David Gemmell
David Gemmell
David Andrew Gemmellwas a British author of heroic fantasy, best known for his debut, 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 was always a strong heroic theme but nearly always the heroes were flawed in some way. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sell...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth1 August 1948
I don't give a damn, laddie. Until the actual moment, when they cut me down, I shall still be looking to win. And the gods of war are fickle at best.
[...] In real war an officer may have only one chance at succeeding. Consider each problem.
One day the enemy will cross the Great Green. They will bring war and tragedy to these eastern lands. Such is the nature of vile men. Yet we cannot live in dread of them. We cannot hide behind these high walls, our hearts trembling. For that is not life. We must accept the needs and the duties of each day, and face them one at a time.
When your life has been spent in one war after another for forty-five years, you have to be pretty handy to survive.
A warrior...must believe in his strength of will, of purpose, of heart and soul.
War. What was it about the prospect of some bloody enterprises that reduced men to the level of animals?
How many hopes and dreams are trapped within these bones? How many wonders lie never to be discovered? This is what war is. Desolation, despair and loss. There are no victors.
No matter how impossible this war, I shall fight to win. Whatever I have to do, I will do.
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.
Fear is an aid to the warrior. It is a small fire burning. It heats the muscles, making us stronger. Panic comes when the fire is out of control, consuming all courage and pride.
Most wars are fought for greed, but we are luckier here we fight for our lives and the lives of the people we love.
It would be a fine thing if war could be conducted as a game where no lives were lost. At the end of a battle combatants could meet [...] and drink and talk.
Do not speak badly of yourself, for the warrior that is inside you hears your words and is lessened by them.
Warriors fear surrender. They are proud and defiant. They will fight to the death for what they believe in. They will struggle to conquer. 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.