"Well, knowing your own part in this is a good sign that you’re becoming a man. Most boys would have tried to justify their actions by shifting blame or by claiming some moral imperative to fight."

"“I’m not one to advise you in such matters, I fear, as I’ve had scant experience with women, of any age, let alone such young and headstrong ones.” Looking Pug in the eyes, he said, “But this much I do know, it is almost impossible in the heat of the moment to understand long-term consequences.”"

"But legends are common enough. Turn up any rock on the beach and you’ll find one. I for one prefer to look for real answers to our shortcomings, not blame them on ancient superstitions."

"No disrespect to you, Tully. But don’t try to teach an old thief to steal. I know your order chops logic with the best of them, and that half your brother clerics fall into laughing fits when they hear those deadly serious young acolytes debate theological issues set aside a century ago."

"“Our host is the sort who sees which way the wind blows before making up his mind; he waits word from the merchant before deciding if we’re prisoners or guests.” The magician chuckled. “You’ll find as you grow older that minor functionaries are the same the world over.”"

"When the boy had finished, the King said, “That is a wonderful tale. It is better than the versions that have reached our court, for while it is not half so heroic, it is twice as impressive for being true.”"

"There may be a more superstitious breed on Midkemia than sailors, but who they are I could not tell you."

"I didn’t really think she was making that much sense. Or if she was, it was all ringing too true for me to want to hear it."

"Pug questioned him with a look. “I don’t understand.” The traveler shook his head. “I don’t expect you to, Pug. Let us say that things are occurring that can be understood only by examination after the fact, with a distance of time separating the participants from the participating.”"

"“We have an old saying: ‘In the High Council, there is no brother.’”"

"Among man’s strange undertakings, war stood clearly forth as the strangest."

"It wasn’t what I’d seen and heard and tasted that night that made me mad. It was the fact that I’d seen something unspeakably evil, and yet I wasn’t as totally horrified as I should have been."

"One time is much like another to death. She comes when she will. So why give over your mind to worry?"

"Sometimes, people think you read their minds, but it’s just that they’re so predictable."

"But when you’ve seen as many different lands as I have, you learn that the more things look different, the more they are the same."

"Ah, how fortunate are those who have never learned the awful truth taught by hunger: that a man will do anything, to live one single day more!"

"I have never known why women believe the things men tell them – or vice versa."

"“I am prepared for anything,” he said. I shook my head at his fatal arrogance. How can a man be prepared for anything?"

"Confession might be good for the soul, but if incautiously made public might be death to the body."

"You haven’t made a better world. You’ve unilaterally surrendered that world to the people you disagree with."

"Once he had begun to experience actual adventures—which Mechanic Professor S’san called “bad things happening to other people”—Alain had begun noticing the differences between those epics and genuine “adventure.” Journeys such as this, in which a long day was spent just covering part of the distance from one place to another. Or horses, which in epics were untiring, even-tempered, and always perfectly obedient, but in actual use tended to wear out, bite, balk, and otherwise act like creatures with minds of their own."

"Doubt about your wisdom can be the clearest sign of wisdom."

"“I’m going to have nightmares about this, guys.” “It is gone,” Asha said. “Do not give the dead power over yourself.” “This doesn’t bother you?” “It is the record of horror in the past, not the horror itself,” Asha said. “It creates the illusion within us that we are viewing the actual awful events instead of the aftermath of what happened long ago.”"

"“You manipulated the illusion very well.” “Yeah, that’s me. A natural when it comes to convincing people I’m a vain, blood-sucking, undead monster.”"

"It’s like forbidding horses to learn algebra. What’s the point?"

"Sometimes denying reality is all that keeps a person going, isn’t it?"

"“You’ve every right to feel proud of this victory. You’ve helped ensure the safety of this town and eliminated a warlord who has done great harm.” Mari let her distaste show. “And all I had to do was kill a lot of people.” “I see. You don’t like causing deaths.” “No. Even when it’s totally justified. Even when it’s the only good option.” “But you do it anyway,” Sien observed. “I don’t have any choice, Princess. How else do we stop people like that? If you know another way, please tell me.”"

"He may be a Mage, but he’s also a guy, so he has to have plenty of stuff wrong with him."

"Wisdom this day seemed to involve telling someone else something that they did not want to hear."

"Our world is facing the problems it is because some people decided they were more special than other people."

"“Should we tell them about these abrasions, or do they already know everything that needs to be known?” The other Mechanic rolled his eyes. “You know the type, I guess. Go through the motions of researching the problem when they’ve already decided what the problem is and what they’re going to do.” “I usually end up having problems with Mechanics like that.” “Don’t we all.”"

"How did the other Mechanics miss this? Or maybe they didn’t. Maybe they chose to miss it. Maybe they didn’t see anything that didn’t match their own predetermined theories."

"I don’t do what’s necessary. I do what’s right."

"Perhaps that is the only wisdom there really is, young Mage: that our choices matter."

"Perhaps we can build a world where there is more wisdom and less suffering."

"“There has been an unfortunate misunderstanding.” Alain answered. “Is unfortunate misunderstanding the term used in Syndar for a surprise attack?”"

"“So, those stories of Mages’ ability to read truth and lies are accurate?” the older woman from Julesport commented with a sharp glance at the others present. “What a useful skill to have in a gathering of politicians!”"

"Mari looked at him. “Don’t you dare die.” “Don’t you.” “All right. I guess we’ll both have to live through this.”"

"“Soldiers and healers have that much in common,” Major Danel said. “When we are busy at our trades, it means others are suffering.”"

"Wisdom does not lie in accepting what the illusion shows us. It lies in trying to change the illusion in favor of what is real."

"“It’s just common sense,” Mari objected. “Help people realize that what they do matters, that their efforts count and that everyone needs to work together, and they’ll work and fight better.” Patila shook her head. “Such sense is far from common.”"

"I think an unquestioned sense of entitlement and superiority is more likely to make someone inferior in spirit. No one should be certain that they are better than everyone else."

"Blazes, girl, did you ever meet a rule you didn’t want to break?"

"Have you heard that the sea is like a woman? There’s truth to that. One moment tranquil, the next moment furious, and all men can do is try to read the weather, ride the storm, and hope for the best."

"“You know so much,” Mari said softly. “You have kept so much knowledge safe. And yet there is still so much more to learn.” Coleen smiled. “Those things are the definition of happiness for a librarian. That and sharing the knowledge we have.”"

"“My apologies for doubting you.” “You questioned me,” Mari said. “If I can’t handle that, I don’t deserve to be giving orders.”"

"You may be wrong, but they are not right."