RA Salvatore, after building a romance between Drizzt and Cattie-brie for the entire series, forcing them through dozens of perilous adventures together, including having Cattie-brie rescue Drizzt from Menzoberanzan(sp), Salvatore goes right ahead and kills her. After having their romantic relationship for 3 books, that's it. Game over. She dies. A character that's been in the series since the first book, gone. Leaving Drizzt alone with Guen and Bruenor, and maybe Jarlaxle, since Wulfgar and Entreri have been written out of the series.
But no, he doesn't stop there. He also kills Regis, their halfling friend who they've likewise gone through hell to rescue on more than one occasion. Another character that's been in the entire series, gone.
But wait, there's more! He also kills Cadderly, the hero and main character of 5 books, together called the Cleric Quintet. But not only does he kill him, he forces the poor bastard to trap himself on the Plane of Shadow so he can walk in a circle for eternity, keeping up a ward that prevents a dracolich from returning to the Material Plane. That's a character who had 5 books devoted to him, gone.
I haven't been this pissed off about a book since Terry Brooks killed Allanon in the Wishsong of Shannara.
Having said that, when does the next damn book come out?
