He saw it all summed up in the blind marching of that nameless unit. A vision of gaunt shapes, sharp shiny steel, dim lamps flaring in the rain. The … - John Jakes

I think I’m as normal as the next guy. But I won’t go after what I want regardless of the price. Doing that nullifies the worth of whatever you’re after.

Oh, a few temple priests have been predicting dire things in an effort to improve public morals, but no one takes them seriously.

Iron can destroy anything: families, fortunes, governments,whole countries. It's the most powerful stuff in the universe."
"Oh?" Orry's skeptical glance fell down on the Plain below. "You really think it's more powerful than a big army?"
"Without weapons - without this - there are no big armies.