Bernard Cornwell Quotes
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At risk of sounding foully pompous I think that writers' groups are probably very useful at the beginning of a writing career.
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To say anything was useless, to say nothing was cowardly. 'I think it a bad idea, Sir.'
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Of course some days are easier than others, but my worst day is better than being in most humdrum occupations.
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What did he want? A tournament? Who does he think we are? The knights of the round bloody table? I don't know what happens to some folk. They put a sir in front of their names and their brains get addled. Fighting fair! Whoever heard of anything so daft? Fight fair and you lose.
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Here, in this filthy stench of powder smoke, he felt at home. Other men learned how to plough fields or to shape wood, but Sharpe had learned how to use a musket or rifle, sword or bayonet, and how to turn an enemy's flank or assault a fortress.
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Looking back, of course, it was irresponsible, mad, forlorn, idiotic, but if you don't take chances then you'll never have a winning hand, and I've no regrets.
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All gunners were deaf, they said. They were the kings of the battlefield and they never heard the applause.
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He's actually a rather good ruler. Better, I suspect, than most of our Christian monarchs. He's certainly been good for Mysore. He's fetched it a deal of wealth, given it more justice than most countries enjoy in India and he's been tolerant to most religions, though I fear he did persecute some unfortunate Christians.
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'You want a blessing, my son? Then God give strength to your bow and add bite to your arrows! May your arm never tire and your eye never dim. God and the saints bless you while you kill!'
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So far it's 43 books in 25 years.
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'You've never heard of Paul Revere?' 'No.' 'Lucky man, Sharpe. He called my father a traitor, and our family called Revere a traitor, and I rather think we lost the argument.'
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'It ain't justice, Richard, but politics, and like all politics it ain't pretty, but well done it can work wonders.'
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'There are rules, orders, regulations, Sharpe, by which our lives are conducted. If we ignore those rules, burdensome though they may be, then we open the gates to anarchy and tyranny; the very things against which we fight!'
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'They like the idea of recusing women. ... Everyone hates the bloody army till someone needs rescuing, then we're all bloody heroes and white knights.'