History WhamEpisode / Literature

** ''Literature/WizardAndGlass'': Hey, remember Marten Broadcloak from Roland's childhood? Yeah, well he's still alive, and his real name is [[TheStand Randall Flagg]].

* ''TheSagaOfDarrenShan'' has three contenders.

* The AgentPendergast series has some major whams during the first and second books of the Helen Trilogy.

* Special props go to Kathy Tyers' ''[[FirebirdTrilogy Daystar]]''. The fact that it is about Jesus in an alternate 'verse means it is chock full of {{Foregone Conclusion}}s, and yet it still pulls off a major wham ending: [[spoiler:Everyone has had a chance to hear the Word and to choose their side, so the cosmos is renewed then and there]].

* ''JonathanStrangeAndMrNorrell'': "Arabella", the final chapter of part two.

** In the very next book, ''Scorpia'', we find out about the organization [[NebulousEvilOrganisation Scorpia]], the only recurring villains in the series, and we also find out that [[spoiler:Alex's dad was actually a ReverseMole for MI6.]]

* ''StarTrekDestiny,'' in which the Borg launch an invasion of the Alpha Quadrant, destroying several dozen worlds and annihilating forty percent of Starfleet, before every single drone is liberated all at once, wiping out the collective once and for all.
* ''ThePillarsOfTheEarth'' takes a hard left turn when William raids Kingsbridge, nearly burns it to the ground and kills dozens, including the book's main character.

* Tons of these moments in ''Literature/TheHouseOfNight''.
** For starters, [[spoiler: Neferet]] is portrayed as quite likeable with nothing suspicious hinted about her in ''Marked''. In ''Betrayed,'' she's revealed to be the BigBad. For the rest of the series to come. ''Wham.''

* In The last book of the Divergent triology (Alleigent,) [[spoiler:Tris gets killed off]]

*** Let's not forget [[spoiler:Dany's dragons!]] This series should really just be renamed [[SerialEscalation A Song of Wham]] there are so many wham moments!

** Don't forget the ending to the first sequel, Lyra suddenly captured and Will's long absent father killed MOMENTS after they recognize one another.

*** ...And his cat Mister is MIA.
*** We may never forgive JimButcher for [[BadassLongcoat the duster]].

*** Fortunately, however, the cat is alive.

** ''In Too Deep'': [[spoiler:[[SacrificialLion Irina]]'s shocking [[CerebusSyndrome death]].]]
** ''The Viper's Nest'': [[spoiler:[[TomatoInTheMirror Amy and Dan are Madrigals]].]]
** ''Storm Warning'': [[spoiler:Nellie is actually working for Grace and the Madrigals. Then the ending reveals that [[GoodAllAlong the Madrigals are actually trying to bring the Cahills back together]], and that the Man in Black/Gray is Fiske Cahill, [[LukeIAmYourFather Grace's brother]].]]
** ''Into the Gauntlet'': The main plot is resolved with [[spoiler:the Cahills all working together to stop Isabel, then all giving their clues to Dan and Amy]]. But then we get a SequelHook:[[spoiler:there's ''another'' important player, an evil organization called the Vespers]].
** The second series, ''Cahills vs. Vespers'', gets several, starting with ''A King's Ransom'': [[spoiler: William [=McIntyre=] dies, starting the AnyoneCanDie atmosphere. The Guardians are revealed, and Atticus is one. Then Atticus is kidnapped, and Dan gets a text from [[BackFromTheDead AJT]].]]
** ''Shatterproof'': [[spoiler: Erasmus follows Amato to the Vesper base, but she manages to kill him. Then Jonah and Hamilton show up, and Jonah shoots Amato.]] Furthermore, another big reveal happens in the online game, or the beginning of ''Trust No One'' for those who don't play it: [[TheMole Vesper Three]] is [[spoiler:Sinead Starling]].
** ''Trust No One'': After the aformentioned reveal, [[spoiler:Isabel]] comes back. Then V1 says they're done with giving him stuff, after one more: [[spoiler:the Cahill Ring.]] Then we find out what the Vespers are using all of this stuff for: [[spoiler:They're building a DoomsdayDevice.]] Finally, in order to combat them, [[spoiler:Dan drinks the Serum.]]

** ''In Too Deep'': [[spoiler:[[SacrificialLion Irina]]'s shocking [[CerberusSyndrome death]].]]

** ''In Too Deep'': [[spoiler:[[SacrificialLion Irina]] [[CerebusSyndrome dies]].]]

** ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince The Half-Blood Prince]]'' clearly tops them all, though [[ItWasHisSled most everyone knows this by now, even if they hadn't read the book]].

* The Third Oath, from Literature/TheZombieKnight is by far the darkest section of the story. In one day, most of Hector's friends are murdered and have their souls eaten, and the few that survive blame him.

* The Third Oath, from WebNovel/TheZombieKnight is by far the darkest section of the story. In one day, most of Hector's friends are murdered and have their souls eaten, and the few that survive blame him.

** The eighth book, ''Last Stand of Dead Men'' is this. That's right, the entire book.

** And Mr Tiny reveals that Darren and Steve are not only [[spoiler: brothers]], that they are also [[spoiler: his own two sons]].
* The ending of Creator/TomClancy's ''Literature/JackRyan Debt of Honor]]'': After being confirmed as Vice-President, following his predecessor being forced to resign by a sex scandal, Jack Ryan narrowly escapes a terrorist attack that kills that kills almost every major politician in the U.S. Capitol building (including the President, most of Congress, most of the Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and every Supreme Court Justice). Ryan is then immediately sworn in as President moments later by a federal judge not present at the Capitol Building.

* The ending of the ninth book of the BetsyTheVampireQueen series, ''Undead and Unfinished'', contains a wham that dramatically changes the tone of the series to DarkerAndEdgier.

** ''Storm Warnint'': [[spoiler:Nellie is actually working for Grace and the Madrigals. Then the ending reveals that [[GoodAllAlong the Madrigals are actually trying to bring the Cahills back together]], and that the Man in Black/Gray is Fiske Cahill, [[LukeIAmYourFather Grace's brother]].]]
** ''Into the Gauntlet'' The main plot is resolved with [[spoiler:the Cahills all working together to stop Isabel, then all giving their clues to Dan and Amy]]. But then we get a SequelHook:[[spoiler:there's ''another'' important player, an evil organization called the Vespers]].

** ''Trust No One '': After the aformentioned reveal, [[spoiler:Isabel]] comes back. Then V1 says they're done with giving him stuff, after one more: [[spoiler:the Cahill Ring.]] Then we find out what the Vespers are using all of this stuff for: [[spoiler:They're building a DoomsdayDevice.]] Finally, in order to combat them, [[spoiler:Dan drinks the Serum.]]

** ''Literature/ColdVengeance'': The very last chapter. [[spoiler: Pendergast is reunited with the still-alive Helen. Members of the Neo-Nazi society the Covenant track them down. Judson and Pendergast's butler Proctor are both killed in the crossfire, Helen is kidnapped by them, and Pendergast is shot as well.]]