Grave Empire Quotes

“In the same way that we would not tolerate a man walking up to our house and smashing it down with an axe, so must we find intolerable the actions of a man who would destroy the scaffold about which we construct our society.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Sova in all things.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“The man really was quite muscular…
“Ms Rainer?”
“Hm? Yes. Right. Let’s be about it.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Excellent. She’s insulting us now. Fantastic. Damn and blast this nonsense, we need to go if we’ve any hope of getting out of here,” Glaser said, grabbing the nearest person, which happened to be Ozolinsh. She aggressively pulled her arm out of the colonel’s grip.
“Get off me!” she muttered angrily.
“Wait,” Lyzander said, himself reaching out absently to grab the nearest person, which happened to be Renata. She instinctively slapped him away.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“There was never a good time to die, but it also seemed like now was a particularly bad one.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“You cannot fathom what my life is, what it is like to live it, who I am and where I have come from. You simply do not have the mental scaffolding upon which to build the thoughts. The complexity of my explanation is not something that can be picked apart and analysed and solved, it is one of emotion which is beyond your ability to comprehend. I am here for a thousand reasons which defy reason. And if you cannot turn your mind to it, do not burden me with the responsibility of educating you.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Furlan gave him a strange look, almost as though he had been betrayed. “Good thinking, Lieutenant,” he said tightly.
Peter turned to Cathassach. He gestured to the hall. “Go and have a look, would you?”
The Black Mountain appeared singularly unimpressed with this instruction, but nonetheless complied.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“I’ve known graveyards with more bustle,” the lieutenant of the Fusiliers murmured to his men.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“That night Peter was awoken from a broken and unsatisfactory sleep by a blood-curdling scream – a real one this time. The rain had stopped, though the trees dripped so persistently that it might as well not have.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“His clothes, now damp and in no way designed to accommodate rapid movement, chafed his groin and armpits and neck.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Truth is found at the bottom of the brandy glass and the top of the scaffold.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“She had been careful not to give the men – boys, really, in spirit – the satisfaction of her ire. Instead she had simply rolled her eyes and left, biting down the fury which had filled her.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Peter once again took the time to unburden himself, wary that he was treating Furlan like a Neman confessor.
“The first casualty under my command,” he said.
Furlan grunted, tiring of this dynamic. “There will be others.”
“You seem uniquely inured to it.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Well, yes,” Peter said, doubtfully. “Perhaps not.”
“Perhaps not indeed.”
There was an awkward pause. “You know, moments before the accident, I heard something.”
“What do you mean?”
“A voice whispered in my ear.”
Furlan considered this for a moment. “What did it say?” he asked, in a tone of voice which suggested he didn’t particularly want to know the answer. His lips glistened with brandy in the light from the cookfire.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“The ambassador is more warrior than any member of the general staff. By the power of his words alone are entire nations disassembled.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Peter fell to weeping. He wept because he knew that no matter what he said, they would not believe him . He wept at the sense of utter, all-consuming helplessness. That he could experience so much, for it all to be written off by the tired arrogance of a senior officer.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“You are a fool if you think word has not spread already. There are demons in hell who envy your reputation.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Hardy places breed hardy peoples”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“And if this distant, untouched, unknown civilisation could exist, what other civilisations existed? Were there bird men? Lizard men? Hybrids which defied taxonomy entirely?”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Yours has always been a life of wealth, and privilege. You face adversity only because you confect intrigues. You could have spent your time, your life, in unutterable luxury. Everything you have ever wanted is merely on the other side of a coin. You cannot fathom what my life is, what it is like to live it, who I am and where I have come from. You simply do not have the mental scaffolding upon which to build the thoughts. The complexity of my explanation is not something that can be picked apart and analysed and solved, it is one of emotion which is beyond your ability to comprehend. I am here for a thousand reasons which defy reason. And if you cannot turn your mind to it, do not burden me with the responsibility of educating you.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“Uh,” he said, stupidly, wretchedly, as his courage deserted him. Perversely, he was so frozen in place with fear that to an observer it looked as though he were standing his ground with great stoicism.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire

“There is something so contemptible about newsmen. Their salt is misery, their butter woe. Their job is to distil the wretchedness of millions into inches on a sheet, and capture its most despondent and salacious essence.”
― Richard Swan, Grave Empire