MA > MA's Quotes

“Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed. It is all part of the fairy tale.”
― Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn

“She is our moon. Our tidal pull. She is the rich deep beneath the sea, the buried treasure, the expression in the owl's eye, the perfume in the wild rose. She is what the water says when it moves.”
― Patricia A. McKillip, Solstice Wood

“The entire range of human experience is present in a church choir, including, but not restricted to jealousy, revenge, horror, pride, incompetence (the tenors have never been on the right note in the entire history of church choirs, and the basses have never been on the right page), wrath, lust and existential despair.”
― Connie Willis, The Winds of Marble Arch and Other Stories

“Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression.”
― Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” —T. E. Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph”
― N.K. Jemisin, The Killing Moon

“The shadows of Ina-Karekh are the place where nightmares dwell, but not their source. Never forget: the shadowlands are not elsewhere. We create them. They are within.”
― N.K. Jemisin, The Killing Moon

“Well,” said the frog, “what are you going to do about it?”

“Marrying Therandil? I don’t know. I’ve tried talking to my parents, but they won’t listen, and neither will Therandil.”

“I didn’t ask what you’d said about it,” the frog snapped. “I asked what you’re going to do. Nine times out of ten, talking is a way of avoiding doing things.”
― Patricia C. Wrede, Dealing with Dragons

“Contrary to popular assumption, going on an expedition around the world is not merely a matter of obtaining a ship and charting a course. There are visas to be considered, and bureaucracy to navigate when those visas fail to arrive in time, expire too soon, or meet with blank stares on the receiving end. The politics of nations and their economic markets may interfere with your journey. In short, you may spend an appalling amount of time mired in stuffy little offices, trying to get permission to be where you are.”
― Marie Brennan, The Voyage of the Basilisk

“Stopping a battle is much harder than starting it. Starting it only requires you to shout ‘Attack!’ but when you want to stop it, everyone is busy.”
― Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment

“When no one understands, that's usually a good sign that you're wrong.”
― Victoria Schwab, Vicious

“And pretty is not even the right word. She burns. She's a verb.”
― Max Gladstone, Two Serpents Rise

“This is our second date."
"Some date. Fighting for our lives."
"We'll be fine," he said, without conviction.
"Yes." She sounded no more certain. "Next time, we'll go someplace nice.”
― Max Gladstone, Two Serpents Rise