The tongueless torturer and the flower of chivalry. An…

“She shrugged. “I fell. I’m a clumsy fool.” “I know how you feel. I’m such a fool I knocked half my teeth out and…

— Joe Abercrombie

Things aren't what they used to be' is the rallying cry of small minds. When men say things used to be better, they invariably…

— Joe Abercrombie

“Mercy and weakness are the same thing in war, and there's no prize for nice behavior.”

— Joe Abercrombie

“The lowly have small ambitions, and are satisfied with small indulgences. They need not get fair treatment. They need only think that they do... ”

— Joe Abercrombie

“What do the dice say?" Dice say nothing. They are dice." Why roll'em, then?" They are dice. What else would I do with them?”

— Joe Abercrombie

“You have to realistic about these things.”

— Joe Abercrombie

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a…

— Joe Abercrombie

“Nostalgia was becoming a favoured hobby of his. Strange, how the best moments of our lives we scarcely notice except in looking back.”

— Joe Abercrombie

“The only difference between war and murder is the number of dead.”

— Joe Abercrombie

Names turned over by time, like the plough turning the soil. Bringing up the new while the old were buried in the mud.

— Joe Abercrombie

“Knives,’ muttered Calder, ‘and threats, and bribes, and war?’ Bayaz’ eyes shone with the lamplight. ‘Yes?’ ‘What kind of a fucking wizard are you?’…

— Joe Abercrombie

“Straining and straining, getting nowhere, but unable to stop pushing in case the rock should fall and crush him. Meanwhile, arrogant bastards who were…

— Joe Abercrombie

“Yarvi: 'If we had known the hardship of it, we might have chosen another.' Shidwala: 'So it is with many choices.' Yarvi: 'All we…

— Joe Abercrombie

Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity . . .’ He…

— Joe Abercrombie

“A bitter ending' said Yarvi. 'Many sweet stories have them', said Jaud.”

— Joe Abercrombie