Quotes from Joe Abercrombie

all trace of morning magnificence entirely wilted.

Fucking pinks," she hissed to herself.

A good leader can't dwell on the choices he's made, Threetrees used to tell him, and a good leader can't help dwelling on 'em.

When God means to punish a man, the Kantic scriptures say, he sends him stupid friends, and clever enemies.

He'd been happy to swear it when things were going well and supposed he couldn't just unswear it the moment things turned dicey. What kind of an oath would it be then?

If you wait till they seem bad, you've waited way too long.

Still, as Logen Ninefingers had been so very fond of saying: it was better to do it, than to live with the fear of it.

Listen to what you're told. Learn from those who know better. Be brave, by all means, but don't be rash. Above all, don't get yourself bloody killed!

Let's give these Crinna sheepfuckers a fucking they'll not forget!

Being in charge can seem like a thing iron-forged, but in the end it's just an idea everyone agrees to. By

You start some trouble, it's best to start it and finish it all at once.

Strange thing, that–the fewer years you have to lose the more you fear the losing of 'em. Maybe a man just gets a stock of courage when he's born, and wears it down with each scrape he gets into.

If the measure of a man was the size of his hat, these were great men indeed.

north by north, that's what the forest told me. There's a place up in the mountains, a place well loved by the moon. A strong valley, and watched over by the dead of my family, and the dead of my people, and the dead of the mountains, all the way back until when the world was made.

What proof could there be, after all? A birthmark on Luthar's arse in the shape of a crown? Proof is boring. Proof is tiresome. Proof is an irrelevance. People would far rather be handed an easy lie than search for a difficult truth, especially if it suits their own purposes. And most of us would far rather have a king with no friends and no enemies, than a king with plenty of both. Most of us would rather have things stay as they are, than risk an uncertain future.

Everyone says you're the most untrustworthy bitch in the whole North.' 'No one should know better than you what the things everyone says are worth. Truth is, I only care about keeping my word to folk I like. I seem untrustworthy because there are only seven of those outside the hills.' She made a fist of her tattooed hand, trembling tight. 'To those seven, I am a rock.

So....wait and see.' 'Eleven times out of twelve, that's the best course...but if I said it that way, no one would reason me a deep thinker.

What happens now?' 'The people will decide,' said Pike. Orso glanced about him. At the people. 'Really?' He gave a puzzled smile. 'Are they equipped for that?

You must be joking.' 'I save my jokes for those with a sense of humour.

Even for me. There's nothing like the company of someone even more wretched than yourself to make you feel better. Trouble is, take their misery away and your own presses in twice as cold and dreary behind it.

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

You should get married." "So I can be ordered around by some idiot? Thank you, no." "Then don't marry an idiot. Marry a rich man who likes men. At least you'll have that in common.

En la guerra y cuando el combate acaba, si sigues con vida, te pones a cavar. A cavar las tumbas de los camaradas muertos. Se merecen esa postrer muestra de respeto, aunque tal vez no se lo tuvieras en vida. Cavas todo lo hondo que te apetezca, luego los tiras dentro, les echas un poco de tierra encima, ellos se pudren y tú los olvidas. Siempre se ha hecho así.

It is easy to smile at the bull you know is chained.