Babylon's Ashes (Expanse, #6)

by James S.A. Corey

History, Michio believed, was a long series of surprises that seemed inevitable in retrospect.

The advantage of being in command of all the guns was that no matter how nicely you asked for something, it was still an order.

I have killed, but I am not a killer because a killer is a monster, and monsters aren’t afraid.

Situations change and clinging too tightly to what came before kills you.

“Now,” Laura said, “Michi? What’s the magic word?” Against her will, Michio laughed. It was an old joke. A part of what made her family her family. “The magic word is oops,”

Forgiveness as the default response. This is so powerful.

Let’s get this apocalypse on the road.”

If wars began with rage, they ended with exhaustion.

she came to understand was that humans were domestic animals like dogs and cats. They responded poorly to threats and well to a gentle building of trust.