Heir of Novron Quotes

“See, that’s the difference,” Mauvin said. “I suffer a loss and people console me. Royce suffers a loss and whole towns evacuate.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Happiness comes from moving toward something. When you run away, ofttimes you bring your misery with you.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“I am officially turning him over to you. He's your problem now. You'll have to watch out for him and that won't be easy. He's naive, gullible, immature, horribly unsophisticated, ignorant about anything worth knowing, and idealistic to a fault." He paused to make a show of thinking harder. "He's also indecisive, pathetically honest, a horrible liar, and too virtuous for words. He gets up twice each night to relieve himself, wads his clothes rather than folds them, chews with his mouth open, and talks with his mouth full. He has a nasty habit of cracking his knuckles every morning at breakfast, and, of course, he snores. To remedy that, just put a rock under his blanket.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“A beautiful day might bring disaster, while a day that begins trapped inside an ancient toom, might be the best one of your life. If you don´t abandon hope on pleasent days, why do so on those that begin poorly?”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Come for your revenge at last, elf?"

Royce stepped forward. He looked down at Thranic and then around the room. "How could I top possibly top this? Sealed alive in a tomb of rock. My only regret is that I had nothing to do with it”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“How can you regret never having found true love? That's like saying you regret not being born a genius. People don't have control over such things. It either happens or it doesn't. It's a gift - a present that most never get. It's more like a miracle, really, when you think of it. I mean, first you have to find that person, and then you have to get to know them to realize just what they mean to you - that right there is ridiculously difficult. Then... then that person has to feel the same way about you. It's like searching for a specific snowflake, and even if you manage to find it, that's not good enough. You still have to find its matching pair. What are the odds?”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Bah!” Magnus scoffed. “Humans always blame dwarves. A baby goes missing and it was a dwarf that stole it. A princess runs off with a second son of a king and it was a dwarf who lured her to a deep prison. And when they find her with the prince—lo, she was rescued!
“A king is stabbed in the back in his own chapel, and a princess’s tower
is turned into a death trap,” Royce called back to them. “Friends are
betrayed and trapped in a prison—yes, I can see your surprise. Where do they get such ideas?”
“Damn his elven ears,” Magnus said.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“And I wish to thank you as well, Royce."

He was puzzled. "For what?"

"For reminding me that anyone, no matter what they've done, can find redemption if they seek it.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“I need your help.”
Royce looked up as if his head weighed a hundred pounds, his eyes red, his face ashen. He waited.
“One last job,” Hadrian told him, then added, “I promise.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“Very.”
“Is there a good chance I’ll get killed?”
“Odds are definitely in favor of that.”
Royce nodded, looked down at the scarf in his lap, and replied, “Okay.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“This book is entirely dedicated to my wife, Robin Sullivan.

Some have asked how it is I write such strong women without resorting to putting swords in their hands. It is because of her.

She is Arista.
She is Thrace.
She is Modina.
She is Amilia.
And she is my Gwen.

This series has been a tribute to her.

This is your book, Robin.

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world.
--ELTON JOHN, BERNIE TAUPIN”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Wait a minute,” Hadrian said. “Was it a beat-up brown leather notebook?
About this big?” He gestured with his hands.
“Yes,” the Patriarch said.
Arista looked back and forth between them. “How do you know that?”
“I know it because I have lived in the Crown Tower,” the Patriarch
said.
“And you?” Arista looked at Hadrian, who hesitated.
“Ha-ha! Of course, of course. I knew it!” Cosmos DeLur chuckled and
clapped his hands together in single applause while smiling at Hadrian.
“Such a wonderfully delightful rumor as that had to be true. That is
an exquisite accomplishment.”
“You stole it?” Arista asked.
“Yes, he did,” the Patriarch declared.
“Actually,” Hadrian said, “Royce and I did, but we put it back the next night.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Revenge is a bittersweet fruit that leaves the foul aftertaste of regret.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“You look concerned."
"Just that if you've started another war, I'd like a heads-up is all."
"The level of confidence you have in my diplomatic skills is overwhelming."
"What diplomatic skills?”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“More valuable than gold, more precious than life, is mercy bestowed upon he who hast not known its soft kiss”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“You can’t kill Myron, Royce,” Hadrian said, rapidly pulling the monk away as if he had found a child playing with a wild bear. “It would be like killing a puppy.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“When you expect nothing from the world—not the light of the sun, the wet of water, nor the air to breathe—everything is a wonder and every moment a gift.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Life is only precious if you wish it to be.’ I look at it like the last bite of a wonderful meal—do you enjoy it, or does the knowledge that there is no more to follow make it so bitter that you would ruin the experience?”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Very slowly Royce pushed the door inward, peering through the gap. He looked left and right, then closed it once more and replaced the bolts.
"What is it?" Hadrian asked.
"He's right," Royce said dismally. "No one is getting through."
Thranic smiled and nodded until he was beset by another series of coughs that bent him over in pain.
"What is it?" Hadrian repeated.
"You're not going to believe it."
"What?"
"There's a -- a thingy."
"A what?"
"You know, a thingy thing."
Hadrian looked at him, puzzled.
"A Gilarabrywn," Thranic said.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“What's the advantage of fear or the benefit of regret or the bonus of granting misery a foothold even if death is embracing you? My old abbot used to say, "Life is only precious if you wish it to be." I look at it like the last bite of a wonderful meal. Do you enjoy it, or does the knowledge that there is no more to follow make it so bitter that you would ruin the experience? - Myron on facing death”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Wake up, buddy,” Royce whispered, nudging him. Hadrian was damp with sweat.

“About time you got here. I was starting to think you ran off and left me.”

“I considered it, but the thought of Magnus as my best man kinda forced the issue. Nice haircut, by the way. It looks good on you—very knightly.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“A—ris—ta?” Degan asked, sounding horse. “What is it?”
“A rat bit me,” she said, once again shocked by her own rasping voice.
“Jasper does that if—” Gaunt coughed and hacked. After a moment, he
spoke again. “If he thinks you’re dead or too weak to fight.”
“Jasper?”
“I call him that, but I’ve also named the stones in my cell.”
“I only counted mine,” Arista said.
“Two hundred and thirty-four,” Degan replied instantly.
“I have two hundred and twenty-eight.”
“Did you count the cracked ones as two?”
“No.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“The gods don’t give a gift that precious to someone so undeserving.”

“Are you my priest now?”

Hadrian stared at him.

Royce looked back down at the stream below. “She doesn’t even know me. What if she doesn’t like me? Few people do.”

“She might not at first. Maribor knows I didn’t. But you have a way of growing on a person.” He smiled. “You know, like lichen or mold.”

Royce looked up and scowled. “Okay, forget what I said. Definitely steer clear of the priesthood.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“It doesn't take much to please you, does it, Myron?"
"Anton Bulard once wrote, 'When you expect nothing from the world- not the light of the sun, the wet of water, nor the air to breathe- everything is a wonder and every moment a gift.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Just—don’t—move,” Guy said with his hands spread out in front of him. He looked as if he were trying to catch a wild horse, and did not advance, dismount, or draw his sword.
Just then the portcullis dropped.
“There’s no escape,” Guy assured him.
From a nearby door, a handful of guards trotted toward Hadrian with their swords drawn.
“Stop!” Guy ordered, raising his hand abruptly. “Don’t go near him. Just fan out.”
The men waiting in line looked from the soldiers to Hadrian and then backed away.
“I know what you’re thinking, Mr. Blackwater,” Guy said in an almost friendly tone. “But we truly have you outnumbered this time.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Shall we, partner?” “See you on the other side, pal.” Hadrian threw his arms around the thief and, surprisingly, felt Royce hug him back. With one final smile, Royce pushed open the door and disappeared into the darkness of the Vault of Days.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“They came with hardly a warning,

thousands both beautiful and terrible;

They came on brilliant white horses

wearing shining gold and shimmering blue;

They came with dragons and whirlwinds,

and giants made of stone and earth;

They came and nothing could stop them.

They are coming still.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Besides, when you found me, I was a much different person.”

“I remember,” the wizard said thoughtfully. “You were like a rabid dog, snapping at everything and everyone. Clearly, my genius in matching you up with Hadrian worked wonders. I knew his noble heart would eventually soften yours.”

“Yeah, well, travel with a guy long enough and you start picking up his bad habits. You have no idea how many times I almost killed him when we first started. I never bothered, because I expected the jobs would take care of that for me, but somehow he kept surviving.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“It’s an heirloom, isn’t it?”

... “I got it from my father.”

The tutor ran his hand along the sheathed blade. “This is a remarkable weapon—a knight’s sword—tarnished with time and travel. You don’t use it as often as the others. The bastard and short sword are tools to you, but this—ah—this is something else—something revered. It lays concealed in a paltry sheath, covered in clothes not its own. It doesn’t belong there. This sword belongs to another time and place. It is part of a grand and glorious world where knights were different, loftier—virtuous. It rests in this false scabbard because the proper one has been lost, or perhaps, it waits for a quest yet to be finished. It longs for that single moment when it can shine forth in all its brilliance. When dream and destiny meet on a clear field, then and only then will it find its purpose. When it faces that honorable cause—that one worthy and desperate challenge for which it was forged and on which so much depends—it will find peace in the crucible of struggle. For good or ill, it will ring true or break. But the wandering, the waiting, the hiding will at last be over. This sword waits for the day when it can save the kingdom and win the lady.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“Most people never come near their true love, or if they do, it’s one sided. That is perhaps more tragic than never finding love at all. To know joy lies forever just beyond your reach—in a way, it’s a kind of torture.”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron

“It took a while to master the right phrases, but once I got him going, old Gilly—boy—he took to it like a knife to a soft back.”

“Gilly?” Hadrian asked, laughing.

“A pet has to have a name, doesn’t it? Later I’m planning to teach it fetch and roll over, but for now, dig and sic ’em will do”
― Michael J. Sullivan, Heir of Novron