Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, #1)

by Jim Butcher

The course of history is determined not by battles, by sieges, or usurpations, but by the actions of the individual. The

“It all started with that one little lie.

“Courage.” Tavi sighed. “As near as I can figure it, all courage gets you is more of a beating than if you’d run away.” “Sometimes that’s important,” she pointed out. “Taking a beating?” “Not running away.”

“Because a sound tree doesn’t have bad roots, Amara. No enterprise of greatness begins with treachery, with lying to the people who trust and love you.”

“Sometimes,” Bernard rumbled, “the only smart thing to do is nothing. Sometimes you just have to be still and see how events begin to unfold before you move. Be patient.”