Unbound Quotes

“The dark-skinned one was Aisha Mahdi. She was a pretty Persian, with long black hair and dark almond eyes. On her brow was a thin, silver-colored diadem. I couldn’t tell if it was connected to her brain as a precept enhancement, or if she was some kind of princess. I decided her petulant lips made her look like royalty. The last girl was, well, she was different—like a golden sunrise is different. She had honey blond curls, freckles, and skin the color of café au lait. She looked like she was actually listening to the instructor. Her nametag said Naomi Parish and, unlike the rest of ours, it had a red star drawn after her name. I had no idea what that meant. But I wanted to know.”
― J.B. Simmons, Unbound

“A spinning holograph of the White House appeared before him. “You know,” he said, “the President used to live in this house a few blocks from here.” Laughter rolled through our class. There were fifty of us in the room, and most looked like old bureaucrats.”
― J.B. Simmons, Unbound

“These people were so weird. Precepts had been around long enough now. Besides, who would turn down a standard implant to be smarter, sharper, stronger? I called my precept “V.” She was far from standard. She was the best my dad’s money could buy, and he could buy anything. Life without V would be like earth without the sun.”
― J.B. Simmons, Unbound

“I sat up, rubbed my eyes, and ran my hands through my hair. Today of all days, I could not have these visions in my head. Maybe I would try the new pill. If it let me control my dreams as they promised, I’d program my mind for more productive nights. I’d dream of breaking a code to stop the next attack on America, while finding a smart girl who’d appreciate it. That’s what I needed: a smart girl, not a freakin’ dragon.”
― J.B. Simmons, Unbound

“I STOOD IN the piazza facing St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Bodies pressed around me and a pope’s voice boomed in my ears. The ground began to tremble, as if aching under the crowd’s weight. The cobblestones lurched under my feet. I staggered, tripped over someone, and fell flat on my back. People started running and screaming.”
― J.B. Simmons, Unbound