Historical Novel Quotes

“I felt hot under my Mutton sleeves. "I just wish he'd have the decency to say whatever he came to say in front of his wife."
"Perhaps his wife is busy today."
"She shouldn't be." His wife should track him like a bloodhound.”
― Diana Forbes, Mistress Suffragette

“Some people like the Jews, and some do not. But no thoughtful man can deny the fact that they are, beyond any question, the most formidable and most remarkable race which has appeared in the world.
— Winston S. Churchill”
― Ellen Brazer, Clouds Across the Sun

“The intermittent depression that had shadowed him throughout his adult life was about to envelop him once again. ”
― Erik Larson, The Devil in the White City

“They stood in the pool of lantern light, the house still around them. She placed a hand to calm his still heaving chest, the heat of his body fresh from travel. The coolness of her hand made him start, then he pulled her close. It was more than her body he needed.”
― Leslie K. Simmons, Red Clay, Running Waters

“As libertines we seek to find and provide pleasures for others before pleasing ourselves. Libertines are never boorish, profane or blasphemous. We seek to lessen any cause for offence while maximizing pleasure. After our liaisons, our return is eagerly anticipated, and our departure is mourned. For most men the reverse is the case. In a world where most men are barely on before they are off again, we take the time and the care to be gentle lovers and build the sighs and the panting of true delight.”
― Harry F. MacDonald, Casanova and the Devil's Doorbell

“Shit rolls downhill. Bureaucracy rolls faster.”
― David Wellington

“She is my friend, and there is nothing you can say or do that can stop me from helping her.”
― Peter G. Nogel

“Sein Grinsen verschwand.
»Sie müssen das verstehen, Gnädigste.« Er beugte sich zu ihr hin und sah sie mit ernstem Ausdruck an. »Das ist eine einmalige Gelegenheit. Ich konnte nicht widerstehen. Sie haben selbst gesagt, damit ginge mein sehnlichster Wunsch in Erfüllung.« Seine dunklen Augen glitzerten hinterlistig. Ein verschlagener Unterton schwang in seiner Stimme mit. »Sicherlich macht es denen nichts aus, wenn Sie sie den lieben langen Tag mit Ihren nervtötenden Fragen löchern.«
Katherine fühlte, wie ihr das Blut aus den Wangen wich. Eiskalte Furcht kroch in ihr Herz, schien in jeden Winkel ihres Körpers zu dringen, während ihr Blick zwischen Joes höhnisch grinsender Miene und den näherkommenden Arapaho hin und her ruckte.
Nein!
Die Indianer würden sie nicht bekommen!
Ein erbitterter Überlebenswille erwachte in ihr, packte sie mit Macht.”
― Melanie Nova, Die Avantgardistin: Westwärts

“I have been waiting for this second novel - The Keys of Hell and Death - in Charles Cordell's series, and am not disappointed. Once more, he evokes the experience of the Civil War soldier, in every branch of arms, more vividly than ever before.”
― Professor Ronald Hutton

“ Charles Cordell, a former soldier, writes with bravura confidence.”
― The Times

“ The Keys of Hell and Death by Charles Cordell - plunges the reader into the very trenches, hedgerows, ridges and streets of the war.”
― Miranda Malins

“I have been waiting for this second novel - The Keys of Hell and Death by Charles Cordell - and am not disappointed. Once again he evokes the experience of the Civil War soldier more vividly than ever before.”
― Ronald Hutton

“The ground shudders from cavalry attack and cannon fire. You can smell the sweat of fear." - The Keys of Hell and Death by Charles Cordell”
― David Gilman

“Shit on the tyranny of privilege and oppression that enclosed common land.”
― Charles Cordell, God's Vindictive Wrath

“As one, they yelled the name of a princess butchered, a child locked in a barren convent, the last drifting snow of Glyndŵr. ‘Gwenllian!”
― Charles Cordell, God's Vindictive Wrath

“Spike, rake, sponge, charge, wad, shot, wad – the gun crews worked like automatons. There was something extraordinary in the way that every man performed his motions as a part of the action. Every movement was synchronised with the next. They were a perfect machine – each one a piece of the mechanism, like the wheels of the watch in his pocket. He could think of no other example of men working together with such precision. This was man, industry and science in unison. Was this the way of the future? It was a wondrous and near-perfect thing. But it was a perfection bent on destruction.”
― Charles Cordell, God's Vindictive Wrath

“Do not miss this evocative account of the English Civil War, and the ordinary men caught up in it." - God's Vindictive Wrath by Charles Cordell”
― Ben Kane

“It would be wrong, however, to judge the actions of one era from the perspective of another. What would be regarded today as shameful for a man of honour was in those days an entirely simple and natural thing.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers

“Beni mahvetti. Gülüşüyle aklımı çeldi. Bakışıyla kalbimi mühürledi. Bahtıma yalnızca birkaç cilve düştü. Sonrasında ateşin çevresinde dönen bir pervane böceği oldum. Evet umutsuz ama belki bir umut bulurum diye darma duman.”
― Deniz Canan, Larende'nin Düşüşü

“I wished that old Diogenes, groping so patiently with his lantern, searching so zealously for one solitary honest man in all the world, might meander along and stumble on our party. I ought not to say it, may be, but still I suppose he would have put out his light." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Fame is a hungry monster; it is never satisfied." Bayard Taylor”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“The solitude revealed a drama that showed how frivolous was everything within the place from whence we had come." Hans Christian Andersen”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Much that we learned, much that we saw, much that we heard, we will forget, but still a store of softly-tinted images will remain in our memories. We will remember something." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Boldness breeds boldness." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Solemn, grand, and beautiful, it will always remain in our memories." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“One author is too favorable, another too severe, and I foresee that, inasmuch as my path lies between the two extremes, I shall be, to some extent, discredited by both sides." Bayard Taylor”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“-Kızım biliyorsun, amcan Abdülhamid tam 33 yıl tahtta kaldı. Allah uzun ömür versin, 33 yıl ondan habersiz kuş uçamadı koca imparatorlukta. Çok hizmetleri oldu, çok hayratlar, okullar, hastaneler yaptırdı. Her tür savaştan alabildiğine kaçındı, ip üstünde bir cambaz gibi hünerle yönetti imparatorluğa ama...
Sanki birisi duyacakmış gibi korkuyla sesini alçatarak devam etti.
-Ama pek vesveseli, pek güvensizdi. Kendinden başka kimseyi dinlemez, kimseye güvenmezdi. Hele orduya hiç. Kendine karşı ihtilal yaparlar diye donanmayı Haliç'te çürüttüğünden yakınırdı ya hep rahmetli baban. Gerçi otuz üç yıl ülkeyi hiç savaşa sokmadı ama bu Devleti Ali'nin toprak kaybetmesini engellemedi ki...”
― Melike İlgün, Enver Paşa'nın Sultanı: Onu Bu Kadar Sevmeseydi Tarih Böyle Yazılmazdı

“Tonight," began Potapov, his wrinkled nose twitching above his thin lips, "we plan to pass a new resolution, not just for Ispas, but for all the villages in the region. Effective immediately and until further notice, every horse breeder, like you, Comrade Lazar, will not just try, but will ensure—no, he will guarantee—the pregnancy and birth of all female horses!" The fifty people in the hall fell silent, and Potapov asked, "Is that clear? Is there anything unclear in my words?"
"Anything unclear in my words?" Isabel echoed him.
"Yes, Comrade Potapov," Roman replied. "There are some unclear aspects." Isabelle and Sissy pinched him, and Isabelle mimicked Potapov's grating tenor, "One hundred percent pregnancy and birth of all female horses!" Sissy nearly burst into laughter. Roman detached himself from his wife and sister and strode to the aisle between the benches, where he could speak without their interruptions.
"You claim to be an animal husbandry expert from Moscow?" Roman inquired. "Please enlighten us on how to achieve such remarkable outcomes."
Ostap stood up—Ostap, who never spoke at these meetings! Even Yana was taken aback. "Excuse me," Ostap said, seemingly astonished at his own audacity, "but is that what they call female horses in Moscow, 'women mares'? Because here in Ukraine, we simply call them 'mares'."
"Never mind that," dismissed Potapov.
"And by the way, mares don't 'give birth'," Ostap added, his eyes ablaze with animosity and his voice dripping with scorn. "They foal."
"Let's proceed," Potapov gestured towards the Lazar family members seated with Mirik and Petka. "Comrade Zhuk has informed me about you, the Lazar family," he stated. Petka immediately stood up and moved to another seat. Mirik also shifted his chair slightly further away—just a few centimeters, but it was enough! He distanced himself so as not to be associated with the troublesome Lazars, Isabelle realized. Incredible. As problematic as his wife.”
― Paulina Simons

“Ukraine, March 1929

Roman and Ostap founded an organization called OWK. They handcrafted leaflets with thick pencils and distributed them across the city, sticking them to doors and walls. When an OGPU agent of Afros confronted Roman, he boldly stated, "I serve the revolution, comrade. What about you?" Later, Afros and Zhuk summoned the brothers to a commandeered house in the village square. There, Zhuk questioned if Roman wanted to be sent to Murmansk, which Roman refused. He argued that no kulaks were left in Ispas after the severe purge six weeks earlier. Therefore, they decided to form a group open to everyone, planning its first meeting for the next week. OWK, standing for 'Organization without Kulaks,' was envisioned by Roman as a collective for the non-wealthy farmers of Ispas. He believed that maintaining class struggle among Ukrainian farmers was difficult, as the categories changed with each harvest. Given the recent bad harvest and the absence of kulaks, Roman was unsure how to continue the class conflict as Zhuk had outlined. Nonetheless, he reassured Zhuk with a friendly smile about their commitment to removing the last anti-communist elements, thus establishing OWK. Jock insisted that true commitment meant joining collectivization. Roman recognized the inefficiency of small farms and was open to discussing it further, alluding to important details about the Lazar family's land.”
― Paulina Simons

“The truth is born within the soul; a faint light in a dark room, needing patience and contemplation..."
Alexios; Gnostic Master”
― Hany Elframawy, The Codex Of The Last Supper: Alexandria 250 AD