“ Yes, sir, Hicks said. He was a small young man, very officious, who would never contradict a superior. If Morris claimed the clouds were made of cheese Hicks would just stand to attention, twitch his… Bernard Cornwell
“ Wyrd bið ful āræd, I said, and that is true. Fate is inexorable. Destiny is all. We make oaths, we make choices, but fate makes our decisions. Bernard Cornwell
“ When you are young and powerless you dream of possessing mystical strength, and once you are grown and strong you condemn lesser folk to that same dream, Bernard Cornwell
“ We pulled slow and steady through the darkness and we hammered the ears of the gods with prayers. Bernard Cornwell
“ We have forgotten that courage is a choice and that permission to move forward with boldness is never given by fearful masses Bernard Cornwell
“ We are going to soak this rock with blood! I am Uhtred! I am the lord here. This is my rock! Bernard Cornwell
“ These word-stringers make nothing, grow nothing, kill no enemies, catch no fish and raise no cattle. They just take silver in exchange for words, which are free anyway. It is a clever trick, but in tr… Bernard Cornwell
“ There is no cause so hopeless, no creed so mad, no idea so ludicrous that it will not attract some believers, Bernard Cornwell
“ There are times, Leofric grumbled, when you are an earsling. An earsling was something that had dropped out of a creature's backside and was one of Leofric's favourite insults. We were friends. Bernard Cornwell
“ The other held a hand toward the wretched boy in the dung-heap. Father Uhtred, he said. His name is not Uhtred, I snarled, and if he dares call himself Uhtred, I looked at him as I spoke, then I will… Bernard Cornwell
“ The bards sing of love, they celebrate slaughter, they extol kings and flatter queens, but were I a poet I would write in praise of friendship. Bernard Cornwell
“ The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Baird said, and you don’t piddle away your damned life because you don’t like His dispositions. Bernard Cornwell
“ She looked at Stiorra and grinned, and I wondered whether that was what the two girls had in common: bad fathers. Bernard Cornwell
“ Just what do you plan to do, Sharpe? the Lieutenant asked.Don’t know, sir. Won’t know till we get there.You’re going to the mine?Aye, sir.There’ll be guards.Like as not.And only two of us.I can count,… Bernard Cornwell
“ I wondered why the gods no longer came to earth. It would make belief so much easier. Bernard Cornwell
“ I was just twenty-one and my name was known wherever men sharpened swords. I was a warrior. A sword warrior, and I was proud of it. Bernard Cornwell
“ I think only one man in three is a warrior, and sometimes not even that many, but in our army, Uhtred, every man is a fighter. If you do not want to be a warrior you stay home in Denmark. You till the… Bernard Cornwell
“ I sometimes think,' Merlin said when no more suggestions were offered, 'that I am doomed to live among idiots. Bernard Cornwell
“ I remember my first shield wall, I said, and I was scared. It had been against cattle raiders from Wales and I had been terrified. Since then I had fought against the best that the Northmen could send… Bernard Cornwell
“ I remember Ragnar laughing one day. It is so kind of the Christians! They put their wealth in one building and mark it with a great cross! It makes life so easy. Bernard Cornwell
