Novelists From The United States

"It’s my observation that God usually favors the side with the best weapons."

"She marveled, as she always did, that medical science had kept her alive and functioning this long, at the same time wondering what demons within her could so pollute this fresh blood that within four weeks it would be as useless and diseased as that which was now being drained from her. McFarley, she decided, would call it the curse of ambition. She preferred to think of it as the price of greatness. From time to time she wondered whether time would prove her or McFarley correct, or whether her condition was simply the result of an indifferent God in an indifferent universe."

"If he used Company ships and personnel to stop an alien invasion, somebody someday might file a report that would be the only sort of report that the bureaucracy handled with the speed of lightning: that someone was bypassing the bureaucracy."

"Whether you approve of them or not, changes are coming to Karimon. It will become a modern world, a working member of the Republic. You can make the transition from savagery to civilization easier, or you can make it more difficult, but you cannot stop it."

"“Whether one is a traitor or a patriot depends entirely upon one’s point of view,” said Paka. “And upon who is holding the weapon.”"

"You know, animals can recover from most disasters, including poaching—but start destroying their habitat and you’ve written their epitaph."

"“Have you heard of her?” “No. She is a female?” The tone of his voice was clearly contemptuous. “So I gather.” “What uses a female to me?” “Money knows no gender,” answered McFarley. “I gather she is prepared to sign a treaty with you, by which you will give her the mineral rights she craves and she will assure your primacy over the tribes of Karimon.” “What good is the promise of a female?” said Jalanopi. “Females are little better than Tallgrazers. If a warrior wants one, he buys one. They have no brains. They are good only for preparing meals and producing babies.” “They have no rights,” said McFarley, which is quite a different thing than having no brains. You waste half of your race’s potential by keeping them in such servitude.”"

"“There’s a possibility that I’m wrong.” “That’s the first rational thing you’ve said.”"

"“These are not Men you are talking about,” said Violet. “They are aliens who eat insects, wantonly brutalize small animals, have yet to discover the wheel or the lever, and live in burrows. Would you have them remain at this stage of social evolution forever?” “Certainly not—but I would not force change upon them.” “Oh?” she said sardonically. “Then may I presume that you have not attempted to spread the word of Our Lord Jesus Christ among them?” “That is not the same thing.” “Of course not. You are doing it, not I.” She smiled. “I believe the word for that is ‘hypocrite’.”"

"“Still,” he added, “I thank you for your concern. When the election is over, I will remember who my friends are.” “I just hope you remember who your enemies are before the election is held,” said Beddoes sincerely.”"

"“There’s no time to waste, sir. The longer we wait, the greater the chance that we will commit an act that will land us in the pits of hell for all eternity.” “I wonder what an eternity of hell must be like?” mused the gasbag-Pierce, postponing the inevitable for another moment. “I always thought it must be like being locked in a theater that plays endless reruns of Ann Rutherford movies,” offered Arro.” “Really?” asked the gasbag-Pierce, interested. “I pictured it as trying to open a childproof bottle of aspirin until the universe finally fell into the thrall of entropy.” “May I respectfully point out that we have every chance of discovering what eternal damnation is like if you don’t do something very soon, sir?”"

"“I don’t mean to insult you, Mr. Breen. But you’re speaking from ignorance.” “No offense taken,” I said. “If I didn’t want to cure my ignorance, I wouldn’t be asking questions.”"

"“When we lived in tribal villages, before the advent of Man, the chief was always the wealthiest member of the community,” continued Tonka. “Nobody found anything wrong with that; after all, that was one of the reasons why he was the chief, and nobody ever resented his wealth.” He paused. “Buko Pepon is the chief of the entire planet. It is only natural that he is richer than anyone else.” “You’re saying that it goes with the job?” I asked, trying to understand his lack of moral outrage or even envy. “Of course. Why else would one want to rise to power?”"

"“That sounds very cynical,” I noted… “You say it’s cynical, I say it’s practical. Either way, it’s sincere.”"

"Gabriel Pickett looked like any farmer anywhere—lean, hard, and overworked."

"It takes a lot out of a man to civilize a world, and it’s self-defeating in the end, because the kind of man who does it doesn’t want to see the results."

"And there was never any question about coming back: no one ever goes back to Peponi. Whatever it was that brought you there has got to change before you leave, and once it has changed, you don’t want to see what it’s become."

"She wrote very selectively of the Peponi she remembered, emphasizing those aspects that she found praiseworthy and ignoring the less savory events of her life. As Hardwycke had put it during one of our conversations, every line of the book was true, but the book itself was one big lie."

"“What is your net worth today?” I asked, studying his face for a reaction. “I have no idea,” he replied easily. “Anyone who does know his net worth isn’t worth very much.”"

"“There are no bad bounty hunters,” replied Cain. “Just good ones and dead ones.” “Why did you become a bounty hunter in the first place?” asked Jacinto. “When I realized that I wasn’t going to make the galaxy a better place to live in in one bold stroke, I decided to try doing it one small step at a time.” “Have you ever regretted it?” “Not really,” replied Cain. “We all make choices; most of us get pretty much what we deserve.”"

"I wish you were as bright as you think you are."

"“Then, if there are no further objections, I think I’ll take my leave of you,” he said, walking to the door. “I crave the company of honest men and women.” “I doubt that the feeling is mutual,” said Cain."

"The second you attain power, you become what you’ve been fighting against."

"“I persist in fighting because I see something that’s wrong, and the alternative to fighting is to submit.” Cain made no comment. “If you want a philosophic justification, you’ll find it in my library,” continued Santiago. “I’ve got a much simpler explanation.” “What is it?” He smiled a savage smile. “When someone pushes me, I push back.”"

"“Why are you fighting it?” “Because somebody has to.” “That’s not much of a reason.” “It’s the best reason there is,” said Santiago. “The first duty of power is to perpetuate itself. The first duty of free men is to resist it.”"

"I always enjoyed blowing off steam in Berengi for a day or two, but by the third day I usually got to wishing I was back in the bush. Cities, even small ones like Berengi, didn’t appeal to me, and after a couple of days in town a hunter would come to realize that even though the safari business had never been better, he was on the way to becoming a walking anachronism. Cities are built by people who want a permanent home, and farms are worked by people who are tied to the land; those of us with wanderlust in our souls may be necessary in the beginning, but we’re just passing through. Some, like Fuentes, leave early, and some, like me, leave a little later, but eventually all of us leave. Every paved street, every house with a solid foundation, every cultivated piece of land, it’s just another nail in our coffins."

"I decided that the only way to judge him was to balance the good he had done against the evil—and by that criterion, he came out better than most Men."

"“Kabalka Five? That’s an alien world, isn’t it?” “It doesn’t take aliens long to find out what men will do for gold,” she replied."

"“This is a grim business. There’s nothing romantic about harassing an overwhelming power with no hope of winning.” “If he knows he can’t win, why does he do it?” “To avoid losing.” “That sounds profound, but it doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense,” said Cain."

"“Does might make right?” she asked. Cain shrugged. “No. But it makes it pretty difficult for anyone to tell you you’re wrong.”"

"“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.”"

"We’re going to have a murder. Audiences like a little violence with their sex and music."

"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."

"True representations are for libraries. Happy, exciting stories are for audiences."

"“You’ve got quite a library. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many books in one place before.” “I like the heft and feel of a book,” replied Santiago. “Computer libraries are filled with electrical impulses. Books are filled with words.”"

"“Why not borrow from something more recent?” she asked. “I don't mind consciously swiping from plays that no one has ever heard of,” he replied. “But I don't want to inadvertently steal a character or a story line that might be familiar.” He smiled. “It's the difference between research and plagiarism.”"

"She smiled. “Well, you wanted to be a scriptwriter.” “Not really,” he replied wryly. “I just wanted to be rich and famous.”"

"“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.”"

"“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."

"“It's a good, professional outline,” he said at last. “I am not qualified to offer subjective artistic opinions,” said Cupid. “Take my word for it. It's got songs, it's got romance, it's got laughs, it's got a happy ending, and I guarantee the audience won't have to think.” He shrugged. “It may be silly as hell, but it'll make a hundred million credits.” He paused, then shook his head sadly. “You’d think an audience would have better taste.”"

"“Let me suggest that sometimes it’s not a bad idea to judge a man by his enemies.” “In your case it’s an absolute necessity,” said Cain sardonically. “I’ve met your friends.”"

"“Sue me, but I just don't see any need to be this artsy-fartsy.” “I’m trying to create a work of art, damn it!” said Page, exasperated. “Works of art appeal to the masses, Nate; they don't hold them in contempt or try to drive them away.”"

"Giving them the privileges of citizens of the Republic doesn’t make them Republic citizens. They’d have been better off if we’d never opened this planet up, but we did, and I’m not about to feel guilty because of something that occurred more than half a century before I was even born."

"And, predictably, he has taken every such gesture as a sign of weakness. You can't reach an accommodation with a man like this; you have to fight him."

"“He's got to have a weakness somewhere.” “Most men do,” said Fiona, commanding the doors to open. “Even a moral man like Thomas Gold.” “I like moral men the best.” “Oh?” she said, stepping into the elevator. “Why is that?” Constantine smiled. “They always make the loudest crash when they fall.”"

"The one thing Vainmill has in common with all governments and major corporations is that it abhors scandals."

"“He was a very dangerous man.” “He was a very brilliant man.” “I know. That’s what made him so dangerous.”"

"“Christina, you shouldn't say that about your brother,” said Gold. “He happens to be the most righteous man I've ever been privileged to know.” “That's just the kind of man who will commit any crime without compunction if he's convinced he's right,” said Christina."

"“You didn’t really think it was funny, did you?” “I laughed, didn’t I?” responded Crane. “Insincerely.” “Well, you can’t have everything.” “No,” admitted the comedian. “But you can want everything.”"

"“Have I mentioned before that you’re a very interesting person, Mr. Crane?” “No—but I fully concur.”"