Emperor and Clown Quotes

“What a God can achieve?" Rap yelled, wishing he could bear to look upon Them so he could pull faces. "Healing babies, relieving famines, stopping wars? Oh, very worthy! But who made the babies sick in the first place? Who blighted the crops and started the wars? When prayers are answered You expect thanks. When things go wrong anyway, that is because we mortals are wicked. You have the game stacked so You can score in both goals, can't you? The nice things are Your blessings, and the bad things are our sins. What do You do the rest of the time, when You're not answering prayers? You go around making trouble, and I don't know whether it's just for Your own amusement or to humble us so You can —" "silence!" He”
― Dave Duncan, Emperor and Clown

“That is what grandchildren are for — so that the old may also dream, a promise of a future in return for the lost past.”
― Dave Duncan, Emperor and Clown

“Emshandar's problems were his fault. He who wakes the dog must bear the bite, his mother had always said.”
― Dave Duncan, Emperor and Clown

“You always were a blundering chucklehead! Gullible, Rap! That's what you are! You never would think out what other people really wanted. You always accepted anything anyone said and took it at face value . . .”
― Dave Duncan, Emperor and Clown

“He had never lost his temper since his childhood except once — almost — in Durthing. That burst of fury had frightened him, but it had still not taught him what a jotunn rage could be. Now he felt it in its full adult form for the first time. It was wonderful, irresistible, intoxicating. He might regret this after, for as long as he might live, but now that did not”
― Dave Duncan, Emperor and Clown