There are some critics who claim that fantasy literature is in some way a soft option; that in choosing to write in a more fantastical world, telling emotional character truths can take second place to worldbuilding. This post is my attempt to debunk that myth. There have been several scenes in fantasy literature which had me bawling like a baby. These aren’t necessarily death scenes, but simply beautiful writing illustrating the deep impact the situation has had on the character. Olver’s story in A Memory of Light, the last book of the Wheel of Time. This particular section was just so powerfully emotive. For those of you unfamiliar, Olver is a young orphan – around eight years old – in the Wheel of Time universe who was adopted by Mat Cauthon and his warband. Being brought up in a war camp, he exhibits a lot of his “uncle”’s enthusiasm for battle and the band has a hard time keeping him away from battle. In the particular scene that had me sobbing, Olver has become separated from his friends and is being attacked by bestial Trollocs as he desperately tried to hide. All of his bravado is stripped away and you…