Dragon & Issola Quotes

“In other words, the object is to make the best use of what you have and to find a way to pit your strengths against the enemy’s weaknesses.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“It is a training of mind and of muscle, which in the novice are constantly at odds with each other, and in the expert are so strongly united that it is impossible to separate conscious decisions from those made by trained muscles.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“doubt is less easily dispelled than illusion, and with doubt come tentative half-measures—and nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished by tentative half-measures.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“Oh, c’mon, Boss. Where’s your sense of history?” “I like to read about history, not make it.” “You see, Boss? It’s because of attitudes like yours that there are so few human heroes.” “And so many humans.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“I’m generalizing from one example, here, but everyone generalizes from one example. At least, I do.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“I felt ready for anything, as long as it wasn’t too threatening.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“You can always say it’s magic if you don’t understand it; and, who knows, you might be right.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“Categories, if you’ll excuse a brief digression, are a useful way to get a handle on things you don’t understand, as long as you don’t get too attached to them and forget that things like to pop out of one category and into another, and that sometimes the whole category turns itself inside out and becomes something different. It’s useful, for example, to categorize your target as a sorcerer, if he is one; but if you get too attached to your category it’ll leave you embarrassed when he suddenly pulls a knife on you.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“They’re worth being scared of,” I said. “They’d kill without a second thought.” “I hate to say this, Boss, but so would you.” “Yeah, but I’m a nice guy.”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola

“Well, it’s the Easterner who fights like a Dragon. Wine?”
― Steven Brust, The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola