David Gemmell

Every man has his own reason for every deed. Usually it is selfish.

“Look around you - this [land] is cold, inhospitable. Only the strong survive. Here there are no green fields, no verdant pastures. A warrior is old by the time he is thirty. We have no energy to spend on pretty words.”

We like to think of life as a constant ... Yet it can be ended in a heartbeat."

[...] In real war an officer may have only one chance at succeeding. Consider each problem.

Hold on to your dreams, Kiall. They are more important than you realise.

'I have no wish to argue, Father. Yet it must be said that the monks exist here in peace and security only because of the swords of the defenders. I do not belittle your views — I wish all men shared them. But they do not. ... if all men and women lived as you and I, there would be no children, and no humanity. What then would be the Will of the Source?'

'By my lights, my son, you are a young man. [...] there should be love in your life. Am I at fault in my thinking?'

'Not at fault, Senior Brother. I loved once, and in truth I could love again. But the pain of loss was too much for me. I would rather live alone than suffer for it.'

'Then you are here to hide, Charreos, and it is not a good reason. The gift of life is too great to waste in such a fashion...'

It is a merchant's nature to quibble over coins. It is how we become rich and buy satin shirts. The problems of who governs this area is one for another day.

I was on top of the mountain. But there was nothing there. Just clouds. And I found that you can't live on that mountain. But when it throws you off — oh, how you long for it! I would kill to climb it again. I would sell my soul. It is so stupid. [...] I took the standard. And now I can't even become a farmer again. The mountain won't let me.

'A man should not risk his life for beauty alone, Kiall, for that fades. You might as well risk it for a rose. Think on it.'

'Do not expect help.' 'One should always hope.' 'Then hope for a handsome savage with kindly ways.'

"Why am I taking seduction advice from a man whose idea of foreplay is to slam coins on the table and shout: 'Who wants to ride the big horse?'"

"Because he knows best, Tinker."