‘Nothing in life is sure, my son. Except the promise of death.’
– Abaddon, to Balan, The King Beyond the Gate
All posts by Robbie Swale
‘It is often said that war brings out the best and the worst in men.’
– The Wyrd of Wishing Tree Woods, to Kaelin Ring and Rayster, Stormrider
‘But nothing lasts forever. Not life, not love, not dreams.’
– Finn, to Chareos, Quest for Lost Heroes
‘I am reminded of the rather lovely story of the woman who died. She had attended church every day of her life, but had never done a single kind deed for anyone. She went to Heaven. When she arrived an angel led her down a street of mansions, further down a street of fine houses, on to a series of terraced dwellings and finally to a shanty shack at the edge of an old wasteground. “Here is your home,” he said. “But this is terrible,” she told him. “I know,” he replied, “but it was all we could build with the material you sent up.”‘
– Reverend Richard Kilbey, to Joseph Evans, White Knight Black Swan
‘Draw every ounce of pleasure you can from life, savour it, hold it on your tongue. But don’t waste time with thoughts of loss. My first wife was a harridan. I adored her, and we fought like tigers. When she died I was bereft but, given the chance, I would not go back and live differently. The years with her were golden.’
– Angel, to Miriel, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf
‘It is not a crime to be frightened. I am frightened. Diagoras is frightened. Anyone with any intelligence would be frightened. Fear is necessary. It is there to keep us alive; to warn us to avoid danger.’
– Skilgannon, to Rabalyn, White Wolf
‘You ever read Plutarch? Greek. Clever man. He pointed out that great empires are not destroyed by great events. It’s always the small, seemingly insignificant things that cause worlds to crumble.’
– Sgt Don Dodds, to Detective Constable Ian Sunley, White Knight Black Swan
‘Life is to be lived, boy. Without danger there is no life.’
– Gwalchmai, to Fell, Ironhand’s Daughter
‘My happiness is not in the gift of others. I will be happy, or I will not be happy. No man will supply it, or deprive me of it.’
– Andromache, to Odysseus, Lord of the Silver Bow
‘The man who never made a mistake never made anything. But learn from it.’
– The driver, to a boy, Rhyming Rings