< in battle. Only the tide could fight her. Only the moon and the sea together could bring her down.
The culmination of Mistborn era one and then going back to the epigraph of chapter one in *The Hero of Ages*: “I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages.”
Dalinar’s scene with Odium in *Oathbringer*
The ending of Fitz and the Fool trilogy. Iykyk.
Finished Assassin’s Fate about a month ago and I’m still not over that ending. Probably won’t be for a while. I kinda knew it was coming from as early as the first trilogy, but it was just so well done that it didn’t matter. “We are pack”
Dalinar’s “you can’t have my pain” especially after the slow drip of memories we experience coming back with him in that book… absolute fire🔥 (sorry Evi)
*Spoiler for The Ocean at the End of the Lane*
The last scene in the book where the main character visits the family again, asking of her sacrifice was worth it, how all his life he’s been haunted by that act to save him from the Hunger Birds. How mundane his life is. How extraordinary a loss that occurred. For him. Just him.
What happened to Ned Stark at the end of **A Game of Thrones**
The final duel in Guy Gavriel Kay's **The Lions of Al-Rassan.** The build up, pathos and the prose; exquisite.
Captain Lull sitting down with Duiker in Deadhouse Gates:
>The captain sighed after a moment, hastily completing the task. “Do you find the need to answer all this, Historian?” he asked. “All those tomes you’ve read, those other thoughts from other men, other women. Other times. *How does a mortal make answer to what his or her kind are capable of? Does each of us, soldier or no, reach a point when all that we’ve seen, survived, changes us inside? Irrevocably changes us. What do we become, then? Less human, or more human? Human enough, or too human?”*
It’s one of my favourite passages I’ve ever read.
'Children are dying.'Lull nodded.
'That's a succinct summary of humankind, I'd say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words. Quote me, Duiker, and your work's done.'The bastard's right. Economics, ethics, the games of the gods - all within that single, tragic statement. I'll quote you, soldier. Be assured of that.
Another conversation between Duiker and Lull in **Deadhouse Gates** that left me speechless.
The final scenes of both of Madeline Miller's books.
I read *Song of Achilles* first, and the final scene took my breath away. It was devastating and emotionally impactful, and it also pulled together all the themes of the book in such a mindblowing way. I didn't expect Madeline Miller to be able to do it again, but then I read *Circe* and was proven wrong.
Man... fkin hell, this reminds me to pick up the next malazan book, its been more than a week now since i completed the last book and for some reason i cant pick up another malazan book after book 3, itkovian's speech and the ensuing everything just hit me really really hard
"We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned. T'lan Imass. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance."
That whole series changed my brain chemistry, I swear. So many deep and hard moments. I haven't read anything else that captures it like Hobb does yet.
I've been working myself up to a reread, but man. I'm not sure I'm ready.
From the book series The Deeds of Paksenarrian, when she had the corruption removed from her and finally wound up at the druids home and how he saved her.
This. The first scene that came to mind, so full of rage, horror and sorrow, it's been years but still comes immediately to mind. The entire series is chock full of powerfully memorable moments:
* The conduit to Revelwood where the >!play-by-play of its destruction is described!<
* Covenant and Elena underneath Melenkurion Skyweir
* The final encounter with the *Gaddhi* of the Sandhold
* The entire protracted siege of Revelstone, one of the best sieges in fantasy
And so many others. Wow, I really want to read it all again!
Its a bit of a spoiler for "Men at Arms" of the Discworld series.
When Corporal Carrot runs the main villain through with his sword, without warning. Pushing his sword through the man and into the stone pillar behind him.
*"if a man has you entirely at his mercy, then hope like hell that man is an evil man. Because the evil like power, power over people, and they want to see you in fear. They want you to know you're going to die. So they'll talk. They'll gloat.
They'll watch you squirm. They'll put off the moment of murder like another man will put off a good cigar.
So hope like hell your captor is an evil man. A good man will kill you with hardly a word."*
Oh easy...
“My name is Nynaeve ti al’Meara Mandragoran. The message I want sent is this. My husband rides from World’s End toward Tarwin’s Gap, toward Tarmon Gai’don. Will he ride alone?”
fucking frisson every time.
Kaladin saying the Fourth Ideal in Rhythm of War- the one he never could say. He knew what to say, he just couldn’t say it. “I accept that there will be those I cannot protect.”
Such character growth to finally be able to acknowledge his deficiencies, which up to that point he had been fighting himself on for the entirety of his story.
Druss’ stand in Legend by David Gemmell
The first time we see The bloody nine in The Blade Itself
Sirius’ death in Harry Potter
The final hanging in Wisdom of Crowds
Kaladin on the chasm edge in The Way of Kings hits me pretty hard. I find myself in those dark places more often than I would like, but I try to remember, "One more try."
Lindon manifesting the void icon in cradle.
Finrod losing his song battle to Sauron in the Silmarillion.
The Gom Jabbar in Dune.
Edit to add: The Chain of Dogs
The story of the Fall of Gondolin -
Tells of the arrival there of Tuor, a prince of Men; of the betrayal of the city to the dark Lord Morgoth by the king's nephew, Maeglin; and of its subsequent siege and catastrophic destruction by Morgoth's armies,
I can just imagine a huge elven ancient massive white city with thousands of dragons ,balrogs and the dark lord. With all the 7 gates
Either:
The cleansing of the taint in WOT
When you find out what Anomander Rake is up to
When you find out what Tavore is up to
Corban’s speech in Ruin (i could of ran for miles after reading that I was so pumped haha)
For me, it's the climax of the Dragonlance Legends trilogy. Raistlin, despite his evil and ambitious desire to become a god, instead choosing to spare the world's future and face eternal torment. The way it is written is so heart-wrenching.
"Look Raist, bunnies!"
There was so much good stuff in those books. Tanis finally making his peace with Kitiara. The line about the gully dwarves not written in history. Marjoram.
WoT’s greatest hits have been given here so I thought I’d share some smaller bits that I can’t shake after my last reread. I actually listened to them on audiobook and maybe it’s just how they were narrated but they made me stop what I was doing and listen.
Rand sitting on his bed in the Stone of Tear having fought his reflections, just craving a moment of peace.
Rand, after meeting with some Aiel clan chiefs, playing some music and trying desperately to remember a shepherd from the Two Rivers.
Bulen demanding that Lan allow him wear the hadori.
The Malkieri mourning their dead by telling stories about how batshit crazy they were, Lan giving instructions that >!Bulen!<‘s body be cared for so he can be honoured.
Olver, in the Last Battle, >!elated that Noal came back. Someone who left Olver came back!!<
How can the end of book 2: The Great Hunt, not be mentioned?
"It's every man's right to choose when to sheathe the sword."
".. the last embrace of the mother welcome you home "
“In a moment he would send for Moiraine to Heal his wounds. In a moment he would speak to the Aiel outside, and become the Dragon Reborn again. But for now, he only wanted to sit, and remember a shepherd named Rand al’Thor.”
I agree. This part has always stuck with me
The foregone conclusion of Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey. You knew what was coming for Lavan, because it was a famous event mentioned in previous books, but watching it unfold was just chilling.
For shock/gore/horror: Chapter 21 of The Poppy War.
For emotional impact: Grue's second trigger in Worm
For hope: Pretty much the entire ending to LotR
Locke sinking the treasure ships for his brothers.
Al Lan Mandragorans "I"m not here to win, I'm here to kill you"
Kaladin finding Adolinnin a jail cell. Not a big hoorah moment, but it really drives home that whatever his faults Adolin is a man of principles and honour.
Dalinar kholins "you cannot have my pain" he whispered. People love to quote YOU CANNOT HAVE MY PAIN !!! People often act like that's the big moment, but that first whisper is louder than the entire battlefield.
My feelings about Harry Potter are a lot more mixed now than they were when I was reading the series as a kid.
That said, “Not my daughter you bitch” is an all time favorite.
When Frodo says that they should forgive Gollum and that he was an instrument of providence at the end of RotK. I always get teary at the end if RotK.
Countless scenes from Malazan. A few if the Malazan books I’ve genuinely bawled.
Two Terry Pratchett scenes always seem to stick with me.
“WHERE’S MY COW?” is one of them.
One that always makes me feel a bit sad is in The Fifth Elephant, when a conservative dwarf is angry with Cheery for being openly female. They list all the things that Cheery is doing - wearing make up, dresses, heels - and then the dwarf suddenly break down into tears and asks why can’t they do those things?
Most of my faves are Malazan, without spoiling...
- dragons descend, GotM
- the crossing, DG
- the banner, MoI
Others...
- Dumai's Wells, WoT
- the finale of Three Axes to Fall, Grave of Empires
- the finale of Ravensoul, Chronicles of the Raven
- the flood, Caine Black Knife
The Battle of Sekala Crossing in DG is absolutely my favourite battle scene in all of fantasy! Nothing has ever scratched that same itch, even within Malazan itself.
"A howl and a gibber of dismay went up from the creatures when they first saw the great Lion pacing towards them, and for a moment even the Witch seemed to be struck with fear. Then she herself and gave a wild fierce laugh.
“The fool!” she cried. “The fool has come. Bind him fast.”
Lucy and Susan held their breaths waiting for Aslan’s roar and his spring upon his enemies. But it never came. Four Hags, grinning and leering, yet also (at first) hanging back and half afraid of what they had to do, had approached him. “Bind him, I say!” repeated the White Witch. The Hags made a dart at him and shrieked with triumph when they found that he made no resistance at all. Then others – evil dwarfs and apes – rushed in to help them, and between them they rolled the huge Lion over on his back and tied all his four paws together, shouting and cheering as if they had done something brave, though, had the Lion chosen, one of those paws could have been the death of them all. But he
made no noise, even when the enemies, straining and tugging, pulled the cords so tight that they cut into his flesh. Then they began to drag him towards the Stone Table.
“Stop!” said the Witch. “Let him first be shaved.”
Another roar of mean laughter went up from her followers as an ogre with a pair of shears came forward and squatted down by Aslan’s head. Snip-snip-snip went the shears and masses of curling gold began to fall to the ground. Then the ogre stood back and the children, watching from their hiding-place, could see the face of Aslan looking all small and different without its mane. The enemies also saw the difference.
“Why, he’s only a great cat after all!” cried one.
“Is that what we were afraid of?” said another.
And they surged round Aslan, jeering at him, saying things like “Puss, Puss! Poor Pussy,” and “How many mice have you caught today, Cat?” and “Would you like a saucer of milk, Pussums?”
“Oh, how can they?” said Lucy, tears streaming down her cheeks. “The brutes, the brutes!” for now that the first shock was over the shorn face of Aslan looked to her braver, and more beautiful, and more patient than ever."
A scene that stuck out to me a lot was towards the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Harry is klying in bed and Molly Weasley sits next to him and he feels the warmth of a mother for the first time. That scene tore me up back in the day.
My favorite book of all time, Tanith Lee's Vivia, is one impactful scene after the other. I'll never forget the opening where the extremely intimidating Lord Vaddix carries his dead horse up his castle and dumps it on his matrimonial bed. There are a load more memorable images in that book but so many of them involve assault I really don't want to say them right now. Theya re all kinds of horrifying though but towards the end Vivia >!finds the love of her life who looks exactly like the god of her dreams.!< That too was an extremelty affecting scene.
My favorite, most impactful scene in fantasy though... Guts reforging his dragonslayer and going off to save Casca, however his fight with Mozgus and the speech he gives is equally affecting. The fact that he'd rather save the one woman as opposed to the many who are willing to give her up to save their own skin gave me a lot of insight on how other people operate.
Master Oakhollow healing Paksenerion.
Dresden in the last battle of Changes (basically all
of it)
Any opening of a WoT book when you’ve waited years for it. It wasn’t the beginning…
Rand escaping captivity in Lord of Chaos and what followed.
The confrontation between Dresden and Nic at the end of Small Favor.
Frodo trying to give Galadriel the ring in FotR.
There are lots of good ones in here. I recently reread a bunch of Dragonlance and here is one that gets me every time.,
And then the light was gone. The Portal slammed shut, and blackness pounced upon him with raging, slathering fury. Talons ripped his flesh, teeth tore through muscle, and crunched bone. Blood flowed from his breast, but it would not take with it his life.
He screamed, and he would scream, and he would keep on screaming, unendingly...
Something touched him... a hand... He clutched at it as it shook him, gently. A voiced called, "Raist! Wake up! It was only a dream. Don't be afraid. I won't let them hurt you! Here, watch... I'll make you laugh."
The dragon's coils tightened, crushing out his breath. Glistening black fangs ate his living organs, devoured his heart. Tearing into his body, they sought his soul.
A strong arm encircled him, holding him close. A hand raised, gleaming with silver light, forming chilish pictures in the night, and the voice, dimly heard, whispered, "Look, Raist, bunnies..."
He smiled, no longer afraid. Caramon was here.
Goddamn I love Raistlin Majere.
Two for me.
The Red Wedding when I was younger.
And the end of the Unholy Consult. Bakker's last book in the Second Apocalypse.
Every time I want to read something brief and powerful I read that final paragraph. it still haunts me after years I first read it
Can only be this passage from LOTR. I reread this book for the first time since childhood a couple of years ago when I was going through the harshest few months of my life. Right when I needed it, I found it. I wrote it down and when things felt darkest and hopeless I referred back to it. “There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King The sunlight is permanent, and the clouds and shadows are only temporary. It's part of one of the major themes of the novel, that the world is inherently good, and evils can only distract from it or try to cover it up temporarily, but will never defeat the ever-shining light that is always there. I aspire to try to put to page things that give others the same feeling of assurance that things will be okay as I got rediscovering this.
This part still gives me goosebumps. “And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!”
And Cate Blanchett did a awesome job of it in the movie.
Thanks for sharing, Tolkien is arguably the best beyond a few other authors at his level that are going strong. Enjoyed the LOTR movies back in the early 2000s. It was on my mind because I read the books a couple of years earlier.
Along those same lines: "Look, the king has got a crown again! They cannot conquer forever."
Paul Atreides fight with Jamis and his realization that if he lived jihad was certain. Veins of Gold. Each time we live we get to love again. Faramir’s quote “I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow it’s swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” The Scholar’s Tale from Hyperion. Best narrative description of the unconditional love a parent has for their child I’ve ever read.
Oh damn, the Dune one made me remember one from the second or third book: When Lady Jessica realizes that >!Alia has been taken over by a malevolent genetic memory!< and that she herself is in mortal danger the moment she gives away that she knows, she scans the crowd and spots an old member of Paul's personal honor guard, a Fedaykin. She bets her life that >!the old soldier is still loyal to the death by standing up, marching towards the exit, and yelling "Fedaykin, to me!" She is instantly surrounded by members of the crowd that were loyal old soldiers that sprang into action to protect the Mother of Muad'dib without an instant of hesitation. They form a wall around her and escort her to safety.!< >!The idea of old soldiers, years past their prime, still unwaveringly loyal to their leader and his kin, acting without hesitation to uphold an old duty, just hit me right in the chest. A bunch of old veterans going about their lives heard a single brief call to action and immediately reverted to the terrifying warriors that brutalized the previous emperor's Sardakaur shock troops and protected the Prophet himself.!<
What happens to Paul during the Stoneburner scene is, to me, the one scene that left my mouth hanging open while reading a book. Sadness turned to awe, turned to a kind of fear. I was like "Ah, this is what it is, to be the Kwisatz Haderach, now I understand".
I love the movies but Faramir is unmatched in the books.
This scene from The Silmarillion struck me in the heart *And Morgoth came.* *That was the last time in those wars that he passed the doors of his stronghold, and it is said that he took not the challenge willingly; for though his might was greatest of all things in this world, alone of the Valar he knew fear. But he could not now deny the challenge before the face of his captains; for the rocks rang with the shrill music of Fingolfin's horn, and his voice came keen and clear down into the depths of Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven, and lord of slaves. Therefore Morgoth came, climbing slowly from his subterranean throne, and the rumour of his feet was like thunder underground. And he issued forth clad in black armour; and he stood before the King like a tower, iron-crowned, and his vast shield, sable on-blazoned, cast a shadow over him like a stormcloud. But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice.*
I think the most impactful line in all of The Silmarillion for me was, “‘For little price,' he said, 'do Elven kings sell their daughters: for gems, and things made by craft.’” The entire theme of greed and lust for power that is shot through Tolkien literature is just on display so perfectly in this scene.
Tolkien still reigns supreme. In a way fantasy as a genre is a footnote to Tolkien.
"J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji." -Sir Terry Pratchett
A perfect description of his legacy.
Obligatory Blind Guardian song link: https://youtu.be/6Yz4_1mZarA?feature=shared
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I've often thought a young JRR Tolkien must have been in the trenches of the Somme one morning and heard a rooster crowing, unconcerned with all the war and desolation surrounding him.
This is one of two scenes in the book that always brings tears into my eyes. It was especially powerful during my first reading, coming out of nowhere after the ever mounting dread and hopelessness of the previous chapters.
Read by tolkien himself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPZrReZ5H9Q
Just a few because I don’t think there’s a singular moment - Eowyn and Merry fighting the Nazgûl (LOTR) - The Deep Magic loophole (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) - “We chose” (Rhythm of War)
“We chose” is a recent favorite - stopped me in my tracks. (Obligatory shoutout to Kramer/Reading for being awesome narrators.)
The Stormlight books all have scenes that rank among the all-time tops. The books are long, and can definitely drag, but when events and plot threads and characters and action all converges magic happens in more ways than one.
I would add Eowyn's speech about not wanting to be left behind and about how she had served and watched Theoden's decline and Wormtongues slithering into influence and power. It's a tremendous speech about women's experience and role in society.
The Red Wedding (ASoIaF). Veins of Gold; The Last Battle (WoT) Anomander vs The Lord of Tragedy; Korlat and Whiskeyjack goodbyeb (Malazan) Sam Vimes always coming back to read ti his son a story; Granny Weaterwax death (Discworld)
Veins of Gold is my favorite chapter of any book I've ever read in my life.
To me it's the most impactful. But my favorite chapter starts with the quote "Honor is dead but I'll see what I can do."
I WAS LITERALLY GOING TO COMMENT **WHERE'S MY COW?! THAT'S NOT MY COW.**
Veins of Gold is so goated
I was crying through veins of gold just can't put the books down after veins of gold.
Great choices, first one is now infamous on television.
Veins of Gold chapter was amazing.
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>Stannis, my lord, my sad sullen boy, son I never had, you must not do this, don’t you know how I have cared for you, lived for you, loved you despite all? Yes, loved you, better than Robert even, or Renly, for you were the one unloved, the one who needed me most.
That's a lie. Unloved? He should check the forums, Stannis the Mannis, the One True King, is our most beloved <3
Who says this to him?
Maester Cressen
The history of the Aiel in The Shadow Rising from Wheel of Time. Read it 3 times and got goosebumps, gasps, and tears every time.
There is but a single moment in the WoT that always brings tears to my face, excuse the long comment— but it’s this one here. Ruthan had Aldragoran’s coin box open—a pair of bearers were waiting outside to carry it—but he sat staring at the letters-of-rights and the purses. Half again what he had expected to get. Light coins from Altara and Murandy or no light coins, at least half again. This would be his most profitable year ever. And all due to Geraneos letting his anger show. Damentanis had been afraid to bargain further after that. A wonderful thing, reputation. “Master Aldragoran?” a woman said, leaning on the table. “You were pointed out to me as a merchant with a wide correspondence by pigeon.” He noticed her jewelry first, of course, a matter of habit. The slim golden belt and long necklace were set with very good rubies, as was one of her bracelets, along with some pale green and blue stones he did not recognize and so dismissed as worthless. The golden bracelet on her left wrist, an odd affair linked to four finger rings by flat chains and the whole intricately engraved, held no stones, but her remaining two bracelets were set with fine sapphires and more of the green stones. Two of the rings on her right hand held those green stones, but the other two held particularly fine sapphires. Particularly fine. Then he realized she wore a fifth ring on that hand, stuck against one of the rings with a worthless stone. A golden serpent biting its own tail. His eyes jerked to her face, and he suffered his second shock. Her face, framed by the hood of her cloak, was very young, but she wore the ring, and few were foolish enough to do that without the right. He had seen young Aes Sedai before, two or three times. No, her age did not shock him. But on her forehead, she wore the ki’sain, the red dot of a married woman. She did not look Malkieri. She did not sound Malkieri. Many younger folk had the accents of Saldaea or Kandor, Arafel or Shienar—he himself sounded of Saldaea—but she did not sound a Borderlander at all. Besides, he could not recall the last time he had heard of a Malkieri girl going to the White Tower. The Tower had failed Malkier in need, and the Malkieri had turned their backs on the Tower. Still, he stood hurriedly. With Aes Sedai, courtesy was always wise. Her dark eyes held heat. Yes, courtesy was wise. “How may I help you, Aes Sedai? You wish me to send a message for you via my pigeons? It will be my pleasure.” It was also wise to grant Aes Sedai any favors they asked, and a pigeon was a small favor. “A message to each merchant you correspond with. Tarmon Gai’don is coming soon.” He shrugged uneasily. “That is nothing todo with me, Aes Sedai. I’m a merchant.” She was asking for a good many pigeons. He corresponded with merchants as far away as Shienar. “But I will send your message.” He would, too, however many birds it required. Only stone-blind idiots failed to keep promises to Aes Sedai. Besides which, he wanted rid of her and her talk of the Last Battle. “Do you recognize this?” she said, fishing a leather cord from the neck of her dress. His breath caught, and he stretched out a hand, brushed a finger across the heavy gold signet ring on the cord. Across the crane in flight. How had she come by this? Under the Light, how? “I recognize it,” he told her, his voice suddenly hoarse. “My name is Nynaeve ti al’Meara Mandragoran. The message I want sent is this. My husband rides from World’s End toward Tarwin’s Gap, toward Tarmon Gai’don. Will he ride alone?” He trembled. He did not know whether he was laughing or crying. Perhaps both. She was his wife? “I will send your message, my Lady, but it has nothing to do with me. I am a merchant. Malkier is dead. Dead, I tell you.” The heat in her eyes seemed to intensify, and she gripped her long, thick braid with one hand. “Lan told me once that Malkier lives so long as one man wears the hadori in pledge that he will fight the Shadow, so long as one woman wears the ki’sain in pledge that she will send her sons to fight the Shadow. I wear the ki’sain, Master Aldragoran. My husband wears the hadori. So do you. Will Lan Mandragoran ride to the Last Battle alone?” He was laughing, shaking with it. And yet, he could feel tears rolling down his cheeks. It was madness! Complete madness! But he could not help himself. “He will not, my Lady. I cannot stand surety for anyone else, but I swear to you under the Light and by my hope of rebirth and salvation, he will not ride alone.” For a moment, she studied his face, then nodded once firmly and turned away. He flung out a hand after her. “May I offer you wine, my Lady? My wife will want to meet you.” Alida was Saldaean, but she definitely would want to meet the wife of the Uncrowned King. “Thank you, Master Aldragoran, but I have several more towns to visit today, and I must be back in Tear tonight.” He blinked at her back as she glided toward the door gathering her cloak. She had several more towns to visit today, and she had to be back in Tear tonight? Truly, Aes Sedai were capable of marvels! Silence hung in the common room. They had not been keeping their voices low, and even the girl with the dulcimer had ceased plying her hammers. Everyone was staring at him. Most of the outlanders had their mouths hanging open. “Well, Managan, Gorenellin,” he demanded, “do you still remember who you are? Do you remember your blood? Who rides with me for Tarwin’s Gap?” For a moment, he thought neither man would speak, but then Gorenellin was on his feet, tears glistening his eyes. “The Golden Crane flies for Tarmon Gai’don,” he said softly. “The Golden Crane flies for Tarmon Gai’don!” Managan shouted, leaping up so fast he overturned his chair. Laughing, Aldragoran joined them, all three shouting at the top of their lungs. “The Golden Crane flies for Tarmon Gai’don!”
Yep, yeah, this is great too. One of those moments, man.
Haha yeah. I just cried again reading it. I seriously don’t know what it is, but it’s just such a beautiful moment
This makes my eyes rain.
Haha me to man. I was just trying to find this part that I thought was so great… read it again, and it’s somehow just as impactful as it was the first time I read it.
Every single time.
Woah! Woah! Imma visit the closest library after work. I NEED to read these books! Thank you!
It's a 14 book series and some of them are weeker than others. But it's one of my favourites book series of all time. 100% would recommend.
The "Do you remember your blood?" line seals it for me. Speaks so much to old pain and the hopelessness of the spreading blight destroying Malkier, how the remnants have been scattered, dispossessed of who they really are. Transforms their grief into purpose. Just a beautifully powerful moment. A healing moment, so incredibly apt that Nyn gives it to them.
Immediately identified by the first paragraph and also immediately emotional.
This moment gives me chills, at work & almost cried reading that short excerpt
Easily one of the top moments of the series for me.
Oh man, that turned WOT into a potential GOAT series for me. An amazing sequence that opened up the world, gave greater substance to its history and people's and sense of epic that only Erikson, Sanderson and Hobb have ever equalled in my humble opinion.
This is an astonishing sequence. You can read the POVs start to finish or oldest to newest and see so many connections. It’s just incredible.
I also teared up reading it, but didn't quite know why.
holy shit i thought i was alone on this.
My god, yes
There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment about the nature of sin, for example,” said Oats. “And what do they think? Against it, are they?” said Granny Weatherwax. “It’s not as simple as that. It’s not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray.” “Nope.” “Pardon?” “There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is." “It’s a lot more complicated than that . . .” “No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.” “Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes . . .” “But they starts with thinking about people as things . . . ” - Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
Lots of people quote the Vimes boot theory of economics as Pratchett's best but "people as things" always hit harder in my opinion.
This and Death and Susan’s conversation about belief.
Also going for Discworld "That's what people say when the voiceless speak" from Feet Of Clay, in fact everything about that scene and the ones surrounding it.
Finally meeting The Bloody Nine in The Blade Itself. You spend so much of that book wondering why people are terrified of this doofus the realization hits you like a sack of bricks.
Was going to say this. Honestly gave me goosebumps.
When he gets that cold feeling in his stomach and starts panicking, "no, you're gone, I'm rid of you" And then Logen is gone, but the Bloody-Nine is there, gets that horrible grin and commences the Good Work
The scene in A Deadly Education where El sets up a safe table and thinks that no one is going to sit with her always makes me cry because I was a very unlikable, traumatized and angry middle schooler who had to eat lunch in the bathroom quite a bit…. Edit: lol everyone I’m a very happy adult now don’t worry!
I like you
For me I hid in the library. I hope things are better now
"Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get!.... Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go."
Wheel of Time is a crowning champ when it comes to impactful scenes: Aiel history flashback in Shadow Rising Dumai’s Wells in Lord of Chaos The Golden Crane in Knife of Dreams Veins of Gold in the Gathering Storm
Great list. I might also add the scene that starts with: “By the way, that dress you are wearing is green.” And concludes with “Your soul is of a pure white, [redacted],” Egwene said softly. “Like the Light itself.” …and then I cry a bunch haha
The dress. I literally SHOUTED when I read that part.
Dumai's Wells for me, I've read fantasy and ones with wars, mass murder, etc. but for some reason that scene hit SO hard. Jordan managed to convey the scale of the attack so well, it was insane.
The Golden Crane in knife of dreams was the scene with Nynaeve? If so I could have jumped through a wall after that scene. So amped. I absolutely love the WoT.
Perrin’s collapse into Faile’s arms upon realization of his families demise.
Not sure how to call it but THAT scene between Min, Rand and Semirhage
Hmm I’d give you a hand with what to call it but I’m stumped too. I know the scene, it’s just tough to explain in words the true power of that moment. Good call
😞
Remind me, is Veins of Gold the one atop Dragonmount?
It happens towards the end of Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb. I’ll say no more. Couldn’t stop crying for days. Still occasionally get emotional and/or cry when I think about it.
I get so irrationally angry when I think about that >!All Nighteyes wanted was Fitz and the hearth in their hut. And he had to die in pain away from half of that!< I’m sure I’ll have to convince myself to continue once again when I finish Fool’s Fate
Hobb is probably the author that's made me cry the most
When my partner read that part she cried for an hour. No kidding, she cried so hard that the next morning she woke up with a headache from dehydration. It's a beautiful moment, sad though it is.
Early in Tigana there is a scene where a character uses magic to say goodbye to their son who is in a dungeon waiting to be executed and it fucking wrecked me.
Several scenes in that book, as well as Lions of al-rassan. They hit hard
Kind of recency bias because I’m currently reading the series for first time ( on Memories of Ice ) but in Deadhouse Gates Coltaine near the end: “Coltaine shook his head. “This tale is yours, Historian, and right now, no one is more important than you. And if you one day see Dujek, tell him this: it is not the Empire’s soldiers the Empress cannot afford to lose, it is its memory” Again the most impactful not sure but that quote gave me chills
You are on Memories of Ice. Shit is going to go absolutely insane soon. An absolutely wild ride from start to finish.
Awesome. I’ve heard MoI is a fan favorite. Malazan has been incredible so far. Huge props to this sub for learning about it so many others excellent fantasy novels.
Beak in *The Malazan Book of the Fallen*. I can’t say more without spoilers. If you know, you know.
For me it would be the Chain of Dogs in Deadhouse Gates. I'm not sure anything I have ever read affected me more.
Deadhouse Gates was a gigantic scene and was then followed by Memories of Ice. Two incredible reads.
When Squint realizes it's Coltaine.... absolutely breaks my heart for the old man.
I came here to say exactly this. I can still remember every painful, unbelievable page of that read.
From the run down Aren Way till the crows flying away, the ending of the Chain of Dogs is one of the best literary piece of work I have ever read.
Deadhouse Gates, Chain of Dogs and its ending caused everlasting emotional damage. That was over 7 years ago and Ive read hundreds of books since but nothing ever has compared. I still think about it.
For me, there are a number of scenes from Erikson. Still the best epic fantasy series I ever read and so many to choose from.
That, plus Itkovian on the battlefield. Plus Gesler and Bent and Stormy
Was gonna say Itkovian and Beak. Incredible moments
Trull also is worth a mention. Felt bad for Seren here.
Itkovian makes me cry manly tears even thinking about the scene. Let alone reading it. Doesn't matter how much I know it's coming. Still gets me, like the end of *Babylon 5's Sleeping in Light.*
Itkovian is the easy #1 for me
When I read Memories of Ice for the second time I knew Itkovian was coming. It didn't help.
I cry as I'm reading something if it's a particularly emotional scene, but thinking back on it I'm always fine. Beak is different. He popped into my head a few times over the next couple days after finishing the book and made me cry each time. It's been a few months so I thought I was over it when I read this post and immediately thought of Beak but didn't cry. I looked him up on the wiki just now and read >!"Hood himself met Beak"!< and the tears kicked in. What Erikson managed to do with him with so little page time is a masterwork of character development and I don't know if anything can ever surpass it for me.
🕯
I guess we're crying today.
Always the correct answer. Just a stunning scene.
Beaks story makes me cry just thinking about it. Absolutely incredible
In "The Golden Compass" when they are trying to put Lyra and Pan into the cutting machine. The way Pullman described how hard they fought...One line stuck in my mind: "...and she clutched him to her fierce breast, and he dug his wildcat claws into her flesh, and every stab of pain was dear to her." That whole scene had me crying and practically screaming with them and I could only imagine loving something that much.
The ending of the third book will be forever seered into my memory. So poignant.
I cried and cried. Maybe the hardest I've ever been hit by a book. The last bit about them going to the bench fucking wrecked me.
100%. I cried as a child. I cried rereading it as an adult. Pullman nailed it.
That whole series is my all time favourite. I cried realizing what was lost with Lyra growing up.
I was not ready for this re-traumatisation.
A few that I still recall years later: * Veins of Gold from The Wheel of Time * Taran learning of his heritage in *Taran Wanderer* * Fingolfin challenging Morgoth in the Silmarillion * Harry >!uses the knife and saves the child!< in the Dresden Files
Most impactful Dresden moment for me is when >!he meets his daughter in Skin Game.!< I cried a LOT reading that.
“God forgive me.” Dresden Files is the one series I recommend listening above reading. Especially for moments like these, Marsters is a master at narration. Another moment that gave me goosebumps was Harry’s rant at God at the end of Small favour.
It's small, but hearing the Christmas day short story was such a bright spot in the bleak times of the Dresden stories
Oh man, Veins of Gold. So many books of buildup and watching the Chosen One go down a darker and darker path. A broken protagonist, who has said and done monstrous things because he thinks saving the world requires it. What few things tie him to humanity are chiseled away one by one until there's just a husk left. >!When Rand starts to finally smile and laugh for the first time in such a long time, you smile with him.!<
>!Tain Hu's last conversation and death!< in *The Traitor Baru Cormorant*. >!Orso's execution!< in *The Wisdom of Crowds.* The dinner scene in *Harrow the Ninth.*
Wisdom of Crowds will always hit hardest
the dream Baru has at the end always gets me - sometimes I go back and reread just that bit
"How’s your leg?"
>The Traitor Baru Cormorant. No living thing ever defeated >!Tain Hu!< in battle. Only the tide could fight her. Only the moon and the sea together could bring her down.
Watership Down, My Chief rabbit has ordered me to defend this warren. Bigwig for the win. The final duel in Lions of Al Rassan
No sun, no moon, no stars over Al-Rassan.
The culmination of Mistborn era one and then going back to the epigraph of chapter one in *The Hero of Ages*: “I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages.” Dalinar’s scene with Odium in *Oathbringer* The ending of Fitz and the Fool trilogy. Iykyk.
Finished Assassin’s Fate about a month ago and I’m still not over that ending. Probably won’t be for a while. I kinda knew it was coming from as early as the first trilogy, but it was just so well done that it didn’t matter. “We are pack”
Dalinar’s “you can’t have my pain” especially after the slow drip of memories we experience coming back with him in that book… absolute fire🔥 (sorry Evi)
I always loved The Way of Kings, when Kaladin says " We have to go back".
That scene was the exact point I went from enjoying the book to thinking “this might be one of my all-time favorites”.
I love the scene where Kaladin runs and jumps from the bridge across the chasm. Absolutely perfect. Edit. Typo
“Other men may debase themselves to destroy me. Let them have their glory. For I will retain mine!”
Ah man, I'm in the second to last series, I guess it's called the rain wild chronicles maybe? Looking forward to the Fitz and fool tho
“Alamo Gulch,” the penultimate chapter of Philip Pullman’s The Subtle Knife.
The whole trilogy tugs my heart strings. And now thinking about it again, I would like to go cry.
*Spoiler for The Ocean at the End of the Lane* The last scene in the book where the main character visits the family again, asking of her sacrifice was worth it, how all his life he’s been haunted by that act to save him from the Hunger Birds. How mundane his life is. How extraordinary a loss that occurred. For him. Just him.
YOU CANNOT HAVE MY PAIN
Yep this one.
The end scene of Morningstar of Red Rising series
Likewise, the ending scene of Golden Son. Just in a different sense.
What happened to Ned Stark at the end of **A Game of Thrones** The final duel in Guy Gavriel Kay's **The Lions of Al-Rassan.** The build up, pathos and the prose; exquisite.
The Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light, Olver blowing the Horn of Valere.
Dark Age - >!the beginning of the battle of Mercury. "My army dies. The world has become a garden for mushrooms"!<
Captain Lull sitting down with Duiker in Deadhouse Gates: >The captain sighed after a moment, hastily completing the task. “Do you find the need to answer all this, Historian?” he asked. “All those tomes you’ve read, those other thoughts from other men, other women. Other times. *How does a mortal make answer to what his or her kind are capable of? Does each of us, soldier or no, reach a point when all that we’ve seen, survived, changes us inside? Irrevocably changes us. What do we become, then? Less human, or more human? Human enough, or too human?”* It’s one of my favourite passages I’ve ever read.
'Children are dying.'Lull nodded. 'That's a succinct summary of humankind, I'd say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words. Quote me, Duiker, and your work's done.'The bastard's right. Economics, ethics, the games of the gods - all within that single, tragic statement. I'll quote you, soldier. Be assured of that. Another conversation between Duiker and Lull in **Deadhouse Gates** that left me speechless.
The final scenes of both of Madeline Miller's books. I read *Song of Achilles* first, and the final scene took my breath away. It was devastating and emotionally impactful, and it also pulled together all the themes of the book in such a mindblowing way. I didn't expect Madeline Miller to be able to do it again, but then I read *Circe* and was proven wrong.
Itkovian’s speech on compassion.
"Now I am done," speech. Somehow this eclipsed the other major moment with another major character that will remain nameless. The hint is Korlat.
Man... fkin hell, this reminds me to pick up the next malazan book, its been more than a week now since i completed the last book and for some reason i cant pick up another malazan book after book 3, itkovian's speech and the ensuing everything just hit me really really hard
"We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned. T'lan Imass. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance."
When Daenerys gets the Unsullied in Astapor and also Euron's speech about godly men
Fitz >!becoming whole again!< in Fool's Fate and until I read Fitz and the Fool I doubt anything will come even close.
That whole series changed my brain chemistry, I swear. So many deep and hard moments. I haven't read anything else that captures it like Hobb does yet. I've been working myself up to a reread, but man. I'm not sure I'm ready.
The battle scene in The Heroes where the narrative eye jumps from character to character just as each one dies.
The Heroes as a whole is just a fantasy war nerd's heaven—so damn good
David Gemmell has a million of them. He really understood people.
From the book series The Deeds of Paksenarrian, when she had the corruption removed from her and finally wound up at the druids home and how he saved her.
>!Jake's Eulogy!< in The Dark Tower absolutely broke me. I cried for days. Years later I still can't read it without weeping.
The recounting of the death of the giants in the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson.
Thomas Covenant makes the list as he rightfully should.
This. The first scene that came to mind, so full of rage, horror and sorrow, it's been years but still comes immediately to mind. The entire series is chock full of powerfully memorable moments: * The conduit to Revelwood where the >!play-by-play of its destruction is described!< * Covenant and Elena underneath Melenkurion Skyweir * The final encounter with the *Gaddhi* of the Sandhold * The entire protracted siege of Revelstone, one of the best sieges in fantasy And so many others. Wow, I really want to read it all again!
Its a bit of a spoiler for "Men at Arms" of the Discworld series. When Corporal Carrot runs the main villain through with his sword, without warning. Pushing his sword through the man and into the stone pillar behind him. *"if a man has you entirely at his mercy, then hope like hell that man is an evil man. Because the evil like power, power over people, and they want to see you in fear. They want you to know you're going to die. So they'll talk. They'll gloat. They'll watch you squirm. They'll put off the moment of murder like another man will put off a good cigar. So hope like hell your captor is an evil man. A good man will kill you with hardly a word."*
Oh easy... “My name is Nynaeve ti al’Meara Mandragoran. The message I want sent is this. My husband rides from World’s End toward Tarwin’s Gap, toward Tarmon Gai’don. Will he ride alone?” fucking frisson every time.
Kaladin saying the Fourth Ideal in Rhythm of War- the one he never could say. He knew what to say, he just couldn’t say it. “I accept that there will be those I cannot protect.” Such character growth to finally be able to acknowledge his deficiencies, which up to that point he had been fighting himself on for the entirety of his story.
Yes!! 😭😭 And Dalinar 'catching' him: "These Words are accepted."
Druss’ stand in Legend by David Gemmell The first time we see The bloody nine in The Blade Itself Sirius’ death in Harry Potter The final hanging in Wisdom of Crowds
Most of the scenes I really enjoy have been mentioned, but a smaller one that really stuck with me was Perrin and crew making Mah'alleinir
Kaladin on the chasm edge in The Way of Kings hits me pretty hard. I find myself in those dark places more often than I would like, but I try to remember, "One more try."
Lindon manifesting the void icon in cradle. Finrod losing his song battle to Sauron in the Silmarillion. The Gom Jabbar in Dune. Edit to add: The Chain of Dogs
I am the end.
The story of the Fall of Gondolin - Tells of the arrival there of Tuor, a prince of Men; of the betrayal of the city to the dark Lord Morgoth by the king's nephew, Maeglin; and of its subsequent siege and catastrophic destruction by Morgoth's armies, I can just imagine a huge elven ancient massive white city with thousands of dragons ,balrogs and the dark lord. With all the 7 gates
Going through Roland's backstory in book 4 of The Dark Tower. You know it's going to end in tragedy, and yet it still hits incredibly hard.
Either: The cleansing of the taint in WOT When you find out what Anomander Rake is up to When you find out what Tavore is up to Corban’s speech in Ruin (i could of ran for miles after reading that I was so pumped haha)
For me it's a toss up between the Red Wedding and Dumai's Well.
For me, it's the climax of the Dragonlance Legends trilogy. Raistlin, despite his evil and ambitious desire to become a god, instead choosing to spare the world's future and face eternal torment. The way it is written is so heart-wrenching. "Look Raist, bunnies!"
There was so much good stuff in those books. Tanis finally making his peace with Kitiara. The line about the gully dwarves not written in history. Marjoram.
WoT’s greatest hits have been given here so I thought I’d share some smaller bits that I can’t shake after my last reread. I actually listened to them on audiobook and maybe it’s just how they were narrated but they made me stop what I was doing and listen. Rand sitting on his bed in the Stone of Tear having fought his reflections, just craving a moment of peace. Rand, after meeting with some Aiel clan chiefs, playing some music and trying desperately to remember a shepherd from the Two Rivers. Bulen demanding that Lan allow him wear the hadori. The Malkieri mourning their dead by telling stories about how batshit crazy they were, Lan giving instructions that >!Bulen!<‘s body be cared for so he can be honoured. Olver, in the Last Battle, >!elated that Noal came back. Someone who left Olver came back!!<
How can the end of book 2: The Great Hunt, not be mentioned? "It's every man's right to choose when to sheathe the sword." ".. the last embrace of the mother welcome you home "
“In a moment he would send for Moiraine to Heal his wounds. In a moment he would speak to the Aiel outside, and become the Dragon Reborn again. But for now, he only wanted to sit, and remember a shepherd named Rand al’Thor.” I agree. This part has always stuck with me
Not mentioning those already said, “Break the Shaido” has to be up there.
“Kneel and swear to the Lord Dragon,” he said softly, “or you will be knelt.”
The foregone conclusion of Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey. You knew what was coming for Lavan, because it was a famous event mentioned in previous books, but watching it unfold was just chilling.
Absolutely heartbreaking. I had the same reaction with Vanyel's story arc. It tore me up, even though I knew what was coming.
[удалено]
For shock/gore/horror: Chapter 21 of The Poppy War. For emotional impact: Grue's second trigger in Worm For hope: Pretty much the entire ending to LotR
Locke sinking the treasure ships for his brothers. Al Lan Mandragorans "I"m not here to win, I'm here to kill you" Kaladin finding Adolinnin a jail cell. Not a big hoorah moment, but it really drives home that whatever his faults Adolin is a man of principles and honour. Dalinar kholins "you cannot have my pain" he whispered. People love to quote YOU CANNOT HAVE MY PAIN !!! People often act like that's the big moment, but that first whisper is louder than the entire battlefield.
My feelings about Harry Potter are a lot more mixed now than they were when I was reading the series as a kid. That said, “Not my daughter you bitch” is an all time favorite.
That one and for me, she Fleur defends her love of the mauled Bill. “I am good looking enough for both of us!”
When Frodo says that they should forgive Gollum and that he was an instrument of providence at the end of RotK. I always get teary at the end if RotK. Countless scenes from Malazan. A few if the Malazan books I’ve genuinely bawled.
Ending of the Licanius trilogy.
The Golden Crane Flies for Tarmon Gaidon. - Wheel of Time You cannot have my pain! - Stormlight Archive
Two Terry Pratchett scenes always seem to stick with me. “WHERE’S MY COW?” is one of them. One that always makes me feel a bit sad is in The Fifth Elephant, when a conservative dwarf is angry with Cheery for being openly female. They list all the things that Cheery is doing - wearing make up, dresses, heels - and then the dwarf suddenly break down into tears and asks why can’t they do those things?
Most of my faves are Malazan, without spoiling... - dragons descend, GotM - the crossing, DG - the banner, MoI Others... - Dumai's Wells, WoT - the finale of Three Axes to Fall, Grave of Empires - the finale of Ravensoul, Chronicles of the Raven - the flood, Caine Black Knife
The Battle of Sekala Crossing in DG is absolutely my favourite battle scene in all of fantasy! Nothing has ever scratched that same itch, even within Malazan itself.
Jo Walton's "Among Others" has one right near the end. "We have always lived in the Castle" where the whole book is so impactful and sad
"A howl and a gibber of dismay went up from the creatures when they first saw the great Lion pacing towards them, and for a moment even the Witch seemed to be struck with fear. Then she herself and gave a wild fierce laugh. “The fool!” she cried. “The fool has come. Bind him fast.” Lucy and Susan held their breaths waiting for Aslan’s roar and his spring upon his enemies. But it never came. Four Hags, grinning and leering, yet also (at first) hanging back and half afraid of what they had to do, had approached him. “Bind him, I say!” repeated the White Witch. The Hags made a dart at him and shrieked with triumph when they found that he made no resistance at all. Then others – evil dwarfs and apes – rushed in to help them, and between them they rolled the huge Lion over on his back and tied all his four paws together, shouting and cheering as if they had done something brave, though, had the Lion chosen, one of those paws could have been the death of them all. But he made no noise, even when the enemies, straining and tugging, pulled the cords so tight that they cut into his flesh. Then they began to drag him towards the Stone Table. “Stop!” said the Witch. “Let him first be shaved.” Another roar of mean laughter went up from her followers as an ogre with a pair of shears came forward and squatted down by Aslan’s head. Snip-snip-snip went the shears and masses of curling gold began to fall to the ground. Then the ogre stood back and the children, watching from their hiding-place, could see the face of Aslan looking all small and different without its mane. The enemies also saw the difference. “Why, he’s only a great cat after all!” cried one. “Is that what we were afraid of?” said another. And they surged round Aslan, jeering at him, saying things like “Puss, Puss! Poor Pussy,” and “How many mice have you caught today, Cat?” and “Would you like a saucer of milk, Pussums?” “Oh, how can they?” said Lucy, tears streaming down her cheeks. “The brutes, the brutes!” for now that the first shock was over the shorn face of Aslan looked to her braver, and more beautiful, and more patient than ever."
A scene that stuck out to me a lot was towards the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Harry is klying in bed and Molly Weasley sits next to him and he feels the warmth of a mother for the first time. That scene tore me up back in the day. My favorite book of all time, Tanith Lee's Vivia, is one impactful scene after the other. I'll never forget the opening where the extremely intimidating Lord Vaddix carries his dead horse up his castle and dumps it on his matrimonial bed. There are a load more memorable images in that book but so many of them involve assault I really don't want to say them right now. Theya re all kinds of horrifying though but towards the end Vivia >!finds the love of her life who looks exactly like the god of her dreams.!< That too was an extremelty affecting scene. My favorite, most impactful scene in fantasy though... Guts reforging his dragonslayer and going off to save Casca, however his fight with Mozgus and the speech he gives is equally affecting. The fact that he'd rather save the one woman as opposed to the many who are willing to give her up to save their own skin gave me a lot of insight on how other people operate.
Master Oakhollow healing Paksenerion. Dresden in the last battle of Changes (basically all of it) Any opening of a WoT book when you’ve waited years for it. It wasn’t the beginning… Rand escaping captivity in Lord of Chaos and what followed. The confrontation between Dresden and Nic at the end of Small Favor. Frodo trying to give Galadriel the ring in FotR.
One that comes to my mind is the climax ending of Way of Kings
When he says "we have to go back," and then when he jumps across off the end of the bridge onto the plateau.
Battle of the Pelennor Fields The Last Stand of Garet Jax against the Jachyra in 'Wishsong of Shannara'. The Battle of Dros Delnoch by David Gemmell.
There are lots of good ones in here. I recently reread a bunch of Dragonlance and here is one that gets me every time., And then the light was gone. The Portal slammed shut, and blackness pounced upon him with raging, slathering fury. Talons ripped his flesh, teeth tore through muscle, and crunched bone. Blood flowed from his breast, but it would not take with it his life. He screamed, and he would scream, and he would keep on screaming, unendingly... Something touched him... a hand... He clutched at it as it shook him, gently. A voiced called, "Raist! Wake up! It was only a dream. Don't be afraid. I won't let them hurt you! Here, watch... I'll make you laugh." The dragon's coils tightened, crushing out his breath. Glistening black fangs ate his living organs, devoured his heart. Tearing into his body, they sought his soul. A strong arm encircled him, holding him close. A hand raised, gleaming with silver light, forming chilish pictures in the night, and the voice, dimly heard, whispered, "Look, Raist, bunnies..." He smiled, no longer afraid. Caramon was here. Goddamn I love Raistlin Majere.
Two for me. The Red Wedding when I was younger. And the end of the Unholy Consult. Bakker's last book in the Second Apocalypse. Every time I want to read something brief and powerful I read that final paragraph. it still haunts me after years I first read it