Lyorn Quotes

“What could I possibly have to tell a Lyorn to give him any interest in seeing me? I immediately got six ideas on how to approach it. Once I’d eliminated the ones that would require me to leave the theater, I was left with zero. That was only one fewer than I needed, so that was encouraging.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“Hey, Boss? Have you ever noticed how complaining about things is always so helpful? I know. ‘Shut up, Loiosh.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“I swear it on my soul. Actor: I look like a troll. Makeup Artist: You could be on the dole. Actors: There should be some sorcery To smooth this out for me But we’re just going through the lotions Hope this one doesn’t suck. Actor: If some gets in my mouth I think I’ll—yuck. Makeup Artist: You can see from your reflection This won’t work with your complexion. Actor: Where will it all end? Makeup Artist: Dejection. I don’t want to be Going through the lotions Hoping one’s a win Even a synthetic That works as a cosmetic They just want to have Good skin!”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“Makeup Artist: After every night Of entertaining The actors look into the glass. And I always hear The same complaining: Actor: Wrinkles on my face! How did this come to pass? Makeup Artist: They’re always blaming me Which is beastly For none of them can see That I am going through the lotions Trying all the creams Nothing ever works on them it seems. Actors always need To look their finest That is pretty much my goal. But makeup, it’s agreed, It causes dryness”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“And? I mean, if this is too personal—” “No, it’s fine. We’re talking about me; that’s every actor’s favorite subject.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“Honor means something different to every House, yet there are threads common to them all. It is an old concept, going back to the Second Cycle, or late in the First. The idea grew up with commerce, and borrowing, when it became important to have a reputation for reliability in paying debts. Though expanded, and now filled with elaborate ornaments and embellishments, that original use is still at its heart. And in the way of all ideas that escape their bounds and go running off into the wild, the ornaments and embellishments have come to be seen as the central point, and no House epitomized that so fully as the Lyorn. The Jhereg and the Orca, who most fully express honor in its purest sense, never use the word except ironically.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“But here’s the thing, when I’m in a place, with nothing between me and a long, long fall, one long enough that I know I wouldn’t survive, it isn’t that I’m afraid I’ll fall, it’s that I’m afraid I’ll jump. It’s not like I want to die, I don’t—if I wanted to die, I’ve had plenty of opportunities. But there’s something about being one step away from death that makes me want to take that one step. It’s an almost palpable temptation, and that scares me.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“One effect of the renewed popularity of the play was the delay—again—of Plawtke’s execution, Valenda remarking at one point, “I can execute him at any time. Unexecuting him is more of a challenge.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“I immediately got six ideas on how to approach it. Once I’d eliminated the ones that would require me to leave the theater, I was left with zero. That was only one fewer than I needed, so that was encouraging.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“Do you like it when people talk in riddles?” “I’m not sure. Will you give me three guesses?”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“But, as my grandfather had told me, problems are always complicated; if they aren’t complicated, they aren’t problems, just unfortunate”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“problems are always complicated; if they aren’t complicated, they aren’t problems, just unfortunate”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“Wisdom is what you get when your knowledge turns out to be inadequate.”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn

“And if I find out that I have been singled out for a destiny, I’m going to try even harder to avoid it. If someone or some thing has set me up to be used, then I’m going to go the opposite way, just to mess it up. Do you get that?”
― Steven Brust, Lyorn