A hand fought best when it made a fist.
But if you couldn't do everything, did that mean you did nothing?
Do you know the wish of your heart?" - The Darkest Road
It is always difficult, even with the best will in the world, to look back a long way and see anything resembling the truth.
Men made wagers with their judgment, their allegiances, their resources.
It can be hard to write a skillfully entertaining fiction, but a great book wants to be more, and wants more from us.