I recently finished reading the six book series Codex Alera by Jim Butcher. It was a fantastic fantasy series with tons of action (there are quite a few wars that occur) and also some great quotes. I highly recommend reading it!
I notated my favorite quotes in my book journal and thought I’d share a few with you today. If you have any quotes you love from this series, please share them in the comments! 🙂
From Furies of Calderon (Book 1)
“The course of history is determined not by battles, by sieges, or usurpations, but by the actions of the individual.”
“‘Sometimes,’ Bernard rumbled, ‘the only smart thing to do is nothing. Sometimes you just have to be still and see how events begin to unfold before you move. Be patient.'”
“Tavi looked wildly around the courtyard, and when his gaze flicked toward them, his face lit with a ferocious smile. ‘Uncle Bernard! Uncle Bernard!’ he shouted, pointing at Doroga. ‘He followed me home! Can we keep him?'” (As a side note, Dorogoa is the head of the gargant clan of the Marat.)
From Academ’s Fury (Book 2)
“You will probably find, in life, that successes and victories tend to overshadow the risk you took, while failure will amplify how idiotic they were.”
From Cursor’s Fury (Book 3; Also my favorite book of the series.)
“Warriors fight. Legionares fight together. It isn’t about being the best swoardsman. It’s about forming a whole that is stronger than the sum of the individuals in it.”
“Life isn’t certain or fair. That isn’t anyone’s fault. Even yours.”
“Battles are fought in muddy fields, in burning towns, in treacherous forests, in unforgiving mountains, and on the blood-splattered stones of contested bridges, Tavi realized. But battles are won within the minds and hearts of the soldiers fighting them. No force was defeated in battle until it believed that it was defeated. No force would be victorious until it believed it could be victorious.”
“You beg fate to make your fears into reality, Aleran. But for the moment, they are only fears. They may come. If so, then face them and overcome them. Until then, pay them no mind. You have enough to think on.”
From Captain’s Fury (Book 4)
“Every problem was an opportunity, from the proper point of view.”
“…Very few people understand that swoards aren’t dangerous, Tavi, nor hands, nor arms, nor furies. Minds are dangerous. Wills are dangerous. You are heavily armed with both.”
From Princeps’ Fury (Book 5)
“Fear is an enemy. Respect it. But do not let it conquer you before the fight has begun.”
“Any man with a brain in his head looks for three things in anyone he’ll follow: will, brains, and a heart.”
From First Lord’s Fury (Book 6)
“‘Life is unfair, uncaring, and painful, young Gaius,’ Alera said. ‘Only a madman struggles against the tide.'”
“Life, Tavi reflected, seldom makes a gift of what one expects or plans for.”
