Piers Anthony > Quotes

“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

“I think it's a shame that something as creative and vital to the nature of the human species as story-telling is largely controlled by the soulless cretins known as publishers.”
― Piers Anthony

“When yous steal from the library, you are preventing anyone else from reading that book, and the very notion makes me want to drop you in the Void.”
― Piers Anthony, Golem in the Gears

“For our stories are not yet finished, and perhaps will never be.”
― Piers Anthony, Crewel Lye

“She looked around. "Oh, I've just got to hug somebody! You!" And she hugged Puck, the little ghost horse. "And you." She hugged Pook, and Peek, and even the nose of the moat monster. "But not you," she decided, encountering the zombie.”
― Piers Anthony, Crewel Lye

“Never thought I'd see the day when Death was denied. That leaves taxes as the only certainty.”
― Piers Anthony

“At this slower pace the journey took a couple of days, and I fought off a few minor threats along the way --griffins, carnivorous plants, giant serpents, hostile centaurs, that sort of thing, purely routine --and I was beginning to get bored when at last the dusky towers of Castle Roogna hove into view.”
― Piers Anthony, Crewel Lye

“Information is power.
--Humfrey”
― Piers Anthony, Question Quest

“Dor woke again as dawn came. The sun had somehow gotten around to the east, where the land was, and dried off so that it could shine again.”
― Piers Anthony, Centaur Aisle

“Bink knew the dolphin only from old pictures; it was a kind of magic fish that breathed air instead of water.”
― Piers Anthony, A Spell for Chameleon

“Every person professes to love good and hate evil, but in his actions his real preferences emerges.”
― Piers Anthony, Bearing An Hourglass

“Barbarian --A Code of Conduct honored by all true barbarian warriors, requiring excellent coordination with weapons, closeness to nature, awkwardness with women, common sense, and completion of the mission.”
― Piers Anthony, Golem in the Gears

“Latia returned, coming around the curve and stepping through the glass. "Yes, it's our path," she reported. "And it seems to be near the ogre fen."
"Oh? How do you know?" Esk asked.
"Oh, nothing specific. Trees twisted into pretzels, boulders cracked with hairy fist marks on them, dragons slinking about as if terrified of anything on two legs. Perhaps I am mistaken.”
― Piers Anthony, Vale of the Vole

“You don't have to settle for what you are at this moment. You can work to make a difference.
--Chex”
― Piers Anthony, Vale of the Vole

“Enough , you hens!" Niobe exploded. "It's tentative!"

Lachesis snorted "As tentative as a pregnancy,girl!”
― Piers Anthony, With a Tangled Skein

“At first I was exhilarated by my freedom from the responsibility of the kingship. This lasted about seven minutes. I was also depressed by my freedom from marriage, for I had become accustomed to the attentions of a woman. This lasted about nine minutes. Then I was bored.”
― Piers Anthony, Question Quest

“But one must go where one's road leads, even when it's a distressing road.”
― Piers Anthony, Crewel Lye

“Yes, I'm always hungry after a fatal injury.
--Jordan”
― Piers Anthony, Crewel Lye

“...the sweetest temptation could be that which was known to be the most foolish.”
― Piers Anthony, Vale of the Vole

“Be what you are; it is better that way.
--Dolph”
― Piers Anthony, Heaven Cent

“Referring to Jumper the spider, who needs to hide himself in human form, and he's learning to act like a human.

"I'm sure I can learn to walk faster than that," he said desperately.
"But you'll also need to learn the nuances of human behavior. Such as not going around naked."
"What's wrong with being natural?" he demanded.
"Humans aren't natural. They are girt about by all manner of conventions. It will take time for you to catch up with them all.”
― Piers Anthony, Jumper Cable

“Happy children do not seem to grow up to be writers.”
― Piers Anthony

“By all means. Swords have ever been the best servants of crazy men.”
― Piers Anthony, Castle Roogna

“Why did things have to be so complicated with human beings?...Yet if we were not what we were, creatures with at least the awareness of purpose and honor, what would we be? Empty knights in armor, seeming so strong on the outside, yet hollow inside?”
― Piers Anthony, Crewel Lye

“Adults had the notion that juveniles needed to suffer. Only when they had suffered enough to wipe out most of their naturally joyous spirits and innocence were they staid enough to be considered mature. An adult was essentially a broken-down child.”
― Piers Anthony, Centaur Aisle

“Wenda's chest and hips shrank, her shoulders and arms turned muscular and her body became lean and hard where it had been rounded and soft. The hair of her head shortened drastically, and a mustache sprouted on her upper lip. Her delicate human feet had become hard hooves. She was now not a nymph but a faun. Physically; she would never be male in spirit.”
― Piers Anthony, Knot Gneiss