Quotes from Joe Abercrombie

All things considered, and well against the run of luck, he reckoned he'd come out alright. Might be he'd lost an eye down here in Styria. Might be he was leaving no richer than when he'd stepped off the boat. But he was a better man, of that he'd no doubt. A wiser man. Used to be he was his own worst enemy. Now he was everyone else's.

I hardly know the right terms for anything these days. Even if I did, I fear they would be the wrong ones by tomorrow morning.

They were well matched. Optimist and pessimist, dreamer and cynic. And what is love anyway, but finding someone who suits you? Someone who makes up for your shortcomings? Someone you can work with. Work on.

He remembered other times and other campfires, when he had not been alone.

But then, you reach a certain age, everything hurts.

In my experience, a friend is merely an acquaintance who has yet to betray you.

A man who'd lasted past his time. A man dragged back for one fight too many. But then, one is one too many.

The Dogman?" He looked grey. Grey-clothed, grey-haired, grey-faced, like the life had leaked out of him to leave a wispy husk a sudden gust might whisk away. "The man looks a touch past his best." Shivers cast a lazy eye towards Scale, and back. He had a way of saying a lot with a few words. "Least he had one.

Here is the perennial trouble with burying your past. Others are forever trying to dig it up.

Absolutes are never to be trusted.

No debería haberse permitido albergar ilusiones, pero las esperanzas son como las malas hierbas, que siguen apareciendo por muchas veces que las desbroces.

He's still young enough to think that rudeness wins respect.

Cut your head off," whispered Never, eyes all scary-wide. "Pull your guts out and cook 'em," growled Jolly Yon. "Skin your face off and wear it as a mask," rumbled Brack. "Use your cock for a spoon," said Wonderful. They all thought about that for a moment.

Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers...

Folk want bread," he said. "Then safety. Then shelter. Freedom's far down the list, and principles far behind that.

Huh." Above us, not ten strides distant, are some of the most fashionable addresses in the city. The shimmering palaces and a river of shit, so much closer together than most would ever like to believe. Everything beautiful has a dark side, and some of us must dwell there, so that others can laugh in the light.

The birth of spring is perhaps not the best time to cross a mountain range,' observed Longfoot under his breath. Bayaz looked sharply sideways. 'Some would say the best time to cross an obstacle is when one finds oneself on the wrong side of it! Or do you suggest we wait for summer?

His lip began to tremble and he covered his face with his hands. 'My fault . . . if something were to happen to her . . .' His shoulders shook silently, and Glokta raised his eyebrows. He was used to men crying in his presence of course. But I usually have at least to show them the instruments first.

Memories sharp enough to cut himself on - the smells, the sounds, the feel of the air on his skin, the desperate hope and mad anger.

He thinks before he speaks, then says no more than he has to.

Some men laugh easily. It makes them winning dinner companions.

There's nothing unpatriotic about the truth," muttered Leo, wondering whether there might be.

Votes? Elections? The voice of the common man? I hope you aired the suitable level of contempt. Power for the people? They don't want it. They don't understand it. What the hell would they do with it if they had it? The people are like children. They are children. They need someone to tell them what to do.

Because the vast majority of men would far rather be told what to do than make their own choices. Obedience is easy.