"“Where is he?” “Doing things he finds very important. I would fault him for it, as I find nothing more frightening than a man trying to do what he has decided is important. Very little in the world has ever gone astray—at least on a grand scale—because a person decided to be frivolous.”"

"To be human is to seek beauty."

"“The men are happy.” “And you?” “Bored. All we do every day is sit around, collect what you pay us, and go drinking.” “Most men would consider that an ideal profession.” She smiled at En, then climbed into the coach. Vathah shut the door for her, then looked in the window. “Most men are idiots.”"

"She’d had so much more time when she was younger. She couldn’t help thinking she’d wasted much of it."

"She let the world consume her. The familiar sound of pencil on paper, the focus of creation. Beauty was out there, all around. To create art was not to capture it, but to participate in it."

"“Storms,” she breathed. “Those are all different kinds of wine?” “Yeah,” Adolin said. He leaned toward her, as if conspiratorial. “Honestly, I don’t pay a lot of attention. Renarin knows the difference between them—he’ll drone on if you let him. Me, I order something that sounds important, but I’m really just choosing based on color.”"

"Shallan smiled at the wonderful surroundings, the light rainfall, the beautiful plant life. A little dampness was a small price to pay for the melodious sound of sprinkling rain, for fresh clean air and a beautiful sky full of clouds that varied in every shade of grey."

"Better to be overly cautious than naive."

"“That was a joke, bridgeboy.” “My mistake. I was under the impression that jokes were supposed to be funny.” “Only to people with a sense of humor.” “Ah, of course,” Kaladin said. “I traded in my sense of humor long ago.” “And what did you get for it?” “Scars,” Kaladin said softly."

"“I am a soldier, not a musician,” Kaladin said. “Besides, music is for women.” “All people are musicians,” Wit countered. “The question is whether or not they share their songs. As for music being feminine, it’s interesting that the woman who wrote that treatise—the one you all practically worship in Alethkar—decided that all of the feminine tasks involve sitting around having fun while all the masculine ones involve finding someone to stick a spear in you. Telling, eh?”"

"“What do you know?” “Almost everything. That almost part can be a real kick in the teeth sometimes.” “What do you want, then?” “What I can’t have.” Wit turned to him, eyes solemn. “Same as everyone else.”"

"“I know full well how to have a good time.” “Is that so?” “Yes. It involves being anywhere you aren’t.”"

"Hrathen turned to Dial. “The first step in taking control of a nation, Arteth, is the simplest. You find someone to hate.”"

"Bitterness is repaid more often than kindness. One of his father’s sayings."

"“My circumstances are unusual, Brightness.” “Ignorance is hardly unusual, Miss Davar. The longer I live the more I come to realize that it is the natural state of the human mind. There are many who will strive to defend its sanctity and then expect you to be impressed with their efforts.”"

"“I didn’t say Tvlakv isn’t a bastard. He’s just a likable bastard.” He hesitated, then grimaced. “Those are the worst kind. When you kill them, you end up feeling guilty for it.”"

"But expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you help them, the more likely they were to crack."

"I have a headache" "You can't get headaches" "So you're fond of telling me."

"Of course not," she agreed, "You are nothing if not exhaustive in your self-congratulatory made-up logic."

"Every man is a hero in his own story, Princess."

"The motivations of men. They never make sense. And they always make sense."

"That could be solved," Siri said, "Perhaps it would help if you refrained from speaking when others are present. I think I should find you quite amiable in those circumstances."

"… imaginary things were often the only items of real substance in people's lives."

"You see the great thing about madness is that it's all in your head."

"I try to avoid having thoughts. They lead to other thoughts, and—if you're not careful—those lead to actions. Actions make you tired. I have this on rather good authority from someone who once read it in a book."

"Surprisingly, it was in my mouth," he said, "I always forget to check there."

"The Eleventh Metal? Of course it is - I showed it to you remember?"

"That's the funny thing about arriving somewhere, Vin. Once you're there, the only thing you can really do is leave again"

"I've always been very confident in my immaturity."

"[..] overthrowing the Final Empire seems like a good start. Are there any religions on your list that include the slaughter of noblemen as a holy duty?"

"There's always another secret."

"The body needs many different foods to remain healthy. And the mind needs many different ideas to remain sharp. Wouldn’t you agree?"

"For the man whose religion claims to spread truth, priest, your lies are strikingly vulgar."

"They needed to work and improve their own lives, not wait for some external miracle."

"You have to expect a measure of subterfuge in any political engagement."

"“I suppose an optimistic comment wouldn’t do much good right now.” Galladon smiled slightly. “Definitely not—you optimists just can’t understand that a depressed person doesn’t want you to try and cheer them up. It makes us sick.”"

"“I do, however, wonder why you preach hatred of the Atlantans when you yourself simply pity them.” Hrathen didn’t respond immediately, tapping his gauntleted finger against the stone parapet with a repetitive click. “It’s not so hard, once you accustom yourself to it,” he finally said. “A man can force himself to hate if he wishes, especially if he convinces himself that it is for a higher good.”"

"Men often place pride before reason."

"“Eventually I found the best source of information to be the soldiers with guard the city walls.” “I’ve heard of them,” Sarene said, looking over her clothing. “They’re supposed to be the most elite fighting group in Arelon.” “And they are very quick to tell you so, my lady,” Ashe said. “I doubt many of them would know what to do in a battle, though they seem quite proficient at cards and drinking. They tend to keep their uniforms well pressed, however.”"

"Morpheus' gifts used to come to me in bottles, Beam and black Jack Daniel's, straight up with a frosted schooner of Jax on the side, while the rain poor down in the neon glow outside the window of an all-night bar not far from the Huey Long Bridge. In a half hour I could kick open a furnace door and fling into the flames all the snakes and squeaking bats that lived inside me. Except the next morning they would writhe with new life in the ashes and come back home, stinking and hungry."