Sourcery (Discworld, #5; Rincewind, #3)

by Terry Pratchett

“When you’ve beaten everyone else, there’s only the gods left to fight,”

The soft octarine glow from the books filled the inside of the tower with something that, while it wasn’t exactly light, was a blackness you could see by.

a sockful of half-brick and a dark alley to lurk in was generally considered a better bet than any two magic swords you cared to name.

The voice of the hat had been bad enough, but the voice of the staff was metallic and precise; it didn’t sound as though it was offering advice but simply stating the way the future had to be. It sounded quite impossible to ignore.

“That’s it though,” said Creosote. “That’s the whole rather sad point. You’ll do something brave, and then you’ll die.”

“I don’t think I’m much good at explaining,” said Conina, in a small voice. “I am,” said Nijel, firmly. “I’m always having to explain.”

“I don’t know what to do,” he said. “No harm in that. I’ve never known what to do,” said Rincewind with hollow cheerfulness. “Been completely at a loss my whole life.” He hesitated. “I think it’s called being human, or something.”

the maniacally glazed tones of one who is trying to see all sides of the issue and is certain that a solution will be found if people of goodwill will only sit around a table and discuss things rationally like sensible human beings.

It’s vital to remember who you really are. It’s very important. It isn’t a good idea to rely on other people or things to do it for you, you see. They always get it wrong.”

It’s at times like this that sobriety loses its attractions and I’m sure the end of the world will look a lot better through the bottom of a glass, if it’s all the same to you.

If we’re going to die anyway, I’d rather die like this. Heroically.” “Is it heroic to die like this?” said Conina. “I think it is,” he said, “and when it comes to dying, there’s only one opinion that matters.”

The sourcerer had offered to replace everything as good as new, all wood sparkling, all stone unstained, but the Librarian had been very firm on the subject. He wanted everything replaced as good as old.