Revenger Quotes

“We all have it in us to be something other than what we are, I thought, but we don't often get a glimpse of what we could have been”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Peoples think I’s a harmless idiot,” he said. “They’s only half right.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Could kindness – by only ever taking little steps – twist itself into the worst kind of cruelty?”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“That,’ Peregrine said, ‘is civilisation. Not all who were rewarded deserved to be; not all who should have been were.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“It was often difficult to tell if things were a hundred years old, or a hundred thousand.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“He was like that child who always wants to join in the others’ games, but wants it too badly, so that the other children wonder why they don’t already have friends of their own, and end up even less likely to invite them in.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“I’d sliced his head off because in that moment I couldn’t think of anything simpler or more beautiful to do.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“We all have it in us to be something other than what we are, I thought, but we don’t often get a glimpse of what we could have been. Most of us are better off for the not knowing.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Another kind of wind, raging out of the Old Sun all the while, but it slips through the hull and the photon sails like they aren’t there at all. Dark-wind, some call it. Or ghost-wind or shadow-wind.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“With me being the bookworm I am, it might seem queer that I didn’t go to the library sooner than I did. But books were a nice thing in my life, a luxury and a reminder of better times, and I didn’t want to start letting nice things back into my world until I thought there was at least a chance of making it through the next couple of days.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“This one could turn her back on her own dying father, or watch a blinded man whimper in pain and not give one cold cuss.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“And you have no idea what a creep he really is. I know what he wants to do to you. They’ve come up with this medicine now. It slows down biological growth, allows adults to stop their children from ever growing up.” “Why would anyone want that?” She looked back at me with an exasperated expression. “You’re so naïve, Fura.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“No,” Father said, wiping a hand across a sweat-glistened brow. “They were using both entrances, and you can bet your sister’s headed for one of them.” Paladin was still sweeping the room, its dome spinning around, lights flashing agitatedly behind the glass. “All right,” I said. “You go back to the cloakroom, where we came in. I’ll go to the south entrance.” “Can I trust you to come back?” Father asked. “Of course.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“There was no call for that,” Father said. “I’ve never been so—” “Humiliated?” Adrana finished for him. “You know what the real humiliation is? Being a Ness, that’s what. Grovelling our way up the Mazarile social ladder, trying to pretend we’re something we’re not.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“That didn’t take long,” Trysil said, clenching a fist so that the muscles popped out along her arm. “You know the captain. When he wants to leave, we leave.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“I knew that the swallower was just a little knot of matter, squashed so tight that even its own light couldn’t break free of it, and I knew it didn’t have a mind or a will or anything you could think of as an appetite.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“This Fura was different. This Fura was harder and scowlier and knew what needed to be done. This one could turn her back on her own dying father, or watch a blinded man whimper in pain and not give one cold cuss. This one could cut her own hand off if it helped. This one didn’t care what people thought of Fura. And even as I cursed those tin fingers, which wouldn’t yet do a tenth of what I wanted from them, I knew which Fura I liked the best.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“make a good showing among all the monied bigwigs in the Mazarile chamber of commerce, he’d brought both of us along for the evening. We were meant to be on our best behaviour. Prim and proper educated young ladies.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“talked into a stupid investment in exactly the thing he disapproved of. He was like that: easily persuaded against his”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Paladin swivelled around. “Disturbance detected,” it kept saying. “Disturbance detected.” Father started rolling up his sleeves. “I suppose I’d better …” he was saying, making a show of letting everyone know he was at least considering getting involved, even though he was happier behind a desk than wrestling with drunks.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Then take them there. They can still change their minds, can’t they? But you make sure Rack understands that he owes us both a finder’s fee, if they pass his tests.” “They will,” Mr. Quindar said. “Got a nose for these things, I ’ave. And these sisters ain’t slipping through my fingers.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Now that he wasn’t lying down, it was clear that the man was very tall and thin. He wore a long black coat, and the hem of it should have covered most of his legs, but they seemed to stick out more than was right, like black stilts. His feet didn’t quite seem to brush the ground, like a puppet that wasn’t being operated very well. He reached into the coat with his right hand and came out with a stubby black stick, gave it a flick, and it popped out to six times its original length.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Get off the throne, Mr. Quindar. And you,” Madame Granity said, pointing to me, “you get on it. I know your sister’s got the gift, and it often runs in siblings, however I’d still like to see it for myself.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Probably fake anyway,” Adrana said, with a knowing sniff, as if she had plenty of experience in this area. “C’mon. Don’t want to dawdle, not when there’s so much to see. The next one’s a Limb Broker.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“I don’t think the Rattlers are coming back,” I said, remembering the bar in the Hall of History. The Rattlers had come and gone during the Fourth Occupation, about nine million years ago, and nothing had been heard of them since.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Watch out for pickpockets and gropers now,” Adrana said, as if my words counted for nothing. “We’ll go all the way along, then come out at Cat Gate.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“I suppose I’d better …” he was saying, making a show of letting everyone know he was at least considering getting involved, even though he was happier behind a desk than wrestling with drunks.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“Oh, come on, Fura.” Her eyes were wide with anticipation. I knew she’d had a glass of wine when we came in but there was nothing foggy or reddened about them. “We’re a stone’s throw from Neural Alley. I’ve got some quoins. Let’s go and live a little.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“I can have Paladin take you home,” Father said in a warning tone.”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger

“You always do, Mister Ness, and it’s to your credit. As are your daughters. Fine specimens, both. It’s been my pleasure and my privilege to have seen them through their development.” He carried on with the humming, and started digging his short, fat fingers into his pocket. “Would you like a …”
― Alastair Reynolds, Revenger