David Gemmell Quotes

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.

Never be glad that another man has died. Not ever. [...] It never ends. Never ... ever ... be glad to kill.

A man can be aroused to anger as easily as he is aroused to rut. The two emotions are closely linked. Anger and lust. So the warrior is aroused in battle and fights to dominate.

Win or lose, we achieve nothing in the world that we understand [...]"
'But then the world does not matter.'
'Indeed it does not [...] It is good to understand that.

Evil will never be countered while good men do nothing.

Where will you go from here?' he asked.
Chellin shrugged. 'Who knows? North again. Maybe not. I'm tired of this life, Kiall. I may head south, to Drenai land. Buy a farm, raise a family.'
'And have raiders descend on you to steal your daughters?'
Chellin nodded and sighed. 'Yes. Like all dreams, it doesn't bear close examination [...]

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

There are many forms of cowardice, Chareos. One man can face a score of enemies with a sword, but not a sickness which paralyses him. Another can face death with a smile, yet fear the years of hardship and toil which are living. Are you a coward?

Blood always aids blood, my friend.

Whores' lives don't make pretty tales.

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

Never let anger, or outrage, or fear affect you. That is easy advice to give, but hard to follow. Men will bait you, they will laugh at you, they will jeer. But it is just noise, Kiall. They will hurt the people you love. They will do anything to make you angry or emotional. But the only way you can make them suffer is to win. And to do that you must remain cool.

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 speak badly of yourself, for the warrior that is inside you hears your words and is lessened by them. You are strong and you are brave. There is a nobility of spirit within you. Let it grow — you will do well enough.

A warrior has only one true friend: himself. So he feeds his body well; he trains it; works on it. Where he lacks skill, he practises. Where he lacks knowledge, he studies. But above all he must believe. He must believe in the strength of will, of purpose, of heart and soul.