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* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the [[GenderBender Gender Benders]], [[ViralTransformation Viral Transformations]], [[BalefulPolymorph Baleful Polymorphs]] and just plain mutilations mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect at the end of ''The Messiah Choice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' while defeating the BigBad, who may have been the Devil incarnate) that real sacrifices must be horrific by definition and anything that isn't painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice.
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* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the [[GenderBender Gender Benders]], [[ViralTransformation Viral Transformations]], [[BalefulPolymorph Baleful Polymorphs]] and just plain mutilations mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect effect at the end of ''The Messiah Choice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' while defeating the BigBad, who may have been the Devil incarnate) that real sacrifices must be horrific by definition and anything that isn't painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice.
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* Pretty much every book by TimPowers runs on this trope, and few of his characters ever survive their arc without making some major sacrifice along the way, be it of blood, love, flesh, or memory.
* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the GenderBenders and {{BalefulPolymorph}}s mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect at the end of ''TheMessiahChoice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' by the BigBad in the climactic battle) that all real sacrifices are horrific by definition and anything that isn't wrenching, painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice at all.
* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the GenderBenders and {{BalefulPolymorph}}s mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect at the end of ''TheMessiahChoice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' by the BigBad in the climactic battle) that all real sacrifices are horrific by definition and anything that isn't wrenching, painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice at all.
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* Pretty much Nearly every book by TimPowers runs on this trope, and few of his characters ever survive their arc without making some major sacrifice along the way, be it of blood, love, flesh, or memory.
* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of theGenderBenders [[GenderBender Gender Benders]], [[ViralTransformation Viral Transformations]], [[BalefulPolymorph Baleful Polymorphs]] and {{BalefulPolymorph}}s just plain mutilations mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect at the end of ''TheMessiahChoice'' ''The Messiah Choice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' by while defeating the BigBad in BigBad, who may have been the climactic battle) Devil incarnate) that all real sacrifices are must be horrific by definition and anything that isn't wrenching, painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice at all.sacrifice.
* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the
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* Pretty much every book by TimPowers runs on this trope, and few of his characters ever survive their arc without making some major sacrifice along the way, be it of blood, love, flesh, or memory.
* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the GenderBenders and {{BalefulPolymorph}}s mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect at the end of ''TheMessiahChoice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' by the BigBad in the climactic battle) that all real sacrifices are horrific by definition and anything that isn't wrenching, painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice at all.
* Probably the second most prominent feature of the works of JackChalker. Though they're often remembered more for their AuthorAppeal, all of the GenderBenders and {{BalefulPolymorph}}s mean that it's a rare Chalker hero or heroine who survives their adventures physically or psychologically intact. There's even a soliloquy to this affect at the end of ''TheMessiahChoice'' where a side character tells the hero (who had his genitals ''torn off'' by the BigBad in the climactic battle) that all real sacrifices are horrific by definition and anything that isn't wrenching, painful, life-altering and above all ''permanent'' doesn't count as a true sacrifice at all.
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* ''{{Mistborn}}'' -- both the first and third books, actually. The second is more of a DownerEnding, since [[spoiler: the BigBad just escaped its imprisonment thanks to the heroine]].
* MelinaMarchetta's spectacular ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'' (just ''Jellicoe Road'' in the US and UK) is an example of Earn Your ''BittersweetEnding''. Just about everybody who survives to the end has lost at least one loved one (often more), and the ending is ''still'' incredibly sad and unbelievably heartwarming.
* MelinaMarchetta's spectacular ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'' (just ''Jellicoe Road'' in the US and UK) is an example of Earn Your ''BittersweetEnding''. Just about everybody who survives to the end has lost at least one loved one (often more), and the ending is ''still'' incredibly sad and unbelievably heartwarming.
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* ''{{Mistborn}}'' ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}'' -- both the first and third books, actually. The second is more of a DownerEnding, since [[spoiler: the BigBad just escaped its imprisonment thanks to the heroine]].
*MelinaMarchetta's Creator/MelinaMarchetta's spectacular ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'' (just ''Jellicoe Road'' in the US and UK) is an example of Earn Your ''BittersweetEnding''. Just about everybody who survives to the end has lost at least one loved one (often more), and the ending is ''still'' incredibly sad and unbelievably heartwarming.
*
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** Tell that to the whales.
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* Several characters in ''Literature/TheNightAngelTrilogy'' get their happy endings, but the cost is very high in a very dark setting. WordOfGod is that the contrast and suffering are what make choosing the right thing meaningful.
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* After all the horror of their lives in ''Literature/KingdomOfLittleWounds'', Midi and Ava escape court, raise Midi's daughter together, and become wise women so they can be independent from all the men who have used them.
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* QuantumGravity: by the end of the fourth book, Lila has been tortured by elves, lost her trust in [[{{Mentor}} Sarasilien]], the humans she worked with, and generally finds that it's going to be [[GrowingUpSucks hard to grow up]]. She also ''literally'' goes through hell. Zal goes through hell, and then ''things get worse''. But by the end, they're together, and Lila has figured out how to [[BeYourself Be Herself]]. It's...less sappy in context.
* In Literature/VampireAcademy, Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
* In Literature/VampireAcademy, Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
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* QuantumGravity: ''Literature/QuantumGravity'': by the end of the fourth book, Lila has been tortured by elves, lost her trust in [[{{Mentor}} Sarasilien]], the humans she worked with, and generally finds that it's going to be [[GrowingUpSucks hard to grow up]]. She also ''literally'' goes through hell. Zal goes through hell, and then ''things get worse''. But by the end, they're together, and Lila has figured out how to [[BeYourself Be Herself]]. It's...less sappy in context.
* InLiterature/VampireAcademy, ''Literature/VampireAcademy'', Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
* In
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* In VampireAcademy, Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
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* In VampireAcademy, Literature/VampireAcademy, Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
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* CiaphasCain series can fit into this trope. Cain sometimes gets really lucky, but we must recognize luck usually works as many times against him as in his favour, he still has to fight and figure out a way to save his life most of the time, but in the end, when he has managed to save the day (and usually the entire sector), he and his friends can go to a nice place to enjoy some amasec and tanna while tasting some delicacies. He managed to earn his retirement, which is to say something, considering the rate of casualties in the [[RedShirtArmy Imperial Guard]], and [[RetiredBadass after some decades he saved the world]] where he was (again), ensuring himself (again) his good retirement.
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* CiaphasCain Literature/CiaphasCain series can fit into this trope. Cain sometimes gets really lucky, but we must recognize luck usually works as many times against him as in his favour, he still has to fight and figure out a way to save his life most of the time, but in the end, when he has managed to save the day (and usually the entire sector), he and his friends can go to a nice place to enjoy some amasec and tanna while tasting some delicacies. He managed to earn his retirement, which is to say something, considering the rate of casualties in the [[RedShirtArmy Imperial Guard]], and [[RetiredBadass after some decades he saved the world]] where he was (again), ensuring himself (again) his good retirement.
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* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', [[ActionGirl Katniss]] is forced to do this ''[[UpToEleven three times!]]'' [[spoiler: And the second time she fails-''[[DoomedHometown badly]]''. In the end, the games are abolished and the war/rebellion ends, but many well-liked character ([[DoomMagnet many of them Katniss' friends, family, and companions]]) [[KilledOffForReal die]] horrible, [[TearJerker tragic deaths]]. They include, but are not limited to [[KillTheCutie Rue, Prim,]] [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Finnick,]] [[HeroicSacrifice Cinna, Mags, Wiress,]] [[AssholeVictim Cato, Snow, and Coin]].]]
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* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', [[ActionGirl Katniss]] is forced to do this ''[[UpToEleven three times!]]'' [[spoiler: And the second time she fails-''[[DoomedHometown badly]]''. In the end, the games Games are abolished and the war/rebellion ends, but many well-liked character ([[DoomMagnet many of them Katniss' friends, family, and companions]]) [[KilledOffForReal die]] horrible, [[TearJerker tragic deaths]]. They include, but are not limited to [[KillTheCutie Rue, Prim,]] [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Finnick,]] [[HeroicSacrifice Cinna, Mags, Wiress,]] [[AssholeVictim Cato, Snow, and Coin]]. And even then, she and those who return home with her spend any number of years barely able to function. The fact it takes quite a number of years to finally regain some bit of normalcy shows that she ''earned'' that ending the hard way.]]
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** ''Question Quest'' was originally about Lacuna trying for the trope; only thing is, Humphrey had been missing for a little over a decade (since the start of the 2nd Xanth series, ''Vale of the Vole''), so with a little help from Grey (Humphrey's protegé), she tracks him down. Turns out he's been playing a waiting game with the Demon X(A/N)th in a quest to earn ''his'' happy ending. They help each other out to earn their respective endings.
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, who manages to [[spoiler:brutally rape and batter her]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser".''Literature/{{Overenskommelser}}''. The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, who manages to [[spoiler:brutally rape and batter her]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, who manages to [[spoiler:brutally rape and batter her]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, who manages to [[spoiler:brutally rape and batter her]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, [[spoiler: who manages to brutally rape and batter her[[spoiler]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, [[spoiler: creep, who manages to brutally [[spoiler:brutally rape and batter her[[spoiler]] her]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* Swedish writer Simona Ahrnstedt does this in her debut novel "Överenskommelser". (It's also published in Danish as "Aegtepagten", in German as "Ein ungezähmtes Mädchen" and in Italian as "Ritratto di donna in cremisi".) The poor female lead, Beatrice, has to suffer five years of abuse from her tyrannical uncle. And then he bullies his young niece into a marriage with a man, who's like forty years older than her and treats women like they're dirt under his shoes. So yeah, Beatrice is thrown into the mercy of another creep, [[spoiler: who manages to brutally rape and batter her[[spoiler]] before he suddenly dies! Let's just hope that it was a really painful death... The story ends with Beatrice finally getting married to Seth, her love interest. But as they needed twenty months of suffering to get there, the happy ending sure was overdue...
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* In the second ''EmpireFromTheAshes'' book, humanity suffers ''heavy'' losses against the genocidal Achuultani invaders, [[spoiler:destroying the entire wave at the cost of many {{heroic sacrifice}}s galore, the destruction of most of the military--including Colin's [[BigDamnHeroes big damn reinforcements]]--and a death toll on Earth exceeding 500 million people]].
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* In the second ''EmpireFromTheAshes'' ''Literature/EmpireFromTheAshes'' book, humanity suffers ''heavy'' losses against the genocidal Achuultani invaders, [[spoiler:destroying the entire wave at the cost of many {{heroic sacrifice}}s galore, the destruction of most of the military--including Colin's [[BigDamnHeroes big damn reinforcements]]--and a death toll on Earth exceeding 500 million people]].
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* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages. The reason he does this is to avoid cliffhanger endings.
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* This is one of the reasons why a lot of readers find Terry Goodkind is so annoying.irritating. Every single book of the ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages. The reason he does this is to avoid cliffhanger endings.endings, but depending on your mileage, the cure might actually be worse than the disease.
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* The title character of ''Literature/HoratioHornblower''. From midshipman to admiral, he risks death daily, witnesses men die in horrible ways, loses a ship, loses ''several'' good officers, his first two children die of smallpox, he gets typhus in Russia, and his career is put at risk many times. Most of all, his "[[HeroicSelfDeprecation accursed unhappy temperament]]" prevents him from ever enjoying his many accomplishments because he'll always figure out a way to think of himself as a failure. But in the short story "The Last Encounter," Hornblower is retired, long since HappilyMarried to Lady Barbara, and finally ''happy and content'' for possibly the first time ever.
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Your Mileage May Vary is an index, not a trope. It should not be linked from any trope or work page for any reason.
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* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the SwordOfTruth series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages. The reason he does this is to avoid cliffhanger endings, but it's definitely a YourMileageMayVary situation on which is worse.
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* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the SwordOfTruth ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages. The reason he does this is to avoid cliffhanger endings, but it's definitely a YourMileageMayVary situation on which is worse.endings.
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* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the SwordOfTruth series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages.
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* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the SwordOfTruth series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages. The reason he does this is to avoid cliffhanger endings, but it's definitely a YourMileageMayVary situation on which is worse.
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* All of Creator/AynRand's fiction, except for ''WeTheLiving''. Howard Roark gets his skyscraper, recognition of his artistic genius, and the girl in ''TheFountainhead''; John Galt gets America, and the girl, and the heroes are setting out to rebuild a second golden age in ''AtlasShrugged''; and Equality 7-2521 escapes, gets the girl, and sets out to rebuild the world in ''Literature/{{Anthem}}''.
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* All of Creator/AynRand's fiction, except for ''WeTheLiving''. Howard Roark gets his skyscraper, recognition of his artistic genius, and the girl in ''TheFountainhead''; ''Literature/TheFountainhead''; John Galt gets America, and the girl, and the heroes are setting out to rebuild a second golden age in ''AtlasShrugged''; ''Literature/AtlasShrugged''; and Equality 7-2521 escapes, gets the girl, and sets out to rebuild the world in ''Literature/{{Anthem}}''.
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** And Rachel, who died in the final battle.
** And, of course, thanks to the budding ''Kelbrid'' war and Ax's kidnapping, life turns out pretty shittily for everyone.
*** Well, except Cassie.
** And, of course, thanks to the budding ''Kelbrid'' war and Ax's kidnapping, life turns out pretty shittily for everyone.
*** Well, except Cassie.
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** No, the line that makes everything worthwhile is, [[spoiler:"We're home, System Command.... It took us awhile, but we're home."]]
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* Many characters in Creator/JRRTolkien's legendarium fall under this trope, especially Beren from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' and Aragorn from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Beren has to go to the BigBad's fortress and take a jewel from his crown [[EngagementChallenge to marry Luthien]]; [[spoiler:He ends up dying]] just to get this, but [[BackFromTheDead gets better.]] Aragorn has to become king of two kingdoms for Arwen, and it ends up taking decades for it to happen, with a huge war right before it.
** The only person in the entire Silmarillion who gets an actual Happy Ending with no strings attached ''might'' be [[spoiler: Tuor, who gets to sail to Valinor with his wife Idril, and becomes an honorary Elf by the grace of Iluvatar.]]
** The only person in the entire Silmarillion who gets an actual Happy Ending with no strings attached ''might'' be [[spoiler: Tuor, who gets to sail to Valinor with his wife Idril, and becomes an honorary Elf by the grace of Iluvatar.]]
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* Many characters in Creator/JRRTolkien's legendarium fall under this trope, especially Beren from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' and Aragorn from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Beren has to go to the BigBad's fortress and take a jewel from his crown [[EngagementChallenge to marry Luthien]]; Lúthien]]; [[spoiler:He ends up dying]] just to get this, but [[BackFromTheDead gets better.]] Aragorn has to become king of two kingdoms for Arwen, and it ends up taking decades for it to happen, with a huge war right before it.
** The only person in the entire Silmarillion who gets an actual Happy Ending with no strings attached ''might'' be [[spoiler: Tuor, who gets to sail to Valinor with his wife Idril, and becomes an honorary Elf by the grace ofIluvatar.Ilúvatar.]]
** The only person in the entire Silmarillion who gets an actual Happy Ending with no strings attached ''might'' be [[spoiler: Tuor, who gets to sail to Valinor with his wife Idril, and becomes an honorary Elf by the grace of
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* Averted, Subverted, and Justified at the same time in Creator/StephenKing's ''TheDarkTower'' Series. After a journeying for untold years to reach the Dark Tower (and consequently losing the greater number of his friends, lovers, and followers along the way) Roland [[spoiler: FINALLY reaches the Dark Tower. However, upon reaching it he finds out that his existence is a cycle; he has made the journey to the tower an unknown number of times before this one. He is made to repeat his journey again and again until he finally learns his lesson (which is up to the reader to decide). He is, literally, sent back to the beginning of the series with no memory of what just happened. The trope is potentially played straight, however, by the fact that Roland may well be able to FINALLY complete his quest this time round.]]
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* Averted, Subverted, and Justified at the same time in Creator/StephenKing's ''TheDarkTower'' Series.''Franchise/TheDarkTower'' series. After a journeying for untold years to reach the Dark Tower (and consequently losing the greater number of his friends, lovers, and followers along the way) Roland [[spoiler: FINALLY reaches the Dark Tower. However, upon reaching it he finds out that his existence is a cycle; he has made the journey to the tower an unknown number of times before this one. He is made to repeat his journey again and again until he finally learns his lesson (which is up to the reader to decide). He is, literally, sent back to the beginning of the series with no memory of what just happened. The trope is potentially played straight, however, by the fact that Roland may well be able to FINALLY complete his quest this time round.]]
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* In ''{{Animorphs}}'', after years of unimaginable pressure and WarIsHell torment, the kids become the greatest heroes in the history of humanity. However, only Marco, Cassie and Ax get to profit from it - Jake's clinically depressed due to his actions aboard the Pool ship, and Tobias struggles to live a solitary existence in the woods.
** And Rachel, who died in the final battle.
** And, of course, thanks to the budding ''Kelbrid'' war and Ax's kidnapping, life turns out pretty shittily for everyone.
*** Well, except Cassie.
** And Rachel, who died in the final battle.
** And, of course, thanks to the budding ''Kelbrid'' war and Ax's kidnapping, life turns out pretty shittily for everyone.
*** Well, except Cassie.
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* K.A. Applegate's ''{{Everworld}}'' series. It's set in a world where all the gods and creatures from mythology exist, and as anyone who's read their mythology can tell you, that means horrible deaths and fates worse than death abound. And that's before Everworld is invaded by psychotic, heavily armed Neo-Nazis and an alien horde with their own god that eats other gods. For most of the series, the four teenagers who make up the main cast are barely able to keep themselves from killing each other, let alone staying alive, yet in the last book they actually manage to forge an alliance among the squabbling gods, start an industrial revolution in Everworld, and (while the series ends before the aforementioned Nazis and aliens can be defeated) the prospects for obtaining something close to peace are actually looking up.
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* K.A. Applegate's ''{{Everworld}}'' ''Literature/{{Everworld}}'' series. It's set in a world where all the gods and creatures from mythology exist, and as anyone who's read their mythology can tell you, that means horrible deaths and fates worse than death abound. And that's before Everworld is invaded by psychotic, heavily armed Neo-Nazis and an alien horde with their own god that eats other gods. For most of the series, the four teenagers who make up the main cast are barely able to keep themselves from killing each other, let alone staying alive, yet in the last book they actually manage to forge an alliance among the squabbling gods, start an industrial revolution in Everworld, and (while the series ends before the aforementioned Nazis and aliens can be defeated) the prospects for obtaining something close to peace are actually looking up.
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* LloydAlexander's ''PrydainChronicles'': Taran becomes the King of Prydain and marries the girl of his dreams, but only after losing several friends (and many others [[ButNowIMustGo leaving forever]]) and having his idealistic image of a 'hero' shattered. Not only that, [[TheMagicGoesAway all the magic in the world is disappearing]], leaving him to rule a much-more-mundane kingdom. Even then his ending isn't [[BitterSweetEnding that happy]], but the afterword seems to indicate that he at least accepts it, as his fading into legend would indicate an ending that may not necessarily be ''happy'' but at least ''positive''.
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* LloydAlexander's ''PrydainChronicles'': ''Literature/ChroniclesOfPrydain'': Taran becomes the King of Prydain and marries the girl of his dreams, but only after losing several friends (and many others [[ButNowIMustGo leaving forever]]) and having his idealistic image of a 'hero' shattered. Not only that, [[TheMagicGoesAway all the magic in the world is disappearing]], leaving him to rule a much-more-mundane kingdom. Even then his ending isn't [[BitterSweetEnding that happy]], but the afterword seems to indicate that he at least accepts it, as his fading into legend would indicate an ending that may not necessarily be ''happy'' but at least ''positive''.
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* The ''{{Gormenghast}}'' series practically ''defines'' this trope. Titus goes through Hell and back, losing almost everybody he cares about to take down Steerpike, but in the end, he has a world to explore, a world to win.
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* The ''{{Gormenghast}}'' ''Literature/{{Gormenghast}}'' series practically ''defines'' this trope. Titus goes through Hell and back, losing almost everybody he cares about to take down Steerpike, but in the end, he has a world to explore, a world to win.
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* ''TheCandyShopWar'' is surprisingly dark for a kid's book, and features, among other things, a JerkAss witch-hunter, [[spoiler: a BadFuture]], a ''ten-year-old'' getting trapped in an AndIMustScream scenario, and enough BodyHorror for ''five'' books. However, it ends with [[spoiler: all the kids back to normal, everyone friends, good changes on the horizon, and the BigBad herself rendered harmless as a friendly little girl]].
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* ''TheCandyShopWar'' ''Literature/TheCandyShopWar'' is surprisingly dark for a kid's book, and features, among other things, a JerkAss witch-hunter, [[spoiler: a BadFuture]], a ''ten-year-old'' getting trapped in an AndIMustScream scenario, and enough BodyHorror for ''five'' books. However, it ends with [[spoiler: all the kids back to normal, everyone friends, good changes on the horizon, and the BigBad herself rendered harmless as a friendly little girl]].
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* In ''SingYouHome'', Zoe and Vanessa fight in court with Zoe's born-again ex-husband Max, for their frozen embryos from their IVF treatment. Zoe and Vanessa want to have a family, and Max wants to give the embryos to his brother. Meanwhile, Max is in love with his brother's wife Liddy, and decides to give up the embryos because he doesn't want to see them happily raising his kids. In the end, they have a healthy girl, and Max gets Liddy.
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* In ''SingYouHome'', ''Literature/SingYouHome'', Zoe and Vanessa fight in court with Zoe's born-again ex-husband Max, for their frozen embryos from their IVF treatment. Zoe and Vanessa want to have a family, and Max wants to give the embryos to his brother. Meanwhile, Max is in love with his brother's wife Liddy, and decides to give up the embryos because he doesn't want to see them happily raising his kids. In the end, they have a healthy girl, and Max gets Liddy.
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* In ''Literature/CatherineAndHerFate'', Catherine, given the choice between happiness in youth and old age, picked old age. She then finds that her Fate will see to it that she must have a truly abject life until then, and soldiers on.
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* In ''Literature/CatherineAndHerFate'', Catherine, given the choice between happiness in youth and old age, picked old age. She then finds that her Fate will see to it that she must have a truly abject life until then, and soldiers on.on.
* CiaphasCain series can fit into this trope. Cain sometimes gets really lucky, but we must recognize luck usually works as many times against him as in his favour, he still has to fight and figure out a way to save his life most of the time, but in the end, when he has managed to save the day (and usually the entire sector), he and his friends can go to a nice place to enjoy some amasec and tanna while tasting some delicacies. He managed to earn his retirement, which is to say something, considering the rate of casualties in the [[RedShirtArmy Imperial Guard]], and [[RetiredBadass after some decades he saved the world]] where he was (again), ensuring himself (again) his good retirement.
* K.A. Applegate's ''{{Everworld}}'' series. It's set in a world where all the gods and creatures from mythology exist, and as anyone who's read their mythology can tell you, that means horrible deaths and fates worse than death abound. And that's before Everworld is invaded by psychotic, heavily armed Neo-Nazis and an alien horde with their own god that eats other gods. For most of the series, the four teenagers who make up the main cast are barely able to keep themselves from killing each other, let alone staying alive, yet in the last book they actually manage to forge an alliance among the squabbling gods, start an industrial revolution in Everworld, and (while the series ends before the aforementioned Nazis and aliens can be defeated) the prospects for obtaining something close to peace are actually looking up.
* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the SwordOfTruth series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages.
* LloydAlexander's ''PrydainChronicles'': Taran becomes the King of Prydain and marries the girl of his dreams, but only after losing several friends (and many others [[ButNowIMustGo leaving forever]]) and having his idealistic image of a 'hero' shattered. Not only that, [[TheMagicGoesAway all the magic in the world is disappearing]], leaving him to rule a much-more-mundane kingdom. Even then his ending isn't [[BitterSweetEnding that happy]], but the afterword seems to indicate that he at least accepts it, as his fading into legend would indicate an ending that may not necessarily be ''happy'' but at least ''positive''.
* Surprisingly, especially for an H.P. Lovecraft story, "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath" has this. The protagonist dispels Nyarlathotep's deception and narrowly avoids his doom, before waking up in the beautiful and architecturally extraordinary city of Boston, USA. Nyarlathotep then admits defeat, making this probably the happiest ending to any story in the Cthulu Mythos.
* ''Literature/TheBladeOfTheFlame'': The evil wereshark plot is foiled and Makala is no longer possessed, but Asenka is dead, Makala is still a vampire, and the two male leads and their LoveInterests are forced to go their separate ways.
* RobinHobb's later fantasy [[RealmOfTheElderlings trilogies]] ''The Liveship Traders'' and ''The Tawny Man'' go through an incredibly dark journey and emerge to a more or less happy ending.
* The main characters in the Literature/{{Discworld}} books. [[Creator/TerryPratchett Sir Pterry]] [[WordOfGod directly stated in several interviews]] that he uses this trope quite consciously and systematically.
* The ''{{Gormenghast}}'' series practically ''defines'' this trope. Titus goes through Hell and back, losing almost everybody he cares about to take down Steerpike, but in the end, he has a world to explore, a world to win.
* ''ParadiseLost'' may seem like a DownerEnding at first, but read it again:
-->''The world was all before them, where to choose''
-->''Their place of rest, & Providence their guide''
-->''They hand in hand, with wadding steps and slow''
-->''Through Eden took their solitarie way.''
** I think I've got something in my eye...
* ''WorldWarZ'' chronicles the entirety of a ZombieApocalypse, from the dark portents of danger, the manic reaction of humanity, the soulless survival techniques that many resorted to, and the horrors of the living dead. Despite this, it manages to have an undercurrent of hope that gets stronger, running side by side with the cynicism and blackness. After all, [[spoiler:Humanity did win the war, in the end.]]
** Tell that to the whales.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'': This is presumably the rationale behind ''NewJediOrder'' and ''Literature/LegacyOfTheForce'', but for some fans the excess of doom and gloom (not to mention main character deaths) just make it (and, by extent, the franchise as a whole) a DownerEnding.
** On a more individual level, Gara/Lara/Kirney's plotline through the [[XWingSeries Wraith Squadron]] books. She goes from an Imperial agent whose loyalty isn't deserved by those she serves, to a potential [[TheMole mole]] in Wraith Squadron, to [[BecomingTheMask a loyal member of said squadron]] who is [[DatingCatwoman in a relationship with a man, Myn, whose squadron she got destroyed when she was an Imperial]]. It probably comes as no surprise that her identity as a former Imperial Agent is revealed, and Myn ends up trying to kill her. Then she ends up back on an Imperial vessel, posing as a loyal soldier while actually sabotaging the ship for the benefit of the Republic. Then she's forced to fake her own death to avoid execution for treason from either side of the board. And all throughout this she suffers from SanitySlippage due to having a DoubleConsciousness brought on by the stress of her Intelligence background. [[spoiler: A (much) later book, ''Mercy Kill'' reveals that Myn found her, they got married, and had kids,]] but she went through a ''lot'' to be able to get there.
* Both Sabriel and Touchstone in ''Literature/{{Sabriel}}'' are put through the metaphysical wringer. By the end, they've both lost their entire families and a lot of their friends to [[BigBad Kerrigor's]] undead minions. In the end, though [[spoiler:Sabriel is saved from death by relatives in the beyond telling her it's not her time, and she and Touchstone are well on their way to a happily ever after. They even managed to save [[SnarkyNonHumanSidekick Mogget]]]].
* Stephen R. Donaldson's books are invariably like this.
* ''Literature/CatchTwentyTwo'' is a OnlySaneMan story in a CrapsackWorld featuring KillEmAll, but still has a very uplifting ending.
* Compared to some of Creator/JohnBrunner's other works (particularly ''The Sheep Look Up''), ''Literature/TheShockwaveRider'' might have an ending that qualifies. "Well-- how did ''you'' vote?"
* Averted, Subverted, and Justified at the same time in Creator/StephenKing's ''TheDarkTower'' Series. After a journeying for untold years to reach the Dark Tower (and consequently losing the greater number of his friends, lovers, and followers along the way) Roland [[spoiler: FINALLY reaches the Dark Tower. However, upon reaching it he finds out that his existence is a cycle; he has made the journey to the tower an unknown number of times before this one. He is made to repeat his journey again and again until he finally learns his lesson (which is up to the reader to decide). He is, literally, sent back to the beginning of the series with no memory of what just happened. The trope is potentially played straight, however, by the fact that Roland may well be able to FINALLY complete his quest this time round.]]
** Creator/StephenKing even warns readers who have reached the last chapter to stop reading if they want to have a conventional happy ending. The real ending [[BrokenBase divided fan opinion...just a little bit...]]
* Literature/HarryPotter goes through hell and loses several friends along the way, but in the end, he is able to defeat Voldemort through ThePowerOfLove.
* ''{{Mistborn}}'' -- both the first and third books, actually. The second is more of a DownerEnding, since [[spoiler: the BigBad just escaped its imprisonment thanks to the heroine]].
* MelinaMarchetta's spectacular ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'' (just ''Jellicoe Road'' in the US and UK) is an example of Earn Your ''BittersweetEnding''. Just about everybody who survives to the end has lost at least one loved one (often more), and the ending is ''still'' incredibly sad and unbelievably heartwarming.
* ''Literature/JaneEyre'': "Reader, I married him." Jane Eyre had to struggle a lot before she could marry her one true love and enjoy a happy family life with him.
* Literature/HonorHarrington really has to do this in one case especially. Over the course of "In Enemy Hands" and "Echoes of Honor" she is [[spoiler: forced to surrender a ship captained by one of her oldest friends, with that friends' ''birthday party'' on board, captured, put into the hands of someone who is basically Himmler without the intelligence to not believe the propaganda, has her empathic and emotion - sharing treecat permanently crippled (found out later - he can no longer speak to other treecats), has her artificial eye and half her face electrocuted, is sentenced to death, sees her sworn retainers die in the (barely) successful escape attempt, loses an arm, lands on a prison planet, takes over said prison planet, builds a navy from all the ships stopping by at the prison planet, steals transports for all the people on the prison planet, and finally arrives back in the nearest friendly system to discover everyone thought her dead - and they'd held the funeral, and named ships after her, and she had a brother and sister that were planned to inherit her title. And somehow the whole thing is worthwhile in the simple sentence: "She was taking them home, and they were taking her home, and that was all in the universe that mattered."]] Yes, all that happens in between her leaving on an escort mission and getting home again.
** No, the line that makes everything worthwhile is, [[spoiler:"We're home, System Command.... It took us awhile, but we're home."]]
* Many characters in Creator/JRRTolkien's legendarium fall under this trope, especially Beren from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' and Aragorn from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Beren has to go to the BigBad's fortress and take a jewel from his crown [[EngagementChallenge to marry Luthien]]; [[spoiler:He ends up dying]] just to get this, but [[BackFromTheDead gets better.]] Aragorn has to become king of two kingdoms for Arwen, and it ends up taking decades for it to happen, with a huge war right before it.
** The only person in the entire Silmarillion who gets an actual Happy Ending with no strings attached ''might'' be [[spoiler: Tuor, who gets to sail to Valinor with his wife Idril, and becomes an honorary Elf by the grace of Iluvatar.]]
* The ''Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' series could give this trope a whole new meaning. As it stands now, you ''do'' have to go through a lot to get to even the good endings.
* ''TheCandyShopWar'' is surprisingly dark for a kid's book, and features, among other things, a JerkAss witch-hunter, [[spoiler: a BadFuture]], a ''ten-year-old'' getting trapped in an AndIMustScream scenario, and enough BodyHorror for ''five'' books. However, it ends with [[spoiler: all the kids back to normal, everyone friends, good changes on the horizon, and the BigBad herself rendered harmless as a friendly little girl]].
* In Brandon Mull's other series, {{Literature/Fablehaven}}, this trope also occurs. The books get worse, and worse, and worse, and ''worse'', culminating in the fifth book where, despite all their efforts otherwise, [[spoiler: the demon prison opens and thousands of demons are released into the world]]. However, thanks to a BatmanGambit by the Fairy Queen, a lot of powerful allies, and some well-placed magic, [[spoiler: the demons are reimprisoned, this time for a much, much longer era, the good guys win, and the ending is completely and utterly happy.]]
* ''[[Literature/TheActsOfCaine Blade of Tyshalle]]'', to a degree that can neither be safely summarized without spoiling everything, nor summarized well in a manner that does the novel justice.
* In the second ''EmpireFromTheAshes'' book, humanity suffers ''heavy'' losses against the genocidal Achuultani invaders, [[spoiler:destroying the entire wave at the cost of many {{heroic sacrifice}}s galore, the destruction of most of the military--including Colin's [[BigDamnHeroes big damn reinforcements]]--and a death toll on Earth exceeding 500 million people]].
* QuantumGravity: by the end of the fourth book, Lila has been tortured by elves, lost her trust in [[{{Mentor}} Sarasilien]], the humans she worked with, and generally finds that it's going to be [[GrowingUpSucks hard to grow up]]. She also ''literally'' goes through hell. Zal goes through hell, and then ''things get worse''. But by the end, they're together, and Lila has figured out how to [[BeYourself Be Herself]]. It's...less sappy in context.
* In VampireAcademy, Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
* ''Literature/{{Maurice}}'' by E.M. Forster ends on this note. This was the reason why the book was not published until 51 years after it was written.
* The cast in ''Literature/DragonsInOurMidst'' go through hell and back for their happy ending. And no, that's not speaking metaphorically, a few of them literally go through hell.
* ''Literature/TheActsOfCaine'': what could count as a DownerEnding in another work is a rather happy ending in this book, compared to the hell the characters have been through.
* In the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' this is pretty much the entire schtick behind Good Magician Humphery's missions: Successfully completing a Humphery-given task pretty much guarantees you (and those who helped you) a HappilyEverAfter. And most who get stuck with the year's service as payment for his answers end up better off for the experience. It's implied that many of Xanth's citizens know this for a fact and that's why so many are willing to give up a year's freedom (at a minimum) to petition Humphery.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables'': After 2000 pages leaning very, ''very'' hard to the cynical side, Valjean dies redeemed in his own eyes and Marius's, confident that he's kept his promises to Fantine and Bishop Myriel, and confident that his beloved Cosette will be happy.
* [[spoiler:John Taylor]] and [[spoiler:Suzie Shooter]] from Simon R. Green's ''{{Nightside}}'' series. Though given how things work in the Nightside in general, and relating to [[spoiler:John and Suzie]] both together and individually, [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet]] is almost more than they or pretty much everyone in the series would expect/hope for. Though in the [[CrapSackWorld Nightside]], Bittersweet ''IS'' happy when you put things in perspective. Of course [[TemptingFate there's still one final book left to finish the series,]] so it's possible they might not even get that.
* All of Creator/AynRand's fiction, except for ''WeTheLiving''. Howard Roark gets his skyscraper, recognition of his artistic genius, and the girl in ''TheFountainhead''; John Galt gets America, and the girl, and the heroes are setting out to rebuild a second golden age in ''AtlasShrugged''; and Equality 7-2521 escapes, gets the girl, and sets out to rebuild the world in ''Literature/{{Anthem}}''.
* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', [[ActionGirl Katniss]] is forced to do this ''[[UpToEleven three times!]]'' [[spoiler: And the second time she fails-''[[DoomedHometown badly]]''. In the end, the games are abolished and the war/rebellion ends, but many well-liked character ([[DoomMagnet many of them Katniss' friends, family, and companions]]) [[KilledOffForReal die]] horrible, [[TearJerker tragic deaths]]. They include, but are not limited to [[KillTheCutie Rue, Prim,]] [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Finnick,]] [[HeroicSacrifice Cinna, Mags, Wiress,]] [[AssholeVictim Cato, Snow, and Coin]].]]
* The two characters who get the happiest endings in the first duology of the ''Literature/ArciaChronicles'' are [[spoiler:Shander Gardani]], the StoicWoobie who performs several {{Last Stand}}s and is magically tortured for months by the BigBad, and [[spoiler:Princess Ilana]], whose ambitions lead her to become the BigBad's personal plaything and to lose everyone she loves. The two end up surprisingly HappilyMarried and found a dynasty that endures uncorrupted for many centuries.
* Matteo in ''Literature/SomeoneElsesWar'' has lost his home, his entire family, most of his classmates, [[spoiler: one of his best friends]], and by all accounts, his innocence. But thanks to some craftiness and cooperation from his friends (whom he never would have had had he spent the entire novel as cold and judgmental as he was toward the beginning), he manages to dismantle the world's largest army and send the ChildSoldiers home.
* Tony Wayland in the last two books of Julian May's ''The Saga of Pliocene Exile.''
* In ''SingYouHome'', Zoe and Vanessa fight in court with Zoe's born-again ex-husband Max, for their frozen embryos from their IVF treatment. Zoe and Vanessa want to have a family, and Max wants to give the embryos to his brother. Meanwhile, Max is in love with his brother's wife Liddy, and decides to give up the embryos because he doesn't want to see them happily raising his kids. In the end, they have a healthy girl, and Max gets Liddy.
* This is how most ''{{Redwall}}'' books turn out. They're all happy endings but a lot of friends are lost, and it's never easy.
* Literature/TrappedOnDraconica: Team Good goes through a lot of hardship, a lot of pain, and a lot of suffering. Each one of them had a moment where they would have given up if not for the encouragement of the group. They all earn a happing ending.
* After betrayals, tumult, reconciliations, kidnapping, deaths, [[InevitableWaterfall waterfalls]], combinations of VirginTension and aversions of STDImmunity, ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' ends on a wedding and the line
--> Surely, the gods were merciful and loving. [[TemptingFate Surely]] they smiled upon this union, and he and his wives would live happily ever after.
* At the end of ''TheWheelOfTime'' books, millions are dead, many hundreds of thousands in the Last Battle alone, but [[spoiler: they've defeated or dealt with the all of the Forsaken, crushed the army of Shadowspawn, Darkfriends and Dreadlords, and Re-sealed the Dark One. They've lost a lot of people on the way, but they have an Age of prosperiety awaiting them.]]
** Nowhere is this more exemplified than with [[spoiler: Rand, who after an absurd amount of ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne, he gets to walk away in a new body free of pain or maiming, mostly anonymous, free of the responsibility that was constantly wearing away at his sanity, with new RealityWarper powers at the cost of his old abilities, and begins WalkingTheEarth.]]
----
* CiaphasCain series can fit into this trope. Cain sometimes gets really lucky, but we must recognize luck usually works as many times against him as in his favour, he still has to fight and figure out a way to save his life most of the time, but in the end, when he has managed to save the day (and usually the entire sector), he and his friends can go to a nice place to enjoy some amasec and tanna while tasting some delicacies. He managed to earn his retirement, which is to say something, considering the rate of casualties in the [[RedShirtArmy Imperial Guard]], and [[RetiredBadass after some decades he saved the world]] where he was (again), ensuring himself (again) his good retirement.
* K.A. Applegate's ''{{Everworld}}'' series. It's set in a world where all the gods and creatures from mythology exist, and as anyone who's read their mythology can tell you, that means horrible deaths and fates worse than death abound. And that's before Everworld is invaded by psychotic, heavily armed Neo-Nazis and an alien horde with their own god that eats other gods. For most of the series, the four teenagers who make up the main cast are barely able to keep themselves from killing each other, let alone staying alive, yet in the last book they actually manage to forge an alliance among the squabbling gods, start an industrial revolution in Everworld, and (while the series ends before the aforementioned Nazis and aliens can be defeated) the prospects for obtaining something close to peace are actually looking up.
* This is one of the reasons why Terry Goodkind is so annoying. Every single book of the SwordOfTruth series makes it seem like the heroes have earned their happy ending, but the next book always reveals yet another previously-unexplained plot device that the author can use to torture them for another 600+ pages.
* LloydAlexander's ''PrydainChronicles'': Taran becomes the King of Prydain and marries the girl of his dreams, but only after losing several friends (and many others [[ButNowIMustGo leaving forever]]) and having his idealistic image of a 'hero' shattered. Not only that, [[TheMagicGoesAway all the magic in the world is disappearing]], leaving him to rule a much-more-mundane kingdom. Even then his ending isn't [[BitterSweetEnding that happy]], but the afterword seems to indicate that he at least accepts it, as his fading into legend would indicate an ending that may not necessarily be ''happy'' but at least ''positive''.
* Surprisingly, especially for an H.P. Lovecraft story, "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath" has this. The protagonist dispels Nyarlathotep's deception and narrowly avoids his doom, before waking up in the beautiful and architecturally extraordinary city of Boston, USA. Nyarlathotep then admits defeat, making this probably the happiest ending to any story in the Cthulu Mythos.
* ''Literature/TheBladeOfTheFlame'': The evil wereshark plot is foiled and Makala is no longer possessed, but Asenka is dead, Makala is still a vampire, and the two male leads and their LoveInterests are forced to go their separate ways.
* RobinHobb's later fantasy [[RealmOfTheElderlings trilogies]] ''The Liveship Traders'' and ''The Tawny Man'' go through an incredibly dark journey and emerge to a more or less happy ending.
* The main characters in the Literature/{{Discworld}} books. [[Creator/TerryPratchett Sir Pterry]] [[WordOfGod directly stated in several interviews]] that he uses this trope quite consciously and systematically.
* The ''{{Gormenghast}}'' series practically ''defines'' this trope. Titus goes through Hell and back, losing almost everybody he cares about to take down Steerpike, but in the end, he has a world to explore, a world to win.
* ''ParadiseLost'' may seem like a DownerEnding at first, but read it again:
-->''The world was all before them, where to choose''
-->''Their place of rest, & Providence their guide''
-->''They hand in hand, with wadding steps and slow''
-->''Through Eden took their solitarie way.''
** I think I've got something in my eye...
* ''WorldWarZ'' chronicles the entirety of a ZombieApocalypse, from the dark portents of danger, the manic reaction of humanity, the soulless survival techniques that many resorted to, and the horrors of the living dead. Despite this, it manages to have an undercurrent of hope that gets stronger, running side by side with the cynicism and blackness. After all, [[spoiler:Humanity did win the war, in the end.]]
** Tell that to the whales.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'': This is presumably the rationale behind ''NewJediOrder'' and ''Literature/LegacyOfTheForce'', but for some fans the excess of doom and gloom (not to mention main character deaths) just make it (and, by extent, the franchise as a whole) a DownerEnding.
** On a more individual level, Gara/Lara/Kirney's plotline through the [[XWingSeries Wraith Squadron]] books. She goes from an Imperial agent whose loyalty isn't deserved by those she serves, to a potential [[TheMole mole]] in Wraith Squadron, to [[BecomingTheMask a loyal member of said squadron]] who is [[DatingCatwoman in a relationship with a man, Myn, whose squadron she got destroyed when she was an Imperial]]. It probably comes as no surprise that her identity as a former Imperial Agent is revealed, and Myn ends up trying to kill her. Then she ends up back on an Imperial vessel, posing as a loyal soldier while actually sabotaging the ship for the benefit of the Republic. Then she's forced to fake her own death to avoid execution for treason from either side of the board. And all throughout this she suffers from SanitySlippage due to having a DoubleConsciousness brought on by the stress of her Intelligence background. [[spoiler: A (much) later book, ''Mercy Kill'' reveals that Myn found her, they got married, and had kids,]] but she went through a ''lot'' to be able to get there.
* Both Sabriel and Touchstone in ''Literature/{{Sabriel}}'' are put through the metaphysical wringer. By the end, they've both lost their entire families and a lot of their friends to [[BigBad Kerrigor's]] undead minions. In the end, though [[spoiler:Sabriel is saved from death by relatives in the beyond telling her it's not her time, and she and Touchstone are well on their way to a happily ever after. They even managed to save [[SnarkyNonHumanSidekick Mogget]]]].
* Stephen R. Donaldson's books are invariably like this.
* ''Literature/CatchTwentyTwo'' is a OnlySaneMan story in a CrapsackWorld featuring KillEmAll, but still has a very uplifting ending.
* Compared to some of Creator/JohnBrunner's other works (particularly ''The Sheep Look Up''), ''Literature/TheShockwaveRider'' might have an ending that qualifies. "Well-- how did ''you'' vote?"
* Averted, Subverted, and Justified at the same time in Creator/StephenKing's ''TheDarkTower'' Series. After a journeying for untold years to reach the Dark Tower (and consequently losing the greater number of his friends, lovers, and followers along the way) Roland [[spoiler: FINALLY reaches the Dark Tower. However, upon reaching it he finds out that his existence is a cycle; he has made the journey to the tower an unknown number of times before this one. He is made to repeat his journey again and again until he finally learns his lesson (which is up to the reader to decide). He is, literally, sent back to the beginning of the series with no memory of what just happened. The trope is potentially played straight, however, by the fact that Roland may well be able to FINALLY complete his quest this time round.]]
** Creator/StephenKing even warns readers who have reached the last chapter to stop reading if they want to have a conventional happy ending. The real ending [[BrokenBase divided fan opinion...just a little bit...]]
* Literature/HarryPotter goes through hell and loses several friends along the way, but in the end, he is able to defeat Voldemort through ThePowerOfLove.
* ''{{Mistborn}}'' -- both the first and third books, actually. The second is more of a DownerEnding, since [[spoiler: the BigBad just escaped its imprisonment thanks to the heroine]].
* MelinaMarchetta's spectacular ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'' (just ''Jellicoe Road'' in the US and UK) is an example of Earn Your ''BittersweetEnding''. Just about everybody who survives to the end has lost at least one loved one (often more), and the ending is ''still'' incredibly sad and unbelievably heartwarming.
* ''Literature/JaneEyre'': "Reader, I married him." Jane Eyre had to struggle a lot before she could marry her one true love and enjoy a happy family life with him.
* Literature/HonorHarrington really has to do this in one case especially. Over the course of "In Enemy Hands" and "Echoes of Honor" she is [[spoiler: forced to surrender a ship captained by one of her oldest friends, with that friends' ''birthday party'' on board, captured, put into the hands of someone who is basically Himmler without the intelligence to not believe the propaganda, has her empathic and emotion - sharing treecat permanently crippled (found out later - he can no longer speak to other treecats), has her artificial eye and half her face electrocuted, is sentenced to death, sees her sworn retainers die in the (barely) successful escape attempt, loses an arm, lands on a prison planet, takes over said prison planet, builds a navy from all the ships stopping by at the prison planet, steals transports for all the people on the prison planet, and finally arrives back in the nearest friendly system to discover everyone thought her dead - and they'd held the funeral, and named ships after her, and she had a brother and sister that were planned to inherit her title. And somehow the whole thing is worthwhile in the simple sentence: "She was taking them home, and they were taking her home, and that was all in the universe that mattered."]] Yes, all that happens in between her leaving on an escort mission and getting home again.
** No, the line that makes everything worthwhile is, [[spoiler:"We're home, System Command.... It took us awhile, but we're home."]]
* Many characters in Creator/JRRTolkien's legendarium fall under this trope, especially Beren from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' and Aragorn from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Beren has to go to the BigBad's fortress and take a jewel from his crown [[EngagementChallenge to marry Luthien]]; [[spoiler:He ends up dying]] just to get this, but [[BackFromTheDead gets better.]] Aragorn has to become king of two kingdoms for Arwen, and it ends up taking decades for it to happen, with a huge war right before it.
** The only person in the entire Silmarillion who gets an actual Happy Ending with no strings attached ''might'' be [[spoiler: Tuor, who gets to sail to Valinor with his wife Idril, and becomes an honorary Elf by the grace of Iluvatar.]]
* The ''Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' series could give this trope a whole new meaning. As it stands now, you ''do'' have to go through a lot to get to even the good endings.
* ''TheCandyShopWar'' is surprisingly dark for a kid's book, and features, among other things, a JerkAss witch-hunter, [[spoiler: a BadFuture]], a ''ten-year-old'' getting trapped in an AndIMustScream scenario, and enough BodyHorror for ''five'' books. However, it ends with [[spoiler: all the kids back to normal, everyone friends, good changes on the horizon, and the BigBad herself rendered harmless as a friendly little girl]].
* In Brandon Mull's other series, {{Literature/Fablehaven}}, this trope also occurs. The books get worse, and worse, and worse, and ''worse'', culminating in the fifth book where, despite all their efforts otherwise, [[spoiler: the demon prison opens and thousands of demons are released into the world]]. However, thanks to a BatmanGambit by the Fairy Queen, a lot of powerful allies, and some well-placed magic, [[spoiler: the demons are reimprisoned, this time for a much, much longer era, the good guys win, and the ending is completely and utterly happy.]]
* ''[[Literature/TheActsOfCaine Blade of Tyshalle]]'', to a degree that can neither be safely summarized without spoiling everything, nor summarized well in a manner that does the novel justice.
* In the second ''EmpireFromTheAshes'' book, humanity suffers ''heavy'' losses against the genocidal Achuultani invaders, [[spoiler:destroying the entire wave at the cost of many {{heroic sacrifice}}s galore, the destruction of most of the military--including Colin's [[BigDamnHeroes big damn reinforcements]]--and a death toll on Earth exceeding 500 million people]].
* QuantumGravity: by the end of the fourth book, Lila has been tortured by elves, lost her trust in [[{{Mentor}} Sarasilien]], the humans she worked with, and generally finds that it's going to be [[GrowingUpSucks hard to grow up]]. She also ''literally'' goes through hell. Zal goes through hell, and then ''things get worse''. But by the end, they're together, and Lila has figured out how to [[BeYourself Be Herself]]. It's...less sappy in context.
* In VampireAcademy, Rose finally gets her happy ending after [[spoiler:one of her closest friends dying, nearly going insane, the love of her life being turned Strigoi and gets eventually turned back after Rose nearly killing him twice, being tortured both through the bond with her best friend and actually tortured, getting accused of assassinating a monarch and nearly executed before she finds out that one of the people she trusts, likes and admires was the killer and set it all up on her.]]
* ''Literature/{{Maurice}}'' by E.M. Forster ends on this note. This was the reason why the book was not published until 51 years after it was written.
* The cast in ''Literature/DragonsInOurMidst'' go through hell and back for their happy ending. And no, that's not speaking metaphorically, a few of them literally go through hell.
* ''Literature/TheActsOfCaine'': what could count as a DownerEnding in another work is a rather happy ending in this book, compared to the hell the characters have been through.
* In the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' this is pretty much the entire schtick behind Good Magician Humphery's missions: Successfully completing a Humphery-given task pretty much guarantees you (and those who helped you) a HappilyEverAfter. And most who get stuck with the year's service as payment for his answers end up better off for the experience. It's implied that many of Xanth's citizens know this for a fact and that's why so many are willing to give up a year's freedom (at a minimum) to petition Humphery.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables'': After 2000 pages leaning very, ''very'' hard to the cynical side, Valjean dies redeemed in his own eyes and Marius's, confident that he's kept his promises to Fantine and Bishop Myriel, and confident that his beloved Cosette will be happy.
* [[spoiler:John Taylor]] and [[spoiler:Suzie Shooter]] from Simon R. Green's ''{{Nightside}}'' series. Though given how things work in the Nightside in general, and relating to [[spoiler:John and Suzie]] both together and individually, [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet]] is almost more than they or pretty much everyone in the series would expect/hope for. Though in the [[CrapSackWorld Nightside]], Bittersweet ''IS'' happy when you put things in perspective. Of course [[TemptingFate there's still one final book left to finish the series,]] so it's possible they might not even get that.
* All of Creator/AynRand's fiction, except for ''WeTheLiving''. Howard Roark gets his skyscraper, recognition of his artistic genius, and the girl in ''TheFountainhead''; John Galt gets America, and the girl, and the heroes are setting out to rebuild a second golden age in ''AtlasShrugged''; and Equality 7-2521 escapes, gets the girl, and sets out to rebuild the world in ''Literature/{{Anthem}}''.
* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', [[ActionGirl Katniss]] is forced to do this ''[[UpToEleven three times!]]'' [[spoiler: And the second time she fails-''[[DoomedHometown badly]]''. In the end, the games are abolished and the war/rebellion ends, but many well-liked character ([[DoomMagnet many of them Katniss' friends, family, and companions]]) [[KilledOffForReal die]] horrible, [[TearJerker tragic deaths]]. They include, but are not limited to [[KillTheCutie Rue, Prim,]] [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Finnick,]] [[HeroicSacrifice Cinna, Mags, Wiress,]] [[AssholeVictim Cato, Snow, and Coin]].]]
* The two characters who get the happiest endings in the first duology of the ''Literature/ArciaChronicles'' are [[spoiler:Shander Gardani]], the StoicWoobie who performs several {{Last Stand}}s and is magically tortured for months by the BigBad, and [[spoiler:Princess Ilana]], whose ambitions lead her to become the BigBad's personal plaything and to lose everyone she loves. The two end up surprisingly HappilyMarried and found a dynasty that endures uncorrupted for many centuries.
* Matteo in ''Literature/SomeoneElsesWar'' has lost his home, his entire family, most of his classmates, [[spoiler: one of his best friends]], and by all accounts, his innocence. But thanks to some craftiness and cooperation from his friends (whom he never would have had had he spent the entire novel as cold and judgmental as he was toward the beginning), he manages to dismantle the world's largest army and send the ChildSoldiers home.
* Tony Wayland in the last two books of Julian May's ''The Saga of Pliocene Exile.''
* In ''SingYouHome'', Zoe and Vanessa fight in court with Zoe's born-again ex-husband Max, for their frozen embryos from their IVF treatment. Zoe and Vanessa want to have a family, and Max wants to give the embryos to his brother. Meanwhile, Max is in love with his brother's wife Liddy, and decides to give up the embryos because he doesn't want to see them happily raising his kids. In the end, they have a healthy girl, and Max gets Liddy.
* This is how most ''{{Redwall}}'' books turn out. They're all happy endings but a lot of friends are lost, and it's never easy.
* Literature/TrappedOnDraconica: Team Good goes through a lot of hardship, a lot of pain, and a lot of suffering. Each one of them had a moment where they would have given up if not for the encouragement of the group. They all earn a happing ending.
* After betrayals, tumult, reconciliations, kidnapping, deaths, [[InevitableWaterfall waterfalls]], combinations of VirginTension and aversions of STDImmunity, ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' ends on a wedding and the line
--> Surely, the gods were merciful and loving. [[TemptingFate Surely]] they smiled upon this union, and he and his wives would live happily ever after.
* At the end of ''TheWheelOfTime'' books, millions are dead, many hundreds of thousands in the Last Battle alone, but [[spoiler: they've defeated or dealt with the all of the Forsaken, crushed the army of Shadowspawn, Darkfriends and Dreadlords, and Re-sealed the Dark One. They've lost a lot of people on the way, but they have an Age of prosperiety awaiting them.]]
** Nowhere is this more exemplified than with [[spoiler: Rand, who after an absurd amount of ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne, he gets to walk away in a new body free of pain or maiming, mostly anonymous, free of the responsibility that was constantly wearing away at his sanity, with new RealityWarper powers at the cost of his old abilities, and begins WalkingTheEarth.]]
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* Many a fairy tale hero or heroine has found that [[ForbiddenFruit violating the prohibition]] requires a long, arduous [[TheQuest quest]] to reach their wife or husband again. But it's WorthIt.
* Heroine versions include ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/norroway.html The Black Bull of Norroway]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/enchpig.html The Enchanted Pig]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/brownbear.html The Brown Bear of Norway]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/whitewolf.html The White Wolf]]'', [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm Grimms']] ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/beautybeast/stories/lark.html The Singing, Springing Lark]]'', and ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/index.html East of the Sun & West of the Moon]]''
* Hero versions include ''Literature/TheBlueMountains'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/asbjornsenmoe/threeprincesseswhiteland.html The Three Princesses of Whiteland]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/swanmaiden/stories/serbian.html The Golden Apple Tree and the Nine Peahens]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/swanmaiden/index.html The Swan Maiden]]'', and ''Literature/SoriaMoriaCastle''.
* In ''Literature/CatherineAndHerFate'', Catherine, given the choice between happiness in youth and old age, picked old age. She then finds that her Fate will see to it that she must have a truly abject life until then, and soldiers on.
* Heroine versions include ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/norroway.html The Black Bull of Norroway]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/enchpig.html The Enchanted Pig]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/brownbear.html The Brown Bear of Norway]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/whitewolf.html The White Wolf]]'', [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm Grimms']] ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/beautybeast/stories/lark.html The Singing, Springing Lark]]'', and ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/index.html East of the Sun & West of the Moon]]''
* Hero versions include ''Literature/TheBlueMountains'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/asbjornsenmoe/threeprincesseswhiteland.html The Three Princesses of Whiteland]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/swanmaiden/stories/serbian.html The Golden Apple Tree and the Nine Peahens]]'', ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/swanmaiden/index.html The Swan Maiden]]'', and ''Literature/SoriaMoriaCastle''.
* In ''Literature/CatherineAndHerFate'', Catherine, given the choice between happiness in youth and old age, picked old age. She then finds that her Fate will see to it that she must have a truly abject life until then, and soldiers on.
