Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)

by Brandon Sanderson

The only reason to be subservient to those with power is so that you can learn to someday take what they have.

“the entire point of life is to find ways to get others to do your work for you. Don’t you know anything about basic economics?”

The right belief is like a good cloak, I think. If it fits you well, it keeps you warm and safe. The wrong fit, however, can suffocate.”

Perhaps you’ve considered joining it. Most of you will not—most of you will go back to your soot-stained mills, to your burning forges, to your dying homes. You’ll go because this terrible life is familiar. But some of you … some of you will come with me. And those are the men who will be remembered in the years to come. Remembered for having done something grand.”

“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.”

“But what is money? A physical representation of the abstract concept of effort.

“To resist,” Mennis said. “To fight. That’s why those lads came to the caves. It wasn’t a matter of winning or losing, it was a matter of doing something—anything—to struggle against the Lord Ruler.”

“If you’re always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.

Everything’s going to change, Sazed, and I can’t stop it.” Sazed smiled fondly. “Then, mistress,” he said quietly, “simply enjoy what you have. The future will surprise you, I think.”

“Men are more resilient than that, I think. Our belief is

often strongest when it should be weakest. That is the nature of hope.”

“When’s the last time you slept in an alley, shivering in the cold rain, listening to the beggar next to you cough with a sickness you knew would kill him? When’s the last time you

had to lie awake at night, terrified that one of the men in your crew would try to rape you? Have you ever knelt, starving, wishing you had the courage to knife the crewmember beside you just so you could take his crust of bread? Have you ever cowered before your brother as he beat you, all the time feeling thankful because at least you had someone who paid attention to you?”

“Belief isn’t simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief—what is faith—if you don’t continue in it after failure?”