The Devils (The Devils, #1)

by Joe Abercrombie

We live in a world sunk in darkness, in which our Church is the one point of light. The one hope of humanity. Can we that are righteous suffer that light to be extinguished?” Here was an easy one. “Absolutely not, Your Eminence,” said Brother Diaz, vigorously shaking his head. “And in this battle of what can only be described as good, against what can only be described as evil, defeat is inconceivable.” “Absolutely so, Your Eminence,” said Brother Diaz, vigorously nodding. “With God’s creation and every soul it contains at stake, restraint would be madness. Restraint would be craven dereliction of our holy duty. Restraint would be sin.” Brother Diaz had a creeping suspicion that he was somehow straying onto wobbly theological ground, like a clumsy bear chasing rabbits onto a half-frozen lake. “Well…” “A time comes when the stakes are of such enormity that moral objections become themselves immoral.” “Do they? I mean—they do? That is—they do. Do they?”