The Warded Man Quotes

“Let others determine your worth and you're already lost, because no one wants people worth more than themselves.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Welcome to adulthood." Cob said. "Every child finds a day when they realize that adults can be weak and wrong just like everyone else. After that day, you are an adult. Like it or not.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“We are what we choose to be, girl,' she said. 'Let others determine your worth, and you've already lost, because no one wants people worth more than themselves.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“I don't pretend to see the path, but I know it's there all the same. One day, we'll look back and wonder how we ever missed it.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Choose a book," she said. "Any book. Bring it here, and I'll show you what else the world can offer.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“There's a wide world out there, for those willing to brave the dark.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“There are times in life when we feel so very alive that when they pass, we feel … diminished. When that happens, we’ll do almost anything to feel so alive again.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“People make the world go, and Mothers make people, so they lead the dance.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Because Ragen is kind hearted and strong at the same time, and I know how rare that kind of man is. Because I never doubted that he loved me, and would come back. But most of all, because the moments I had with him were worth all the ones apart.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Hiding isn't always enough, Arlen,' Ragen said. 'Sometimes, hiding kills something inside of you, so that even if you survive the demons, you don't really.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“I'll take my chances with this life all the same. The next one will find you no matter where you run. No sense chasing it.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“You can't help everyone, Arlen," Ragen said, "but you should make every
effort to help those you can.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“I learned a lot from this book, because I wrote it myself. My rating may be somewhat biased as a result.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“We cannot tell the rain when to come, nor the winter, nor the cold.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Rojer nodded, but his eye grew wet. Leesha squeezed his hand. "Herb Gatherers see death often," she told him. "No one, no one, ever goes to the Creator with all their business complete. We all get a different length of time, but it needs to be enough, regardless.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Few could match her wisdom, and fewer still her stubbornness.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“It doesn't serve the dead to stop living yourself, out of guilt.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Let people hide in their homes, caged like chickens. Cowards deserve no better.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Don't be so quick to leave childhood behind, girl," Bruna said. "You'll find you miss it when its gone.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Why would you do that for me?” Leesha asked.
Rojer smiled, taking her hand in his crippled one. “We're survivors, aren't we?” he asked. “Someone once told me that survivors have to look out for one another.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Walk with me.” Abban held up his crutch.
“It is a long way to the palace, Par’chin,” he said.
“I’ll walk slowly,” Arlen said, knowing the crutch had nothing to do with the refusal.
“You don’t want to be seen with me outside the market, my friend,” Abban warned. “That alone may cost you the respect you’ve earned in the Maze.”
“Then I’ll earn more,” Arlen said. “What good is respect, if I can’t walk with my friend?”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“There's other ways to protect yourself and your family, Arlen. Wisdom. Prudence. Humility. It's not brave to fight a battle you can't win.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“I think, sometimes, when he's busy loving you, he forgets to hate himself.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“He took a step back the way he had come.
No, he decided. Going back is Da's way. Whatever happens, I'm going forward.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“The boy was weeping openly when Leesha turned back to him. “Just put me back out into the night,” he said, holding up a crippled hand. “I was meant to die a long time ago, and everyone that tries to save me ends up dead.”
Leesha took the crippled hand in hers and looked him in the eye. “I'll take my chances,” she said, squeezing. “We survivors have to look out for one another.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Bruna nodded. “We keep the knowledge of the old world for the day it will be needed again, but that knowledge comes with a great responsibility. If the histories of the ancient wars of man tell us anything, it’s that men cannot be trusted with the secrets of fire.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“Do you believe the corelings are our own fault?” Arlen asked. “That we deserve them?” “Of course I believe,” she said. “It is the word of the Creator.” “No,” Arlen said. “It’s a book. Books are written by men. If the Creator wanted to tell us something, why would he use a book, and not write on the sky with fire?” “It’s hard sometimes to believe there’s a Creator up there, watching,” Mery said, looking up at the sky, “but how could it be otherwise? The world didn’t create itself. What power would wards hold, without a will behind creation?” “And the Plague?” Arlen asked. Mery shrugged. “The histories tell of terrible wars,” she said. “Maybe we did deserve it.” “Deserve it?” Arlen demanded. “My mam did not deserve to die because of some stupid war fought centuries ago!” “Your mother was taken?” Mery asked, touching his arm. “Arlen, I had no idea …” Arlen yanked his arm away. “It makes no difference,” he said, storming toward the door. “I have wards to carve, though I hardly see the point, if we all deserve demons in our beds.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“They follow their hearts. I know it sounds like madness, Arlen, but deep down, men want to fight, like they did in tales of old. They want to protect their women and children as men should. But they can't, because the great wards are lost, so they knot themselves like caged hares, sitting terrified through the night. But sometimes, especially when you see loved ones die, the tension breaks you and you just snap.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“You can fight corelings?' he asked.
'You can fight anything, Arlen,' Ragen said. 'The problem with fighting corelings is that more often than not, you lose.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man

“I’m not going to hide away and leave my friends to the corelings!” she shouted. “We’ll find a way to ward the Holy House, and make our stand here. Together! And if demons should dare come and try to take my children, I have secrets of fire that will burn them from this world!”
My children, Leesha thought, in the sudden silence that followed. Am I Bruna now, to think of them so?
She looked around, taking in the scared and sooty faces, not a one taking charge, and realized for the first time that as far as everyone was concerned, she was Bruna. She was Herb Gatherer for Cutter's Hollow now. Sometimes that meant bringing healing, and sometimes...
Sometimes it meant a dash of pepper in the eyes, or burning a wood demon in your yard.”
― Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man