Timothy Zahn > Quotes

“If you don't want to be noticed, you don't use a Star Destroyer.”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“Without trust, there can be no genuine peace. Neither in politics, nor in the quiet individuality of the heart and spirit.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Vision of the Future

“It is said that one should keep one's allies within view, and one's enemies within reach.
A valid statement. One must be able to read an ally's strengths, so as to determine how to best use them. One must similarly be able to read his enemy's weaknesses, so as to determine how to best defeat him.
But what of friends?
There is no accepted answer, perhaps true friendship is so exceedingly rare. But I had formulated my own.
A friend need not be kept within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path. If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his present. For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone.”
― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn

“You're not the last of the old Jedi, Luke, you're the first of the new”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“I've found that what most people call luck is often little more than raw talent combined with the ability to make the most of opportunities. (Talon Karrde)”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“Do you know the difference between an error and a mistake, Ensign?”
The entire bridge had gone deathly still. Colclazure swallowed again, his face starting to go pale. “No, sir.”
“Anyone can make an error, Ensign. But that error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“Still, even when false, legends can be most informative.”
― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn

“A friend need not be kept either within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path.
If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if the paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his presence.
For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone.”
― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn

“There are things in the universe that are simply and purely evil. A warrior does not seek to understand them, or to compromise with them. He seeks only to obliterate them.”
― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn

“Failure to act always brings consequences. But sometimes, those consequences can be turned to one’s advantage.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“Governments and entire planets are important, Threepio. But when you sift everything down, they're all just made of people.”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“When you understand a species' art, you understand that species.”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“The choices of one shape the futures of all.”
― Timothy Zahn

“A great tactician creates plans. A good tactician recognizes the soundness of a plan presented on him. A fair tactician must see the plan succeed before offering approval.
Those with no tactical ability at all may never understand or accept it. Nor will such people understand or accept the tactician. To those without that ability, those who posses it are a mystery.
And when a mind is too deficient in understanding, the resulting gap is often filled with with resentment.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“I’ve found that what most people call luck is often little more than raw talent combined with the ability to make the most of opportunities.”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“One may learn a great deal of a people by the stories they tell of others.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“the best path didn’t have to be quick as long as it was correct.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“All people have regrets. Warriors are no exceptions.
One would hope it was possible to distinguish between events caused by one's carelessness or lack of ability and those caused by circumstances or forces beyond a one's control. But in practice, there is no difference. All forms of regret sear equally into the mind and soul. All forms leave scars of equal bitterness.
And always, beneath the scar, lurks the thought and fear that there was something else that could have been done. Some action, or inaction, that would have changed things for the better. Such questions can sometimes be learned form. All to often, they merely add to the scar tissue.
A warrior must learn to set those regrets aside as best he can. Knowing full well that they will never be far away.”
― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn

“Fear and anger, Yoda had often warned him, were slaves to the dark side. Vaguely, Luke wondered which side curiosity served.”
― Timothy Zahn, Heir to the Empire

“Leadership is a role and a task that should never be aspired to lightly. Neither should loyalty be given without reason.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“Uncertainty can be the most difficult and frightening of mental states. If you’re always wondering which way to go, you might freeze up and not go anywhere. If you’re afraid you can’t do something, you might not even try.”
― Timothy Zahn, Chaos Rising

“It is never wrong to be curious. But it can sometimes be dangerous.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“No battle plan can anticipate all contingencies. There are always unexpected factors including those stemming from the opponent's initiative. A battle must thus becomes a balance between plan and improvisation, between error and correction.
It is a narrow line. But it is a line one's opponent must also walk. For all the balance of experience and cleverness, it is often the warrior who acts quickest who will prevail.”
― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn

“History is on the move, Captain. Those who cannot keep up will be left behind, to watch from a distance.”
― Timothy Zahn, The Last Command

“A great tactician creates plans. A good tactician recognizes the soundness of a plan presented to him. A fair tactician must see the plan succeed before offering approval. Those with no tactical ability at all may never understand or accept it. Nor”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“The key to a satisfying life is to accept those things that cannot be changed, and make a positive difference with those that can.”
― Timothy Zahn, Chaos Rising

“No one is immune from failure. All have tasted the bitterness of defeat and disappointment. A warrior must not dwell on that failure, but must learn from it and continue on. But”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn

“Thrawn shrugged. "There are two ways to destroy a person, Jorj. Kill him, or ruin his reputation.”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Choices of One

“Multiple species, with multiple viewpoints and racial philosophies, simply cannot hold power together for long. The dominant voice must certainly be wise enough to adopt ideas and methods from its allies and member peoples. But there must be a dominant voice, or there is only chaos. In this part of the galaxy, that voice is the Empire."

-Thrawn”
― Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Choices of One

“The grand admiral was smart and subtle, but never used his brilliance to show up or humiliate anyone. He demanded results, but never perfection, and had amazing stores of patience for those who were truly working to their fullest ability. He cared about his people, to the point of standing up for them even against the disapproval of powerful men like Lord Vader.”
― Timothy Zahn, Alliances