On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness Quotes

“Blood was shed that you three might breathe the good air of life, and if that means you have to miss out on a Zibzy game, then so be it. Part of being a man is putting others' needs before your own.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“There's just something about the way he sings. It makes me think of when it snows outside, and the fire is warm, and Podo is telling us a story while you're cooking, and there's no place I'd rather be--but for some reason I still feel... homesick.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“That evil was a nameless evil, an evil whose name was Gnag the Nameless.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“In the immortal words of Loshain P'stane, 'If anyone reads this without permission, he will be most certainly and brutally slain. Or at the very least I'll chop off a finger or two. Or three.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Lad, it's one thing to be poor in pocket - nothing wrong with that. But poor in heart - that's no good.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“It is no small thing to be a Throne Warden of Anniera. They have been sung about by bards for a thousand years and are accorded a place of honor like no other kingdom—like no other king—in the world—not because they’re lords, but because they’re servants.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“So this is a story about light and goodness and Truth with a capital T. It's about beauty, and resurrection, and redemption. But for those things to ring true in a child's heart, the storyteller has to be honest. He has to acknowledge that sometimes when the hall light goes out and the bedroom goes dark, the world is a scary place. He has to nod his head to the presence of all the sadness in the world; children know it's there from a very young age, and I wonder sometimes if that's why babies cry. He has to admit that sometimes characters make bad choices, because every child has seen their parent angry or irritable or deceitful--even the best people in our lives are capable of evil.

But of course the storyteller can't stop there. He has to show in the end there is a Great Good in the world (and beyond it). Sometimes it is necessary to paint the sky black in order to show how beautiful is the prick of light. Gather all the wickedness in the universe into its loudest shriek and God hears it as a squeak at best. And that is a comforting thought. When a child reads the last sentence of my stories, I hope he or she drifts to sleep with a glow in their hearts and a warmth in their bones, believing that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“But other than the cruel fangs and the constant threat of death and torture, there wasn't much to fear in Skree.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“He must have forgotten that in the mind of a boy, a warning isn’t much different from an invitation.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Lad, it’s one thing to be poor in pocket—nothing wrong with that. But poor in heart—that’s no good. Look at them. They’re sad in the eyes, and it’s a sadness no amount of money could repair. Why, they hardly remember what it’s like to laugh from the belly anymore.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Before roaring over Fingap Falls, the River Blapp was wide and peaceful, clear as a spring, and the fish to be caught there were both delicious and docile, except for the many fish that were poisonous to the touch, and the daggerfish that were known to leap into boats and impale the stoutest fisherman.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Even if hope is just a low ember at night, in the morning you can still start a fire.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Lad, it’s one thing to be poor in pocket—nothing wrong with that. But poor in heart—that’s no good.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Tink dreamed of sea dragons and pie. Leeli dreamed of sea dragons and dogs. Janner dreamed of sea dragons and his father.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Remember this: You are an Annieran. Your father is a king. You are his son. This is your land, and nothing can change that. Nothing.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Farther south, the Plains of Palen Jabh-J were as safe as they were beautiful, except for the ratbadgers that slithered through the tall grass (a farmer from South Torrboro claimed to have seen one as big as a young meep, which is about the size of a full-grown chorkney, an animal that stands about as high as a flabbit).”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“No one spoke. None of the children even breathed. Their hearts thrummed with the truth of what had been spoken. The air around Peet’s words would have shimmered if it were possible to see such a thing, and the children knew it to be true.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Right now, for your Podo, the thing before him is to find Leeli, not to think about how it happened or who’s to blame. And the thing before us is to wait in this old cottage without giving up hope. Even if hope is just a low ember at night, in the morning you can still start a fire.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Always good to be back in the thick of it,”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Blood was shed that you three might breathe the good air of life, and if that means you have to miss out on a zibzy game, then so be it. Part of being a man is putting others’ needs before your own.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Janner thought with a smile how horrified Tink would be to know that he had snuggled up to his big brother.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Janner closed his journal with a feeling of lightness in his chest, as if he had been carrying a feed sack on his shoulders for two days”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“The Jewels of Anniera,” Nia said, “have been sought by Gnag the Nameless since the Great War fell on the shores of the Shining Isle and overcame it. Gnag destroyed all that was good and beautiful in that place…except for the jewels. And he has sought them ever since. He has obsessed over them and ruined nations in his search because he believes that the Jewels of Anniera hold a hidden power. His hunt for the jewels is what’s led him to Skree. If he didn’t believe they had come here, I don’t think he would have bothered crossing the Dark Sea of Darkness at all.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Your wee sister and brother are treasures, same as you,”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“We probably should turn back.” Janner nervously eyed the forest. “I think you’re forgetting our little incident with the you-know-whats at the you-know-where.” “What are you talking about?” Leeli asked.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Did you say something?” Janner asked, his nervous voice echoing in the room. “No, did you hear something?” Tink whispered. “No, did you?” “Only you, asking if I said something.” “Then why did you ask?” “Because you did.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Come on, Tink. Ghosts aren’t real.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Chorkneys are large flightless birds that live mainly in cold climates.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“*1. Snot wax is too repulsive a thing about which to write a proper footnote.”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

“Where in all the great good goat gobblin' world have you been, out traipsing the frollocky hillsides while I've been here gnawin' on my gums!”
― Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness