More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
He was sick of drinking, and sick of being sober, and regretting that those were essentially the only two options he, and everyone else, ever had.
“Ye must be Angusss,” said Gorm, stamping up to the bar. “Anguss,” corrected the serpentine barkeep, polishing a glass. “The middle ‘s’ is silent.”
it is clear to everyone that something is different about Dwarven courtship. There are no Dwarven couples, no visible Dwarven courtship rituals, and, crucially, no Dwarven women. Every Dwarf in existence is male and, by all appearances, solitary, until he shows up with a tiny, bearded baby strapped to his back and flailing a toy hammer.
“Oh, there’s always a choice. Choice is a constant.” Flinn grinned, a cold glint in his eye. “It’s consequences that vary.”
The people in the streets claim their freedom or their virtue binds our kingdom together, but in a famine you’re only free to starve, and in a drought there is no virtue but survival. No, liberty and piety are well and good, but a kingdom needs stability to survive; a healthy stalemate wherein every people, every faction, every city finds the status quo preferable to the price of change.”
“I’ve heard it said that gear does not make the hero.” “Aye, but gear does make the hero live longer,” said Gorm.
Gorm taught Gleebek the proper way to make a sandwich, which is to ensure that the meat is thicker than the bread.
“You never split the party,” said Laruna. “It’s right in the Heroes’ Guild Handbook,” said Jynn. “Someone always wanders off to grab something shiny or test a lever or something, and the next thing you know they’re coming back with some horrible monster following them,” said Kaitha.
GDP—the total value of everything that’s made or done in the Freedlands. It’s a big number, but if you break it down, four out of every ten giltin are linked with professional heroics.”
Lots of heroes started out like Niln, wide-eyed children who thought they knew the end to their story and just assumed that the middle would sort itself out. They all learned one way or another that life’s tale doesn’t work that way; many only learned as much when they met their end in an unfortunate plot twist.
The truth is that mankind needs to be defended from monsters, and doing as much takes stone-hearted killers. There ain’t no honor in it. It’s a job. Sometimes, the ones who are best at it ain’t much better than the monsters themselves.”
“Something wrong with Niln?” asked Kaitha. “I think he’s learned the difference between being a hero and being a professional.”
“You’re not just … you’re very special to me. If you forgive me, I can show you that.” “Can you?” she said. “Can you tell me there are no more secrets? Can you say that I know you as well as you know me?” He winced at her question but recovered quickly. Some of his old self returned as he straightened, and he gave her a small, brave smile. “Could you believe me if I did?” he asked. They both knew the answer, and so they both walked away.
all men are created equal, how can the best man win?”
All of his work, all of his efforts, had gained him nothing and had cost his friends everything; no, he’d cost an entire people their lives.
The problem with mercenaries, from an employer’s perspective anyway, is that while it is relatively easy to find a man who will fight for money, it’s much less common to find those willing to die for a paycheck.
