Novelists From The United States

"“What’s really going on in Perquaine?” “A peasant rebellion—at least on the surface.” Albron shook his head mournfully. “The lowlanders just don’t understand ordinary people, do they?” “They haven’t got a clue. The aristocrats spend so much time admiring themselves in their mirrors that they don’t pay much attention to the commoners. From what I’ve heard, these rebellions break out every ten years or so. You’d think that after five or six times, the aristocrats might start to realize that they’re doing something wrong.” “I certainly hope not. If the lowlanders start behaving like rational human beings, the clans of Arum are going to be out of work.”"

"I’ve seen this all before, Althalus ... many, many times. An idea that’s born in glory starts to tarnish almost immediately."

"“Why must they always set fires?” Bheid asked Althalus as the two of them stood on the portico of the temple waiting and watching the columns of smoke rising from various quarters of the city. “I’m not really sure, Bheid,” Althalus confessed. “It might just be accidental. Looters are usually fairly excited, and sometimes they get careless. My best guess, though, is that the fires are being set deliberately to punish the noblemen for their bad habits.” “That’s pure stupidity, Althalus,” Bheid objected. “Of course it is. It’s the nature of mobs to be stupid. A mob’s only as clever as its stupidest member.”"

"“Surely you don’t agree with that apostate!” “I was talking about his skill, not his message, Aleikon ... He’s good. There’s no question about that.”"

"“You’re a slave trader, then?” Althalus shrugged deprecatingly. “It’s a living, your Highness. Slaves are a valuable commodity. I buy them in places where they’re an inconvenience and take them to places where they can be put to work to pay for their keep. Everybody benefits, really. The one who sells them to me gets gold, and the one who buys them gets laborers.” “What do the slaves get?” “They get fed, your Highness. A slave doesn’t have to worry about where his next meal’s coming from. He gets fed even when the crops fail or the fish aren’t biting.” "Our philosophers tell us that slavery’s an evil.” “I don’t concern myself with philosophy, your Highness. I take the world as I find it. I’m prepared to offer ten Perquaine gold wheats for every able-bodied young captive you’d care to sell.”"

"“I’d pay a premium for this one, your Highness.” “That one isn’t for sale[.]” “Everything’s for sale, your Highness,” Althalus replied with a cynical laugh."

"The theorists make high-minded speeches. Their followers cheer and applaud—briefly—and then they get back to the business of appropriating everything of value."

"When some idiot jumps up and starts shouting, ‘My God’s better than your God,’ I don’t pay very much attention—except to hide my purse."

""... Can you pretend to be stupid?” Eliar made a rueful kind of face. “Ma’am,” he said, “I’m a country boy from the highlands of Arum. We invented stupid.”"

"Religion’s based on a desire to know what’s going to happen in the future. Astrologers believe that the stars control that."

"“If he’s only a boy, what was he doing in a war?” “He comes from a warrior culture. They start earlier than civilized people do. It was his first war, and it was supposed to be a quiet one. The half-wit who sits on the throne in Kanthon got carried away, though, so he ordered the soldiers he’d hired from Eliar’s Clan Chief to invade your father’s territory. It was a stupid thing to do, and it wasn’t supposed to happen. It was his fault that your father got killed, not Eliar’s. Eliar was only following orders. The whole business was the result of a series of stupid mistakes, but that’s what most wars are all about, I guess. Nobody ever really wins a war, when you get right down to it.”"

"“I’m pretty good at that. There were a lot of things I did when I was just a boy that I didn’t tell her about. I didn’t come right out and lie to her, of course. A boy should never lie to his mother, but now and then things sort of slipped my mind. You know how that can happen.” “Oh, yes.” Althalus laughed. “Things have been slipping my mind for as long as I can remember.”"

"Cleaner hands next time, he vowed silently. I’ll let others do the killing the next time. That’s what separates Presidents from mobsters, after all."

"There’s no dumber animal on earth than a man with a hard-on."

"“I see you’re not quite the moralist, after all.” “A pragmatist will grow fat while a moralist starves,” Wilkins said."

"“I thought Green was where the mob owned Washington.” “It is,” Tackett said. “It makes less difference than you might think.”"

"“I guess it just happens. How many really happy couples do you know?” Arens blew smoke skyward. “Not many. Seems like everybody settles for less than they thought they were going to get.” “I thought we were going to be different.” “Everybody does,” Arens said."

"The bureaucracy staggers on like a beheaded chicken, its stubborn autonomic functions creating the illusion of life."

"“Peace,” Robinson repeated. His head lolled back against the chair until he was looking up into the cabin’s rafters. “There’s been more fighting about that than almost anything you can name. Do you know, Gregory, there’s a very simple reason why peace on earth is a pipe dream. Peace has the disadvantage of freezing the status quo, and there’ll always be individuals, groups, nations who find the status quo unacceptable.”"

"“Thank you for not disappointing me,” Somerset said. “You’re every bit the ass I was told to expect.” “So you don’t bother to deny it.” “No, I don’t. Because I don’t bother to deny idiotic blather,” Somerset snapped."

"“Did you find God, or did you buy Him off?” “It’s all a matter of viewpoint,” answered Socrates. “I contribute thousands of credits to His churches and sing His praises every morning, and He pretty much protects me and helps take care of business. It’s a mutually nourishing relationship.”"

"“You must have been a very serious young man.” “Actually, I used to laugh a lot more than I do now.” He shrugged. “That was when I thought one moral man could make a difference. The only thing I find really funny these days is the fact that so many people still believe it.”"

"“It is the home of a very unusual race, as violent in their way as the people of Earth.” “I will assume that’s a good thing to be,” said Flint dryly. “For the purpose of this proposition, it most definitely is,” said Kargennian, ignoring Flint’s undisguised animosity. “They have a culture that worships weaponry fully as much as yours does.” “I don’t know that we actually worship it.” “Perhaps I used the wrong word,” replied Kargennian. “But the fact remains that their history and cultures are as fully committed to firearms as your own. To this day, most of them carry hand weapons, as barbaric as the concept may seem.”"

"“You’re going to find this hard to believe, but I don’t give a damn about the money,” answered Flint. “‘Hard’ is an understatement,” said Mr. Ahasuerus. “I find it impossible to believe.”"

"No matter what kind of promises a man who’s looking for power makes, he’s not going to turn out to be any different from the one he replaces."

"He opened a desk drawer and withdrew two gaily wrapped packages. Then, standing up, he carried one over to Flint and handed the other to Tojo. “What’s this all about?” asked Flint. “I realize that we haven’t celebrated any of your holidays since leaving Earth,” explained the blue man, “but according to my calendar, today is the last Thursday in November.” “So?” “Happy Thanksgiving! said Mr. Ahasuerus, contorting his lips to form a smile. There was a momentary silence. “I’m afraid you’ve got it all wrong,” said Flint. On Thanksgiving we slaughter innocent birds and forget to abuse Indians. Christmas is when we defoliate forests and exchange gifts.”"

"“You never did tell me why you became a bounty hunter.” “I’d been a terrorist for twelve years. The only thing I knew how to do really well was kill people.”"

"“You know,” he said unhappily, “I never did like you much. You were always too ambitious, always scheming and plotting.” “Why should I deny it?” she said calmly. “I’ll only add that it’s people like you who made it easy.” “What’ll you do when you finally get to the top, and there are no more bodies to climb over?” “Mostly, I’ll enjoy it,” she replied."

"“You have no moral compunctions about it?” persisted Batman. “Hell, no,” replied Monk. “As Thaddeus says, if God didn’t want them fleeced, He wouldn’t have made ’em sheep. Words to live by, once you become a carny.”"

"“You’re a very cynical man, Mr. Flint.” “That’s one of the reasons you’re on the road to becoming a very rich man, Mr. Ahasuerus.”"

"“Don’t worry,” said Monk. “It’ll be a cakewalk.” “Cakes don’t walk, Jupiter,” said Flint. “They fall.”"

"“Did you not ever want to see what was beyond the next hill, what strange and unique civilizations lay beyond your own?” “Until I got there,” answered Monk."

"The Carnies’ First Commandment is that you never offend a mark until he’s spent all his money."

"“A very reasonable attitude,” said Mr. Ahasuerus. “That’s probably why it’s so rare around here,” said Flint."

"“He has wealth, and fame, and security, and everything he ever wanted,” persisted Mr. Ahasuerus. “Why should he be unhappy?” “Maybe because he’s got wealth and fame and security and everything he ever wanted,” replied the Dancer."

"“Have you ever done anything, even once, with no thought of a return?” he asked. “Yes.” “How old were you? Six?” “Younger. And I immediately decided that there was no percentage in it.”"

"You don’t look at a man and decide that he’s sane at three-eighteen on a Tuesday afternoon and mad as a hatter at three-nineteen. People don’t make it that easy for you."

"I may die unmourned, but I sure as hell don’t plan to die unavenged."

"“He does it because he wants to.” “Then I was right the first time,” she said decisively. “He’s a fool.” “For doing something that makes him happy?” “For giving it away for free.” “Maybe he’s got enough money,” suggested the Swagman. She turned and stared at him. “Do you know anyone who’s got enough money?” The Swagman smiled. “Maybe he’s a fool,” he said at last."

"You have many wonderful qualities, Virtue—you lie and cheat and blackmail and bluff with great panache, and you’re thoroughly delightful in bed—but you simply aren’t a skilled professional killer."

"“I also destroyed a man who was in serious need of destruction,” replied Cain. “On the whole, I’d say the ledger came out on the plus side.” “There wasn’t even any paper on Socrates.” “Then view killing him as a service to humanity.” “I wasn’t aware that you were in the philanthropy business,” said the Swagman. “There are more important things than money,” said Cain. “True—but all of them cost money.”"

"There are a thousand events that must transpire, each in its exact order; a million futures must vanish every nanosecond; and you ask me to explain all this to you? Poor little human, who seeks only a full belly and a fat wallet, who dreams of heroic deeds and grateful maidens, and who is doomed only to become a speck of dust in a galaxy already overflowing with dust."

"“He was destined to desert me.” “How do you know I won’t?” “Because you are selfish enough and greedy enough and immoral enough to realize that your best interest lies in total fealty to me,” she replied. “I don’t know that I especially like that assessment of me,” said the Kid. “The question is not whether you like it,” replied Penelope, “but whether it is true.”"

"“Don’t ever take a job as a diplomat or a politician,” said the Iceman wryly. “I beg your pardon.” “You’re a lousy liar.”"

"The only thing I’m really good at is wishing I was somewhere else."

"“Fast is good,” said the Iceman. “Accurate is better.” He paused again. “And knowing when not to shoot is better still.”"

"“She didn’t kill him,” explained the Iceman. “She could have saved him, but she chose not to. Legally it’s not the same thing; morally it is.”"

"I’m trying to tell you that you can trust me because I’m motivated by the most basic human emotion: greed."

"“Well, it’s a practical approach,” she conceded. “But it’s not very satisfying. I think an animal in the forest might have that same viewpoint.” “I spend most of my life with the animals in the forest,” replied Chandler. “Very few of them have high blood pressure or heart attacks. Maybe they know something we don’t know.” “They don’t know anything,” said Jade. “They just react.” “They stay warm and dry and well fed,” he noted. “When all is said and done, that’s all most humans are really trying to do.”"

"“Look,” said Chandler. “Either we’ve got free will or we don’t. If we do, then we are doing the right thing. If we don’t, then we can’t do anything else, anyway. So what’s the point of worrying about it?” “Because we can stop right now if we decide to.” He smiled. “And how will you know that the Oracle didn’t change her mind and choose a future in which we stopped?” She wearily leaned back on the chair. “Where does it end?” “Second guessing fate?” asked Chandler. “Never. That’s why it’s a good idea not to start.”"