--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: properly-trained magician. The best…" description: "\"“properly-trained magician. The best swordsman in the world doesn’t fear the second best, Sergeant Miles had said. He fears the worst, because he doesn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/christopher-g-nuttall-40588_second-best_properly-trained-magician-the-best-sword_1227880.jpg" --- # properly-trained magician. The best swordsman in the world… ![“properly-trained magician. The best swordsman in the world doesn’t fear the second best, Sergeant Miles had said. He fears the worst, because he doesn’t know what the idiot will do. Emily looked up at the battlements. It was hard to be sure, but” quote by Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/christopher-g-nuttall-40588_second-best_properly-trained-magician-the-best-sword_1227880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/christopher-g-nuttall-40588_second-best_properly-trained-magician-the-best-sword_1227880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/christopher-g-nuttall-40588_second-best_properly-trained-magician-the-best-sword_1227880.jpg) > ““properly-trained magician. The best swordsman in the world doesn’t fear the second best, Sergeant Miles had said. He fears the worst, because he doesn’t know what the idiot will do. Emily looked up at the battlements. It was hard to be sure, but”” [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A skilled swordsman fears the unknown opponent because unpredictability threatens even the best **In simple terms:** Fear of the unknown undermines confidence Key Takeaway Prepare for unexpected challenges Themes fear uncertainty skill Mood tense focused Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - combat training - business competition - personal risk management Key Concepts Strategic thinking risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance preparation and flexibility? - What strategies mitigate fear of the unknown? A Different Perspective Over‑preparing can cause paralysis ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Swordsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-swordsman-3785309/) [Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) [Magician Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician-best-1607729/) [Second best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-best/) [Swordsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swordsman/) [Trained Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trained-magician-3785310/) ## Related quotes > [The world's best swordsman doesn't fear the second best; he fears the worst swordsman, because he can't predict what the idiot will do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/the-world-s-best-swordsman-doesn-t-fear-the-second-best-he-fears-the/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The best swordsman in the world may be disarmed by a trick that's new to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-swordsman-in-the-world-may-be-disarmed-by-a-trick-that-s-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Piandao: Let me guess. You've come hundreds of miles from your little village where you're the best swordsman in town. And you think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hendrick/piandao-let-me-guess-you-ve-come-hundreds-of-miles-from-your-little/) [Tim Hendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hendrick/) > [“Vaelin knew himself to be the best swordsman among them. Dentos was master of the bow, Barkus unarmed combat, Nortah the finest rider and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/vaelin-knew-himself-to-be-the-best-swordsman-among-them-dentos-was/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [I've never worried about 'the reader' because there isn't one. There are thousands, and they all have strong opinions, from 'Magician' was the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/i-ve-never-worried-about-the-reader-because-there-isn-t-one-there-are/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [“Magician is the best storyteller in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/magician-is-the-best-storyteller-in-the-world/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“I felt an angry flush colour my face. "I was in the middle of training. I don't need your help." "I'm the best swordsman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/i-felt-an-angry-flush-colour-my-face-i-was-in-the-middle-of-training/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [The master swordsman isn't interested in killing people. He only wants to perfect his art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/the-master-swordsman-isn-t-interested-in-killing-people-he-only-wants/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [“We have our swordsman, so let's get moving. Brigan, could you attempt, at least, to make yourself presentable? I know this is a war,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/we-have-our-swordsman-so-let-s-get-moving-brigan-could-you-attempt-at/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“Air swirled over her shoulders leaving a wake of chilled skin. To her left something stirred in the shadows. She blinked. The swordsman stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jewel/air-swirled-over-her-shoulders-leaving-a-wake-of-chilled-skin-to-her/) [Carolyn Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jewel/) > [Scars on the back are a swordsman’s shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/scars-on-the-back-are-a-swordsman-s-shame/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [“Some vicious thing inside me stirred. I felt it in my gut, the back of my neck, my hands. I thought of Musashi, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/some-vicious-thing-inside-me-stirred-i-felt-it-in-my-gut-the-back-of/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke straps our vice. Where is the skillful swordsman who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-are-double-edged-blades-and-every-time-we-whet-our-virtue-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Peter was a superb swordsman, and parried with dazzling rapidity; ever and anon he followed up a feint with a lunge that got past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-barrie/peter-was-a-superb-swordsman-and-parried-with-dazzling-rapidity-ever/) [J.M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-barrie/) > [You would do well to know, Marcus, that irritating a better swordsman than yourself is a good way to end up dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/you-would-do-well-to-know-marcus-that-irritating-a-better-swordsman/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) ## More by Christopher G. Nuttall > [“You’re the one who broke his arm and yet you’re still trying to boss me around,” Jade commented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/you-re-the-one-who-broke-his-arm-and-yet-you-re-still-trying-to-boss/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“Imaiqah snorted. “Half of them are taking part because it’s a way to pretend they’re close to Alassa. Half are only there because their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/imaiqah-snorted-half-of-them-are-taking-part-because-it-s-a-way-to/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“I will never see my little boy again,” she finished. “But I am proud of the man he became.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/i-will-never-see-my-little-boy-again-she-finished-but-i-am-proud-of/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“share and as for privacy…forget it.  There were only two showers, a handful of drawers for our private possessions, and a small terminal.  I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/share-and-as-for-privacy-forget-it-there-were-only-two-showers-a/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“Because no religion is as good as its god. It is only as good as its followers. And some of those followers are worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/because-no-religion-is-as-good-as-its-god-it-is-only-as-good-as-its/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“You will never turn me to the Dark Side. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/you-will-never-turn-me-to-the-dark-side-i-am-a-jedi-like-my-father/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“She’d read countless fantasy novels where the heroine was a chosen one, picked from all others to save the world, normally wearing a chainmail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/she-d-read-countless-fantasy-novels-where-the-heroine-was-a-chosen/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“Small animals were running down with the water, tiny rodents that reassembled mutated hamsters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/small-animals-were-running-down-with-the-water-tiny-rodents-that/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) > [“Prior to the First Battle of Zion, it was commonly believed that aliens would be peaceful, rather than being just as violent as humanity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-g-nuttall/prior-to-the-first-battle-of-zion-it-was-commonly-believed-that/) [Christopher G. Nuttall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) [Explore all 10 Christopher G. Nuttall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-g-nuttall/) ## More Magician quotes > [“He sighed. "Look, love, I know I seem like a tactical genius, but really, I'm just a magician who occasionally kills a bunny or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delilah-s-dawson/he-sighed-look-love-i-know-i-seem-like-a-tactical-genius-but-really-i/) [Delilah S. Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delilah-s-dawson/) > [Most magicians consider the palm an easy move to make. They are inclined to believe that they are 'getting away with it,' when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dai-vernon/most-magicians-consider-the-palm-an-easy-move-to-make-they-are/) [Dai Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dai-vernon/) > [In all forms of magick, the imagination or image-making faculty is the most important factor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grant/in-all-forms-of-magick-the-imagination-or-image-making-faculty-is-the/) [Kenneth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grant/) > [“This is the man who thinks too much, who stands back from his life and never lives it. He is caught in a web…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-l-moore/this-is-the-man-who-thinks-too-much-who-stands-back-from-his-life-and/) [Robert L. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-l-moore/) > [“He was going to sign the papers and he was going to be a motherfucking magician.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/he-was-going-to-sign-the-papers-and-he-was-going-to-be-a/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“If only I were a magician who could make things possible. I'd give objects the gift of defiance: banisters, gramaphones, guns, the napes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/if-only-i-were-a-magician-who-could-make-things-possible-i-d-give/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [Poetical taste is the only magician whose wand is not broken. No hand, except its own, can dissolve the fabric of beauty in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/poetical-taste-is-the-only-magician-whose-wand-is-not-broken-no-hand/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I'm a big Penn & Teller fan. But I myself was never very good; I was a teenage magician who performed at kids' parties.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-a-big-penn-teller-fan-but-i-myself-was-never-very-good-i-was-a/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [“A great magician is not more magical than other magicians; he is just more magical in his presentation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/a-great-magician-is-not-more-magical-than-other-magicians-he-is-just/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“The work of art still has something in common with enchantment: it posits its own, self-enclosed area, which is withdrawn from the context of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adorno-theodor-w/the-work-of-art-still-has-something-in-common-with-enchantment-it/) [Adorno, Theodor W](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adorno-theodor-w/) > [“A room that motivates you to dream is like a magician who gives you wings to fly!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-room-that-motivates-you-to-dream-is-like-a-magician-who-gives-you/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [ I think for Lev \[Grossman\], C. S. Lewis was a huge inspiration from his childhood. I know that Brideshead Revisited is a book that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hale-appleman/i-think-for-lev-grossman-c-s-lewis-was-a-huge-inspiration-from-his/) [Hale Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hale-appleman/) > [A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-eugene-robert-houdin/a-magician-is-an-actor-playing-the-part-of-a-magician/) [Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-eugene-robert-houdin/) > [“Can a magician kill a man by magic?” Lord Wellington asked Strange. Strange frowned. He seemed to dislike the question. “I suppose a magician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/can-a-magician-kill-a-man-by-magic-lord-wellington-asked-strange/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) [Browse all 639 Magician quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“properly-trained magician. The best swordsman in the world doesn’t fear the second best, Sergeant Miles had said. He fears the worst, because he doesn’t know what the idiot will do. Emily looked up at the battlements. It was hard to be sure, but”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher G. 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