Thursday, June 04, 2009

Last lines meme

There's a meme doing the rounds, whereby published authors list the final lines from each of their novels. For the life of me, I couldn't remember one of my novels yesterday, had to check the listing on this blog [eyes right and scroll down a screen or two] to prompt my memory. [Note to self: must tidy the bookcase with all my author's copies.] I can't be bothered figuring out original publication order, so here they are alphabetically:

AMORALITY TALE: “So be it.”

THE BLOOD RED ARMY: And you already know how this will end.

BAD MOON RISING: “Dredd out!”

CURSED EARTH ASYLUM: “Especially you, Judge Joe Dredd!”

THE DOMINO EFFECT: “It’s only a matter of time.”

EMPIRE OF DEATH: “But I wouldn’t say no to a hug.”

FIENDS OF THE RISING SUN: “I’m certain we shall play an important part in the years to come, the battle ahead.”

HONOUR BE DAMNED: “But I’m not sure he’ll ever get in that way…”

IMPERIAL BLACK: “It’s a long hike back to civilisation from here.”

KINGDOM OF THE BLIND: “See you on the streets, Janus.”

A MASSACRE IN MARIENBURG: The ratmen had a new home, and they had unspeakable plans for the inhabitants of Rijker’s Isle.

A MURDER IN MARIENBURG: The stone had tasted human blood and it wanted more…

OPERATION VAMPYR: “Enjoy the rest of the war.”

THE SAVAGE AMUSEMENT: “The question is – which one’s more dangerous?”

SILENCER: “See you on the streets!”

THE STRANGELOVE GAMBIT: “I just don’t know.”

SUFFER THE CHILDREN: Yes, this little bastard was the spitting image of its father.

TWILIGHT OF THE DEAD: I pray upon the soul of my beloved Mariya and the lives of my children that I never see the Rumanian again.

WHO KILLED KENNEDY: A man does what he must, in spite of personal consequence, in spite of dangers – and that is the basis of all human morality.

Hmm, lots of dialogue finishes. All the examples that end with question marks or screamers are novels based on the Judge Dredd comics characters, as the more hyperbolic tone betrays. Amidst all the doom-laden nihilism, the last line from Empire of Death [not the chirpiest of novels] seems surprisingly upbeat. The outro of Who Killed Kennedy is a quote from a JFK speech. Chances of me writing like that? Less than zero.

3 comments:

Gareth Michael Turpie said...

Hi David.
Loved the OPERATION VAMPYR: “Enjoy the rest of the war.” one.

Sorry, haven't read the book, but the line conjured up a great pic in my mind's eye of a couple of nonchalant anti heros surrounded by dead baddies.

Course, might just be me...

Sofluid said...

Cor blimey! *Eyes pop out of head*... Didn't realise you'd written all of those!

Are they all published? Will have to seek one out and give it a read...

Jay said...

I see you're on The Weakest Link right now...