Shivers heaved out a sigh. “Just trying to make tomorrow that bit better than today is all. I’m one of those … you’ve got a word for it, don’t you?”“Idiots?”He looked sideways at her. “It was a different one I had in mind.”“Optimists.”“That’s the one. I’m an optimist.”“How’s it working out for you?”“Not great, but I keep hoping.”“That’s optimists. You bastards never learn.

One cannot grow without pain. One cannot improve without it. Suffering drives us to achieve great things.

A set of huge marble busts stared smugly down from on high: great merchants and financiers of Styrian history, by the look of them. Criminals made heroes by colossal success.

Armour... is part of a state of mind... in which you admit the possibility... of being hit.

Are you entirely sure of that knot?' asked Morveer. 'There is no place in the plan for a lengthy drop'.'Twenty-eight strides', said Friendly.'What?''The drop'.A brief pause, 'That is not helpful'.

You have to love the small things, when you’venothing else.

By swap news do you mean drink?" "I do, and that excessively.

it was like staring at a whitewashed wall, but without all the emotion

If killing folk ever starts to right, you’ve a worse kind of problem. Guilt can sting, but you should be thankful for it.’‘Thankful?’‘Guilt is a luxury reserved for those still breathing and with no unbearable pain, cold or hunger demanding all their fickle attention. Long as guilt’s your big problem, girl...things can’t be that bad.