Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)

by Joe Abercrombie

Laughing with a man was a good step forward. First comes the laughter, then the respect, then the trust.

“Then you’ve got the chance to do better next time.” “Next time?” “’Course. Doing better next time. That’s what life is.”

“He’s some new kind o’ useless, that one, eh?