The End of All Things (Old Man's War #6)

by John Scalzi

I noted that sarcasm was a near-universal trait of intelligent species.

“It’s easier to be the aspirational leader when the thing you’re building doesn’t exist. But now it exists, and you’re not aspirational anymore. Now you’re just the chief bureaucrat. Bureaucrats don’t inspire awe.”

“But I have always found that there’s an inverse relationship between the number of people in a room and the amount of useful work that can be done.

“I’m a terrific boss, and I’ll brutally sabotage the career of any underling who says different.”