John Flanagan citations

“A good leader is someone who knows what he's bad at, and hires someone who's good at it to take care of it for him.”

“But then, in his lifetime, Halt had often ignored what was technically legal. Technicalities didn't appeal to him. All too often, they simply got in the way of doing the right thing.”

“… at the time, King Herbert felt that to remain safe, the kingdom needed an effective intelligence force."

"An intelligent force?" said Will.

"Not intelligent. Intelligence. Although it does help if your intelligence force was also intelligent.”

“Failure is just a few seconds away from success.”

“Very impressive. Where did you learn that?"
Made it up just now.”

“How can you stay so calm?"
It helps if you're terrified.”

“People will think what they want to," he said quietly. Never take too much notice of it.”

“Ow!" said Horace as the Ranger's fingers probed and poked around the bruise.
Did that hurt?" Halt asked, and Horace looked at him with exasperation.
Of course it did," he said sharply. "That's why I said 'ow!”

“Always expect something to go wrong," he told him. "Believe me, if you're wrong, you're not dissapointed. If you're right, you're ready for it.”

“Sometimes," Halt continued, "we tend to expect a little too much of Ranger horses. After all, they are only human.”

“It would be unthinkably bad luck to be betrayed by a rumbling stomach.”

“Sometimes people can be too intellegent for their own good. Too much thinking could confuse things.”

“It's surprising how often history is decided by something as trival as bad shellfish.”

“Remember no one expects you to be Halt. He's a legend, after all. Haven't you heard? He's eight feet tall and kills bears with his bare hands…”

“If they invent a four legged chicken," Will said, "Horace will think he's gone to Heaven.”

“Then, driven by the same impulse, they kissed him--Aylss on the let cheek, Evanlyn on the right.

And then they glared daggers at each other.”

“Ah, Signor Halt,' he said uncertainly, 'you are making a joke, yes?'
'He is making a joke, no,' Will said. 'But he likes to think he is making a joke, yes.”

“An ordinary archer practices until he gets it right. A ranger practices until he never gets it wrong.”

“So I'm an ace?' Will grinned. 'I'm flattered Halt, flattered. I had no idea you regarded me so highly.'
Halt gave him a long-suffering look. 'I might have been more accurate to say a joker.'
Whatever you say.”

“You know, Gilan, sarcasm isn't the lowest form of wit. It's not even wit at all.”

“A hundred people is rather a large handful for the four of us to take on," Malcolm pointed out. "Do you have any ideas about how we're going to handle that task?"
"Simple," Halt told him. "We'll surround them.”

“Then the two friends leaned back and watched the sun rise clear of the trees.
“Best time of day,” said Will.
Yes,” Horace agreed. “What’s for breakfast?”

“You're an Apprentice! You're not ready to think!"
Gilan and Halt.
The Ruins of Gorlan.”

“You know, one of these days, I'm actually going to take offense if people keep throwing out these slurs. And then things are going to get rather ugly. When we Skandians do take offense, we do it with a battleax.”

“Don't worry, chief. We've got these Tualaghi surrounded - from the inside."
"Exactly," Erak replied dryly.”

“‎Halt looked up at the trees above him.
"Why does this boy ask so many questions?" he asked the trees.
Naturally, they didn't answer.”

“Yes, I'm back," he said, "And look who I ran into."
Horace grinned at him. "i hope you ran into him hard."
"As hard as I could.”

“Never give up because, if an opportunity arises, you have to be ready to take it.”

“You're a very amusing fellow," he told Halt. "I'd like to brain you with my ax one of these days."
Erak to Halt.”