[Kurt Montandon]

So, what books just put you through the wringer, so that at the end, you feel completely beaten up by the ride? And not in a bad way, mind you - books that throw the whole gamut of emotions your way, but end in a satisfying fashion, for whatever definition of "satisfying."

I call them "gut-punch" books, because there's moments that just knock the wind out you with their power - not just individual scenes, but entire stretches.

The only ones I can think of:

Mirror Dance, Lois McMaster Bujold - If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand. Bujold fans know exactly what I'm talking about. Seriously, this is one of the few books that got me weepy. But goddamn, the resolution is great (same with A Civil Campaign of course, but it's too fun to be a gut-punch).

Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay - No explanation should be necessary. This is one of the other few books where I almost actually cried while reading, a rare thing.

I'll toss in Memories of Ice, of course. Not sure about any others, thought they may come to mind later for me to add, possibly once I sober up.

[mxlm]

"Rolling Hot," from The Tank Lords - David Drake. Ow. Ow. Ow. Whole gamut of emotions? Not really. Gut puch(es)? Oh, hell yes.

Ending? Ouch. Just ouch.

Also "Under the Hammer" from the same volume - opens with "Think you're gonna like killing, boy?" and doesn't get any nicer.

[paladin]

Without Remorse by Tom Clancy.

The only book I've ever quit reading. I quit because of the sheer emotional brutality that is inflicted on the main character(and others). I was so engrossed in the book that when one of the major emotional events happened, I threw the book down and refused to touch it for 6 months because it was so unfair. Gradually, I wanted to know how it ended, and I was very satisfied with the resolution. Revenge is bittersweet.

For Clancy readers out there, its the story of how John Clark(as played by numerous people in cinema, Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber most notable) became John Clark.

The book itself is very well written, and Clancy really draws you into the story. I felt like I was right there with the characters and I experienced all the emotions that were meant to be experienced with a high level of emotion. I've never read a book before or since that brings me in as deeply as this book does, and since I'm not a real big fan of modern fiction(though it is set about 30-40 years ago) it really says something about how it is written in that regard.

Anyways, I suggest this book to anyone. The story itself transcends genre and I really think that anyone can read it and find it enjoyable(and heartwrenching)

[Morgoth]

Use of weapons by Iain Banks is an obvious choice for me, as is Walking on Glass (though here it must be said my personal situation probably amplified it quite a bit).

I'd also add Lasso rundt fru Luna, which none of you have heard of.

Must admitt that Clancy never did it for me, but then taste is very much a subjective thing.

[Dolorous Menhir]

Banks - Use of Weapons, the Crow Road.

Martin - A Storm of Swords. Specifically one scene - anyone who has read it will know what I'm talking about.

James Ellroy - Several. American Tabloid. The LA Quartet.

David Feintuch - Seafort Saga.

Erikson - Deadhouse Gates. The Chain of Dogs is an emotional tour de force.

Solzhenitsyn - A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich.

This might seem a little out there, but the story of the computer game System Shock 2 packs a real punch.

[polishgenius]

Second Use of Weapons by Banks, and MoI and the Chain of Dogs in Malazan.

Also, to an extent (though not quite as consistently) Robin Hobb's Farseer and Tawny Man books - she never goes for the easy solution, so there's real emotional impact.

[mxlm]

Second System Shock 2.

Forgot to mention: Under the Hammer can be read here, Rolling Hot can be read here. Free of charge, no registration, nothing like that.

[paladin]

Morgoth;179766 said:

Must admitt that Clancy never did it for me, but then taste is very much a subjective thing.

Thats the thing.. it's not typical Clancy. It's definately a character driven story, and it's a suspenseful book rather than, say, a book about espionage or something.

The Chain of Dogs portion of Deadhouse Gates also was a moving tour de force.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

This is a little off opic, but does anyone else ever feel sad right after fnishing a great book? Granted, often when finihsing such a book iit is late at night, when I'm short on sleep, but if the book is good, I feel slightly depressed when it is done.

[Illuyankas]

I think everyone does, with the really good ones.

[jscottnelson]

I found a "Game of Thrones" by GRRM gut-wrenching when Eddard lost his head. I personally was imaging him going to the wall, winning support, marching back to take the Kingdom. He was just honorable enough that I could see it -- but I didn't know GRRM at that point!

I also found the Chain of Dogs gut-wrenching at it's end. The final scene with Coltaine was inspiring in it's descriptiveness -- and Duiker. Ahhh, Duiker.

[Tristan]

Storm of Swords nearly ruined reading for me. I was so sure that Robb was the hero and then he dies! It threw me so bad that I have an irrational fear that every main character is going to die. Memories of Ice was so loaded with stuff that I was not too affected by major deaths in it, but trying to imagine a roving horde of cannibals really got to me.

[Dag]

Deadhouse Gates.
After I finished reading the book, it left me with that heavy, painful lump in my throat I couldn't swallow for at least two days.

Game of Thrones and Storm of Swords.
GRRM is quite cruel in the way he's dealing with his characters (although recently he became even crueler to his readers - I wonder if he will ever finish the next book in the series...) Ned's death and the Red Wedding were really unpleasant surprises, quite difficult to digest.

Dan Simmons' "Song of Khali"
Heavy book. Really, really heavy. That scene when they finally find their daughter at the airport... It made me shiver.

[Master Prudent]

David Wingrove - The Middle Kingdom

The book contains the nastiest piece of violence I've ever read but it also has some other gut punches (as does the rest of the series). Michael Swanwick's short stories often have a punch.

[stone monkey]

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - I learned a lot about the Black Death from this book...None of it good when it's happening to characters you like.

Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse - a chirpy book about the aftermath of Hiroshima. When I finished it I felt as if I'd been beaten repeatedly about the head.

The Dark Half by Stephen King - an otherwise terrible book but for two things; one is the image of a brain surgeon opening up a child's skull and finding an eye looking at him and the other is the image of trees collapsing under the weight of the birds roosting in their branches.

[Varunwe]

The Chain of Dogs in Deadhouse Gates. I almost quit a few hundred pages into the book; it was too much for me. Fortunately, I went on reading. After I finished the book, I was depressed for weeks.

Perdido Street Station doesn't spare the reader either.

[James Hetfield]

I've gotta say R. Scott Bakker's series Prince of Nothing was a depressing read. The main characters go through emotional Hell, and it only seems to get worse as the series progresses. Except for Kellhus who seems to be emotionally disconnected.
MOI and DG were traumatic as well.

[sinag55]

One of the deaths in MOI was particularly depressing for me. I recently finished Perdido Street Station and what happened in the hit me bad too.