Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)

by Brandon Sanderson

I consider myself to be a man of principle. But what man does not? Even the cutthroat, I have noticed, believes his actions to be moral after a fashion. Perhaps another person, reading of my life, would name me a religious tyrant. He could call me arrogant. What is to make that man’s opinion any less valid than my own? I guess it all comes down to one fact: In the end, I’m the one with the armies.

When you’re alone, no one can betray you.

“Women are like … thunderstorms. They’re beautiful to look at, and sometimes they’re nice to listen to—but most of the time they’re downright inconvenient.”