History GoneHorriblyRight / Literature

* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'':
** [[spoiler:Kaladin's transformation into a full Knight Radiant is this to Graves, Taravangian's agent in the Shattered Plains. He was supposed to isolate Kaladin from Dalinar, not foreseeing that said separation would give Kaladin his chance at redemption.]]
** [[spoiler:The transformation of the Parshendi into stormform absolutely counts as this from the point of view of Venli, Odium's agent among them. And the first character to receive the form's MindRape is her sister Eshonai, removing her biggest obstacle to convincing the other Parshendi to take the form. Unfortunately, Eshonai is so thoroughly changed that she fully plans on killing Venli to achieve total control over the Parshendi.]]

* ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance'' (second book of ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''):

** [[spoiler:The transformation of the Parshendi into stormform might count as this, from the point of view of their leader, Eshonai. Too bad that the first character to receive the form's MindRape is her... (although it's implied that her sister and the scholar Parshendi actually took on the stormform before her, in secret).]]

* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Literature/TheMagiciansNephew''. [[SmugSnake Uncle Andrew]] [[MoralEventHorizon sends two small children into the void between dimensions as part of a magical experiment]]. Since he's safe at home while they face whatever dangers that await them in TheMultiverse, he's [[TemptingFate entirely convinced]] that [[WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong nothing can possibly go wrong]]. But then the boy [[spoiler:awakens a SealedEvilInACan via SchmuckBait and ''accidentally'' brings her home to London]]. Andrew realizes that maybe his experiments had succeeded a little ''too'' well. He promptly forgets, given EvilIsSexy.

* ''Literature/{{Dresden Files}}'', has an example in Fool Moon when Harry uses a potion which makes him appear uninteresting to anybody in order to sneak into the police station and set up a containment circle for a werewolf in their holding cells before he turns. The potion works perfectly and with a very {{Paper Thin Disguise}} as a janitor he is able to just stroll in. Unfortunately he's too late to contain the werewolf and the potion prevents him from being able to warn people until after the monster has already broken out of it's cell and killed a few inmates, because nothing he says is the least bit interesting to anybody.

* ''Literature/{{DresdenFiles}}'', has an example in Fool Moon when Harry uses a potion which makes him appear uninteresting to anybody in order to sneak into the police station and set up a containment circle for a werewolf in their holding cells before he turns. The potion works perfectly and with a very [[PaperThinDisguise]] as a janitor he is able to just stroll in. Unfortunately he's too late to contain the werewolf and the potion prevents him from being able to warn people until after the monster has already broken out of it's cell and killed a few inmates, because nothing he says is the least bit interesting to anybody.

* Nightblood, the Awakened sword in ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'', was created with the command to "Destroy Evil." Its makers didn't consider that a ''sword'', even an EmpathicWeapon stirred to life by a thousand [[OurSoulsAreDifferent Breaths]], wouldn't have the faintest idea what "Evil" is. The result: a nigh-irresistible ArtifactOfAttraction that will drive [[OnlyThePureOfHeart almost]] anybody who wields it into a manic killing spree while [[ArtifactOfDeath slurping up their life force]].

* ''Literature/TheDisasterArtist'' uses this in regards to Tommy Wiseau and his magnum opus, ''Film/TheRoom''. Greg Sestero discusses how Tommy was sure that the film would be a huge hit, even as the cast and crew, most of whom were experienced filmmakers, believed the film [[ItWillNeverCatchOn would never see the light of day]] (and thanks to Tommy's horrible treatment of everyone on set, causing the crew to quit twice, it nearly didn't). Tommy believed it would be a universally loved film, the winner of many Oscars, a box-office smash, and sporting the magic and charm of Tennessee Williams, that would be discussed about for decades to come. As anyone familiar with ''The Room'' [[SoBadItsGood can attest]], Tommy succeeded beyond his wildest dreams (aside from winning any awards).

* The killer in Creator/DeanKoontz's ''Mr. Murder''. He's eventually revealed to be a genetically engineered [[ProfessionalKiller ideal killer]] who just happens [[spoiler:[[IdenticalStranger to look just like the book's protagonist]]]]. While various aspects of him are GoneHorriblyWrong, one ''very'' scary aspect was a case of this trope: his genetic propensity for rapid self-healing and self-repair. [[spoiler:Turns out that same capacity was also removing the ''intentional'' imperfections put into him to keep him impotent, giving his handlers all the more reason to round up their ''now-renegade'' assassin, as he'd ''also'' developed a tendency to rape prostitutes]].

* In ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'', the genetic engineers who created Elemental magicians [[FantasticRacism feared]] that their creations would rise up against humans, so they brainwashed them to develop UndyingLoyalty to a "master". [[HappinessInSlavery Unfortunately for the Elementals, this worked.]] Unfortunately for the geneticists, they didn't get the "only imprint on humans" part right. So now there are a lot of Elementals [[spoiler:like Honoka]] who have sworn to protect the interests of ''other magicians'', at ''all costs''. The geneticists? Well, they aren't around anymore.

* One instance of this drives the entire plot of ''LightNovel/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign''. In the setting, SummonMagic has many restrictions, including a ten minute time limit. The main character Kyousuke created a method which was free of these restrictions, being capable of summoning indefinitely, and as a side benefit, prevents others from summoning the same entity. Additionally, he managed to summon the White Queen, the undisputed strongest being in existence. And on top of that, she fell in love with him at first sight and is eager to do what he asks. But when other people tried to gain control over the Queen, she turned violent and slaughtered them. Now, Kyousuke wants nothing to do with her... but she [[{{Yandere}} will do anything to get him back]].

* In ''Literature/{{Ringworld}}'', the Puppeteers reveal that they've been manipulating humanity to breed luck as a genetic trait. There's a lot of contradictory evidence and opinions in the novel and sequels, but their biggest problem is: nobody can predict, who benefits from this luck.

* ''Literature/GreatExpectations'': Estella is raised by Miss Havisham to be the perfect seductress from the time she's young as part of a revenge-by-proxy against all men (having a [[RunawayBride Runaway Groom]] is a heckuva MindScrew). By the time she's an adult she is indeed the perfect seductress: a beautiful ManipulativeBitch who "has no heart" and can't feel or give love either to good guy Pip ''or'' [[spoiler:Miss Havisham.]]

* ''Literature/GreatExpectations'': Estella is raised by Miss Havisham to be the perfect seductress from the time she's young as part of a revenge-by-proxy against all men (having a [[RunawayBride Runaway Groom]] is a heckuva MindScrew). By the time she's an adult she is indeed the perfect seductress: a beautiful ManipulativeBitch who "has no heart" and can't feel or give love either to good guy Pip [[spoiler:''or'' Miss Havisham.]]

-->His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful!--Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but [[UncannyValley these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast]] with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same color as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion and straight black lips.