David Gemmell Quotes
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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 quotes3 likes

David Gemmell Quotes

“"I underestimated you, woman."… "The cry of men down the ages."”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 15

“Why am I taking seduction advice from a man whose idea of foreplay is to slam coins on the table and shout: 'Who wants to ride the big horse?'""Because he knows best, Tinker.”

David Gemmell book The Swords of Night and Day

Source: Drenai series, The Swords of Night and Day, Ch. 6

“Life is nothing unless death has been faced down.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 18

“Most men mock what they can never aspire to.”

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

Source: Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf, Ch. 3

“I don't understand how any man would wish to pursue such a away of life. Causing pain, being hurt, risking death — and for what? so that a crowd of fat-bellied merchants can see blood flow.”

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

Source: Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf, Ch. 2

“We all have scars […] Better by far for them to be worn on the outside.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 3

“A man cannot spend his life worrying about the unexpected.”

David Gemmell book Legend

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

“I have no wish to argue, Father. Yet it must be said that the monks exist here in peace and security only because of the swords of the defenders. I do not belittle your views — I wish all men shared them. But they do not. … if all men and women lived as you and I, there would be no children, and no humanity. What then would be the Will of the Source?”

David Gemmell book Quest for Lost Heroes

Source: Drenai series, Quest for Lost Heroes, Ch. 2

“Men! What do they know? They never grow up.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

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

“Hold on to your dreams, Kiall. They are more important than you realise.”

David Gemmell book Quest for Lost Heroes

Source: Drenai series, Quest for Lost Heroes, Ch. 5

“War is for men, for honor and glory.”

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

Source: Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf, Ch. 7

“For the lion to to prosper the deer must die. All the world is combat.”

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

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

“How do you do it? How do you stay so strong?”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

"I fake it."
Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 22

“…the baresark loses all fear; his method is all-out attack, and invariably he takes his opponent with him even if he falls.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 6

“The nature of a coward is to avoid death. If such a man courts peril there can be only two reasons. Either he is not a coward at all — or there is no danger.”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 4

“We all of us carry the seed of evil in our hearts and souls … Even the purest, even the most holy. It is part of the human condition, born in us. We cannot root it out. All that we can do — at best — is to prevent it from germinating.”

David Gemmell book The Swords of Night and Day

Source: Drenai series, The Swords of Night and Day, Ch. 10

“…love is in the eyes, and one woman knows when another woman is in love.”

David Gemmell book The King Beyond the Gate

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

“While men compete in war, there will be warriors. While there are warriors, there will be princes among warriors. Among the princes will be kings, and among the kings an emperor.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 28

“Kings are chosen by the Source, so it is said … Therefore those who fight for the king can be said to be godly. Is that not cause enough?”

David Gemmell book Stormrider

Source: Rigante series, Stormrider, Ch. 2

“[F]ear is a great ally.”

David Gemmell book Legend

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

“What I did understand from the rebirth process was that the rebirth reproduced a physical duplicate of the original. But this is my point. It is physical.”

David Gemmell book The Swords of Night and Day

What truly makes a man who he is? Is it the strength of his arms, or the courage of his soul? You have your own soul, Harad. You are not Druss. Live your own life."
Source: Drenai series, The Swords of Night and Day, Ch. 8

“You have suffered many wounds.”

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

[...] "It shows how many skilled swordsmen there are."
ibid
Drenai series, Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

“Look around you - this [land] is cold, inhospitable. Only the strong survive. Here there are no green fields, no verdant pastures. A warrior is old by the time he is thirty. We have no energy to spend on pretty words.”

David Gemmell book Quest for Lost Heroes

Source: Drenai series, Quest for Lost Heroes, Ch. 12

“I understand why some men become soldiers: to protect the nation and all that. But a whole race of people living to be soldiers seems … unhealthy.”

David Gemmell book Legend

ibid
Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde