Who hasn’t wanted to be as brave as Aragorn, as wise as Gandalf, or as determined as Geralt of Rivia? While we’re not leading armies into Mordor or overthrowing corrupt regimes in our daily lives, that doesn’t mean we can’t channel some of that epic energy! This collection of inspiring quotes from fantasy books is here to help you tackle your everyday challenges, whether they be as simple as Monday blues or as grand as life decisions. So grab your metaphorical swords and shields, and let’s conquer our real-world quests one wise word at a time!
1. “We are always more afraid than we wish to be, but we can always be braver than we expect.”
– Robert Jordan, Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time)
2. “Courage is about learning how to function despite the fear, to put aside your instincts to run or give in completely to the anger born from fear. Courage is about using your brain and your heart when every cell of your body is screaming at you to fight or flee – and then following through on what you believe is the right thing to do.”
– Jim Butcher, Ghost Story (The Dresden Files)
3. “There’s a wide world out there, for those willing to brave the dark.”
– Peter V. Brett, The Warded Man (Demon Cycle)
4. “You can cry about how things aren’t fair, or you can stand tall and make things fair.”
– David Dalglish, Magic, Myth & Majesty
5. “Being terrified but going ahead and doing what must be done – that’s courage. The one who feels no fear is a fool, and the one who lets fear rule him is a coward.”
– Piers Anthony, Castle Roogna (Xanth)
6. “Courage is found in unlikely places.”
– J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings)
7. “There is one rule, above all others, for being a man. Whatever comes, face it on your feet.”
– Robert Jordan, The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time)
8. “There is no doom so black or deep that courage and clear sight may not find another truth beyond it.”
– Stephen R. Donaldson, Against All Things Ending (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant)
9. “The most important step a man can take. It’s not the first one, is it? It’s the next one. Always the next step.”
– Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive)
10. “I don’t need to be a hero. I’d settle for feeling that what I did every day had significance to someone besides myself.”
– Robin Hobb, Fool’s Errand (Tawny Man)
11. “You cannot change what you are, only what you do.”
– Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials)
12. “Ambition is not a dirty word. Piss on compromise. Go for the throat.”
– Steven Erikson, Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen)
13. “There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated.”
– Scott Lynch, The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard)
14. “Faith is about what you do. It’s about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It’s about making sacrifices for the good of others – even when there’s not going to be anyone telling you what a hero you are.”
– Jim Butcher, Changes (The Dresden Files)
15. “I will take responsibility for what I have done. If I must fall, I will rise each time a better man.”
– Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive)
16. “Bones mend. Regret stays with you forever.”
– Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle)
17. “Hope can be a source of strength, but when it fails to deliver what I want, I’ve found a good degree of stubbornness to be an appropriate substitute.”
– Andrew Rowe, On the Shoulders of Titans (Arcane Ascension)
18. “An ordinary archer practices until he gets it right. A ranger practices until he never gets it wrong.”
– John Flanagan, The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger’s Apprentice)
19. “Take a rest and the world catches up with you. Lesson in life – keep moving.”
– Mark Lawrence, Emperor of Thorns (The Broken Empire)
20. “You’re alive. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything.”
― Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book
21. “When training is hard, the battle is easy.”
– David Dalglish, Magic, Myth & Majesty
22. “Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”
– George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire)
23. “In failure, may we find dignity. In loss, may we find wisdom. In pain, may we find growth. May our souls rise. Ever rise.”
– Phil Tucker, The White Song (The Chronicles of the Black Gate)
24. “When hope dies, you breathe it back to life again! No matter how long it takes, or what time’s required to heal the wound. Disappointment will not last a lifetime unless you lie down and give in.”
– Janny Wurts, Initiate’s Trial (Wars of Light and Shadow)
25. “There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.”
– Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana
26. “If the road is easy, you’re likely going the wrong way.”
– Terry Goodkind, Soul of the Fire (Sword of Truth)
27. “You have ambition. Never apologize for that.”
– Samantha Shannon, The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos)
28. “Only when we admit to our failures and recognize our weaknesses can we rise above them.”
– R.A. Salvatore, Passage to Dawn (Legacy of the Drow)
29. “All you can do is take each day as it comes. Try and do the best you can with what you’re given. You won’t always do the right thing, but you can try. And you can try to do the right thing next time. That, and stay alive.”
– Joe Abercrombie, The Heroes (First Law World)
30. “You should act, be brave, seize life by the scruff of the neck. Believe me, you should only regret inactivity, indecisiveness, hesitation. You shouldn’t regret actions or decisions, even if they occasionally end in sadness and regret.”
– Andrzej Sapkowski, Time of Contempt (Witcher Saga)
