1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. David Gemmell

David Gemmell Quotes
page 2

David Andrew Gemmell was a British author of heroic fantasy, best known for his debut novel, Legend. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. He went on to write over thirty novels. Gemmell's works display violence, yet also explore themes of honour, loyalty and redemption. There is always a strong heroic theme but nearly always the heroes are flawed in some way. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sell worldwide.

In 2008, the David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy were established, intended to "restore fantasy to its proper place in the literary pantheon"; a steering group of 18 authors is chaired by writer Stan Nicholls and the award is decided by a public vote. Wikipedia  

✵ 1. August 1948 – 28. July 2006
David Gemmell: 195   quotes 3   likes

David Gemmell Quotes

“We are not made for life at all, old horse.”

David Gemmell book Legend

It is made for us. We live it. We leave it.
Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 9

Life , Horse

“Why did he get himself killed for us?" "Because he was a hero. And that is what heroes do.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 20
Context: "We irritated him, he told me. Why did he get himself killed for us?" "Because he was a hero. And that is what heroes do. You understand?"

“And what is death? an end to trouble. An end to strife and fear.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 7
Context: [A]ll men die.... A man needs many things in his life to make it bearable. A good woman. Sons and daughters. Comradeship. Warmth. Food and shelter. but above all these things, he needs to be able to know that he is a man. And what is a man? He is someone who rises when life has knocked him down. Someone who raises his fist to heaven when a storm has ruined his crop — and then plants again. And again. A man remains unbroken by the savage twists of fate. That man may never win. But when he sees himself reflected, he can be proud of what he sees. For low he may be in the scheme of things: peasant, serf, or dispossessed. But he is unconquerable. And what is death? an end to trouble. An end to strife and fear.... Bear this in mind when you decide your future.

Death , Fear

“As men we are all cursed by the violence in our natures.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Men like the Moidart — aye, and Winterbourne — revel in that nature. We do not. We struggle to overcome it.
Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 7

Men , Nature

“Most wars are fought for greed, but we are luckier here— we fight for our lives and the lives of the people we love.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 9

War

“No man fights for dirt and grass. No, nor mountains.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 9
Context: Rubbish!... No man fights for dirt and grass. No, nor mountains. Those mountains were here before the fall and they will be here when the world topples again.

Mountain , Grass , Fight

“Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man. If you think me wrong, be so good as to damn well say so.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 10

Thinking

“Trust your instincts, and make judgements on what your heart tells you. The heart will not betray you.”

David Gemmell

Source: Fall of Kings

Heart

“Nothing of real worth can ever be bought. Love, friendship, honour, valour, respect. All these things have to be earned.”

David Gemmell

Source: Shield of Thunder

Love , Friendship

“We make choices everyday, some of them good, some of them bad. And - if we are strong enough - we live with the consequences.”

David Gemmell
Strong

“I may be stupid, as you say, to believe in honour and friendship and loyalty without price. But these are virtues to be cherished, for without them we are no more than beasts roaming the land.”

David Gemmell

Source: Shield of Thunder

Friendship , Stupidity , Loyalty

“She was his north star, the fixed point round which his world turned. For as long as his heart beat, or hers, he believed they would always share a destiny.”

David Gemmell

Source: Fall of Kings

World , Star , Heart

“By nature of definition only the coward is capable of the highest heroism.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 4

Nature

“What is your name?"
Why?"
So I can mark your grave…”

David Gemmell book Wolf in Shadow

Source: Wolf in Shadow

“Hate is the father of all evil.”

David Gemmell

Source: Fall of Kings

Hate , Evil

“There's no shame in fear. But understand this - the coward is ruled by fear, while the hero rides it like a wild stallion.”

David Gemmell book Dark Moon

Source: Dark Moon

Fear , Understanding

“The purpose of debates is to explore issues, not end them.”

David Gemmell

Source: Lord of the Silver Bow

“To be truthful i am not entirely sure what people mean when they talk of happiness. There are moments of joy and laughter, the comfort of friendship, but enduring happiness? If it exists i have not found it”

David Gemmell
Friendship , People , Truth , Laughter

“Love is not about conquest. The truth is a man can only find true love when he surrenders to it. When he opens his heart to the partner of his soul and says: "Here it is! The very essence of me! It is yours to nurture or destroy.”

David Gemmell

Source: Lord of the Silver Bow

Love , Truth , Soul , Heart

“Fear is like a fire in your belly. Controlled, it warms you and keeps you alive. Uncontrolled, it burns and destroys you.”

David Gemmell book Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

Source: Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf, Ch. 1

Fear

“He didn't want to come, Dweller. He didn't want to get involved. It should have been me who died.' 'Of course he wanted to come. Why else was he here? You didn't force him, Draig. He came because you were his brother and he loved you. He could have left at any time once the pursuit began. He made his own choices. Just as you did. Just as I knew you would.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 6

Love , Time

“… a man can overcome his background, even as he can overcome a skilled opponent.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 13

“The onset of fear makes the simplest actions complex and difficult.”

David Gemmell book Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

ibid
Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

Fear

“It is a rare man who notices a handsome woman.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 22

“I think that for the coward every day carries a kind of death.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 4

Death , Thinking

“[H]e who fears to lose will never win.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 17

Fear

“It's a funny thing about weaknesses…. Most people will tell you they know their weaknesses. When asked, they'll tell you, 'Well for one thing, I'm overgenerous.”

David Gemmell book Legend

... that's what innkeepers are for.
Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 1

People

“Constantly at war, the tribesmen fought one another with pitiless ferocity, and only the very strong survived to manhood.”

David Gemmell book Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

ibid
Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

War , Strong

“A friend in need is a friend to be avoided.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 1

“Makes no sense to me,' said Huntsekker. 'You don't know who is at your door, but you know the thoughts of a man twenty miles away.' ‘ Life is a mystery,’ said Powdermill, with a gold-toothed grin. 'It is that, right enough,' agreed Huntsekker.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 8

Life , Sense

“What is life if a man cannot count on his friends when he has gone mad?”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 12

Life , Madness

“A problem shared is a problem doubled.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 1

Problem

“When your life has been spent in one war after another for forty-five years, you have to be pretty handy to survive.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 7

Life , War

“Too many people go through life without pausing to enjoy what they have.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 2

Life , People

“I don't pray, Master Ring. I act.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 8

“Steal a loaf of bread and they hang you, steal a land and they'll make you king.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 5

“Each man has a breaking point, no matter how strong his spirit. Somewhere, deep inside him, there is a flaw that only the fickle cruelty of fate can find.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 7

Fate , Strong

“I'm not laughing at you. […] I'm laughing at the whole stupid business. We face the biggest threat in our history and they give me a helmet too big, and you a helmet too small, and tell us we can't exchange them. It's too much. Really.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 9

Stupidity , History , Business

“A man must know his limitations.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 10

“Your face may be gone, but you know who you are.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 23

“In any broth, the scum always rises to the top.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 22

“"Well lad, this is what you have chosen. Are you pleased with yourself?"
“ I am alive," said Bane.
“ And eight men are dead," said Landis. “ Eight souls cast out of the world. More mothers to grieve, more children to know sorrow. Is this a life you want for yourself?”
“ No it is not," Bane told him. “ But we do what we must.”
“ Not true! We do what we choose. And we face the consequences."”

David Gemmell book Midnight Falcon

Source: Rigante series, Midnight Falcon, Ch. 5

Life , Men , Children , World

“Plan for the worst, expect the best.”

David Gemmell book The Swords of Night and Day

Source: Drenai series, The Swords of Night and Day, Ch. 19