Your 'Most perfect scene' from a book you've read

[Natans he/him]

Men the tower sequence deserve be filmed, this is one of the most sublimes moments all fiction works that I read or wacthed.

 

Every single part of the brigde 4 suffering a strugle was condensed in a act of utmost bravery and awesomeness.

 

All the honor of that men was showed in the moment after Sly said that she was a "honor spren", and every and all of them throwed themselves in a suicide run, to save someone that they didn't have to.

 

Their failure at side carry was aversed when Kaladins shouted  "Bridge 4, side carry!" and then they avoided certain death.

 

And when, even exausted and wounded, Kaladin jumped in the middle of the parshendi WOW!!

 

What a wouldn't give to see this scene in a movie or animation =)

[The Count he/him]

For Sanderson:

 

When Kaladin says the words

 

The culmination of Kaladin's story, the whole section from Syl declaring herself to Kaladins leap and landing is just brilliant. 

 

I actually jumped up and gave a fist pump the first time I read it... oh the shame!

 

Non-Sanderson:

 

I guess there are two:

 

1/ From Stephen Donaldson, The Illearth War there is a scene where one of the Lords of Revelstone is looking for an Unfettered One in the southerm mountain range. They find him and you think all is going to be ok for them. Only to have one of the the men they had to leave behind turn up, flesh almost warn away by the wind and posessed by a Raver.

 

The scene really drives home how truly evil the Ravers are. I don't think I have come accross any literary creation that has struck me a so totally malevolent as the Ravers in the Thomas Covenant books and this scene exemplifies this for me. 

 

2/ From Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum, when the Vampires are running around screaming for Tea. I had to put the book down for a good ten minutes while I laughed myself out.

Edited November 20, 2013 by MadRand

[Awesomeness Summoned he/him]

For me, it is in the Way of Kings when Dalinar summons Oathbringer in Sadeas's warcamp and drives it into the rock in front of him and offers it to Sadeas in exchange for his entire compliment of bridgemen.

I'd include with this the scene where Kaladin asks why he gave up the blade and Dalinar responds by asking what the value of a man's life is. The realization that Dalinar truly thought the blade a cheap price to pay for the bridgemen caused kaladin to question prejudices he'd held the entire book.

Most of my favorite epic moments have already been mentioned so I'll add one more subtle moment that stuck with me... The scene in A Wise Man's Fear, after Kvothe was poisoned by Ambrose and the after effects are making him feel all the pain of losing his family. Throughout the series Kvothe was always taking care of Auri, making sure she was fed, clothed, and protected. To have her seek him out in that moment and the roles be reversed so that she was taking care of him, saying "I'm here. You're safe.", I thought was just a beautiful scene.

[Delightful]

My favourite Sanderson scene is from HoA at the ball, when Vin's just figured out her place in the world, Elend comes to finally dance with her, and then pulls out the book he was reading the first time they met.

 

Followed closely be Dalinar giving up Oathbringer. I just stopped and stared at the book in shock after reading that.

[Retsam]

For Sanderson I could just say "Part IV of Way of Kings"; (which includes the Justice scene, the second ideal scene, the oathbringer scene), but I'll specifically mention the Wandersail chapter, the story Hoid tells to Kaladin, as I don't think it was mentioned.  It's a fun scene, with Hoid and Kaladin's banter, and a great story; but it's the connection to the plot and the armor-piercing question at the end "What are you trying to avoid responsibility for, young bridgeman?" that really gets me.  

 

For non-sanderson, I can think of a couple:

 

Major spoiler for the Dark Prism by Brent Weeks:

"I am Dazen Guile, and I stole your life"

 

Verin's scene in the Gathering Storm, as well as the end of that book.

 

The ending to the fourth book of the Temeraire series:

Laurence committing treason in order to prevent the outbreak of a dragon plague

[twilt]

For Sanderson

 

TWOK, when kaladin takes bridge four back and rescues dalinar and adolin - this will sound pathetic, but i remember getting quite excited and wanting to punch the air   ... i didnt because my GF would have given me grief for weeks, but still i wanted to lol

 

Too many none sanderson to mention. When Pug (feist) reveals his power in the arena sticks to my mind too.

Edited March 14, 2014 by trev1972

[HydrogenAlpha he/him]

For Sanderson:

When Kaladin pulls the Jack Shephard and goes " We have to go back, Kate ". That was just beautiful.

Non Sanderson:

Brent Weeks: The Blinding Knife

 

[spoiler]
(When Gavin who is actually Dazen - this was a shocker, too - seems to give in to his brother's madness but then just shots him. Just like that.. after he struggled with it for years )
[/spoiler]

Edited March 21, 2014 by HydrogenAlpha

[Awesomeness Summoned he/him]

Great, now I'm gonna picture jack every time I read that line. You might want to put spoiler tags on the lightbringer stuff. That's two really huge spoilers.

[Asperity he/him]

Not to sound a fanboy but I really did enjoy the scene where Kaladin got his powers back because of the ascendance in rank and the appearance of wings. I really love the concept of wings (if it's well done) in fiction, then when he arrived on the Plains like a comet. I have a bit of a hard-on for vengeance and justice scenes/stories.

 

The main scene I can remember that I thought was well-done was the ending to the Black Company series because it's one of the very very few series I've read where loose ends and the main story are all tied up without any gimmicks involved. Everything was explained properly and it was all fantastic.

[Tamzin Ashevai she/her]

My most memorable scene came in Kushiel's Dart when Melisande "escorted" Phedre, "sheathed" in diamonds (and collared) on The Longest Night. (Beautiful!) Despite having read this series long after the following series several times, the next scene came in Dune, when Paul Muad'Dib defeated Feyd-Rautha by stealth and cunning on the battle-floor. Obviously, I enjoy a sensually, gritty heroine and an underestimated, calculating hero. Hmm ... excellent!

[Gabriele she/her]

When Kaladin says, "honour is dead," and jumps into the pit to help Adolin. Yeah, and Dalinar offering his shardblade for the bridgemen. And Kaladin's realisation that Elhokar is Dalinar's Tien.

 

Aragorn and Éomer meeting on the Fields of Pelennor.

 

The Malazan series is full of great scenes: Coltaine's death, Whiskeyjack killing the prisoners himself to spare them from being trapped forever in Anomander's sword, Anomander's sacrifice, Trull Sengar weeping after the battle at High Fort ...

 

"King in the North!" and the dragon song at the end of A Game of Thrones.

 

Damien allowing Tarrant to feed on his fears in Friedman's Black Sun Rising.

 

Hagen of Tronje releasing Ruedger from his oath so Ruedeger can fight for his king against Hagen (Song of the Nibelungs)

 

Kjartan holding the dying Bolli (Laxdoela saga).

 

 

There's a bunch more but those just popped up in my mind.

[Hood he/him]

Mine are:-

 

1. The "Honour-is-dead" moment in WoR

 

2. Icarium's visit to a now destroyed city in Deadhouse Gates

 

3. "Children-are-dying" moment in Deadhouse Gates

 

4. The "I am, I was" moment in TWoK

 

5. Dalinar's ending in WoR. 

 

6. Kaladin's ending (you all know which one) in WoR

[Left he/him]

Sanderson would be.....ugh this is hard. Sazed ascending I think. It's just so mindblowing, I had to read it twice because my mind couldn't comprende.

 

Edit: Non-Sanderson..... Hmmm, I guess Rand coming back doesn't count....Maybe the end of The Stone of Farewell, you know Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. If you guys didn't notice, I'm a big fan of that trilogy.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Leftinch

[Tien'sPetLurg she/her]

I loved Shallan and Adolin's first date when she asks him about the realities of wearing shardplate.  That was a brilliant example of socially awkward people going "off script" and meshing quite well. 

Shallan singing that lullaby back to her father was pretty haunting.

I may or may not have allegedly performed a fist pump when I read Dalinar's private "conversation" with Elhokar. I was so ready for someone to Speak to that whining little $#@%%&!.

I also like how Shallan finds that sketch of Bluth (wasn't it?) and realizes he had kept it.

[Ashiok]

Worm interlude 26. It ties everything together, and then it truly sets in. Their lives are now forfeit.

[Terisen he/him]

The first time I ever read Ender's Game.

 

The scene where they tell Ender that he's really been controlling the fleet and destroyed the Formic homeworld.

 

I know other people saw it coming, but I'm not real bright at seeing those sorts of things, so it shocked me just much as it did Ender.

[Awesomeness Summoned he/him]

The first time I ever read Ender's Game.

 

The scene where they tell Ender that he's really been controlling the fleet and destroyed the Formic homeworld.

 

I know other people saw it coming, but I'm not real bright at seeing those sorts of things, so it shocked me just much as it did Ender.

Even if you saw it coming, it was still a great scene. 

[Khyrindor he/him]

Kaladin turning Syl into the Shardblade. And the rest of the climax.

[Theorymaker he/him]

When Kabsal was talking to Shallan about the personalities associated with jams and Shallan just throws a piece of paper at him because her jam is impulsive.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Steelheart: Prof's Crowning Moment of Awesome. Fellow Steelheart fans, you know what I'm talking about. 

 

The Emperor's Soul: The revelation of the true extent of Shai's Forgery. It was so beautiful and selfless. 

 

Non-Sanderson

 

The Book Thief: "Was it you? Was it from your face that I took the seed?" 

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: "Yes! It is more magic!" 

 

Tuck Everlasting: Can I say "the whole book?" No? Okay, then my most perfect scene from that book would be the epilogue. I cried. It's just so beautiful and heart wrenching, but it still manages to be a happy ending. 

 

Kingdom Come: The scene where Captain Marvel shows up. It's the perfect "Oh crap" moment. 

[traceria she/her]

Terisen - Yeah, the end of Ender's Game for sure!

 

 

I feel like I could scan over my bookshelves at home and come up with something for about every third book, but the ones that come to mind immediately are actually non-Sanderson (probably because there were TOO MANY moments, especially in WoK and WoR, that made me squeal like a little girl):

 

- Every time I reread LotR, I gasp and cry when Gandalf dies and similarly, I cheer when he shows up at Helm's Deep.  There are many other moments like that in those books, too.

- Recently, when reading the latest Dresden Files book, Skin Game, the chapter in the 30's with Michael.  I won't say anymore.  If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. ;D

[Shaggai]

Non-Sanderson:

Harry Dresden has... well, a lot of these. I'm going to pick two.

The climax of Dead Beat. How do you top a zombie dinosaur? The answer, of course, is that scene in Changes where Murphy gets possessed by an angel.

 

As for Sanderson... Sazed's ascension, I think.

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

In HoA when elend realises the mists are snapping people. And leads the seers into battle.

In way of kings when kaladin goes to save dalinar.

in WoR when kaladin fights szeth. Gets hurt and heals his arm. That scene made me mad then amazed. That is why brandon sanderson is my favorite author.

In the dragon reborn when mat fights gawyn and galad and stops them from doubting his abilities.

[dreamingofcheese he/him]

There is so many choices that it gums up my processor. It's like choosing a favorite cheese. Here goes.

1) Name of the Wind. When Kvothe plays for his pipes and the string brakes.

2) WoR Kaladin's "I own the sky" moment.

3) The Game of Thrones. Lord Ned's death made me so angry I did something I never did before. I threw the book across the room and it hit the wall and fell into my fish tank. Martin got two copies out of me.

4) Odd Thomas. Stormy's last screen. Dean Koontz is hit or miss normally but the Odd Thomas series was a home run.

5) Seventh Son by Orson Card. The battle for life during Alvin's birth.

6) The DragonCrown War. The true Wilberforce transformation.

[traceria she/her]

dreamingofcheese - Upvote for Odd Thomas (and me not even remembering that)!!  Man, a whole box of tissues and several months later I was finally able to read the second book!