George R.R. Martin · 5216 pages
Rating: (40.2K votes)
“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness.”
“Black and white and grey, all the shades of truth.”
“Si no tiene nada que temer, un cobarde no se distingue en nada de un valiente. Y todos cumplimos con nuestro deber cuando no nos cuesta nada.”
“times may change, but men do not.”
“When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.”
“Choosing … it has always hurt. And always will.”
“Arya slid her dagger out and drew it across his throat, as smooth as summer silk. His blood covered her hands in a hot gush and he tried to shout but there was blood in his mouth as well. “Valar morghulis,” she whispered as he died.”
“His elk?” said Bran, wonderstruck. “His elk?” said Meera, startled. “His ravens?” said Jojen. “Hodor?” said Hodor.”
“The grey sheep have closed their eyes, but the mastiff sees the truth. Old powers waken. Shadows stir. An age of wonder and terror will soon be upon us, an age for gods and heroes.”
“When I was a boy, I dreamt that I could fly,” he announced. “When I woke, I couldn’t … or so the maester said. But what if he lied?”
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies,” said Jojen. “The man who never reads lives only one. The”
“a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”
“You’re awful.” “I’m honest. It’s the world that’s awful.”
“If they want to give you a name, take it, make it your own. Then they can’t hurt you with it anymore.”
“The waves may break upon the mountain, yet still they come, wave upon wave, and in the end only pebbles remain where once the mountain stood. And soon even the pebbles are swept away, to be ground beneath the sea for all eternity.”
“Look at these oafs, Ned. My wife insisted I take these two to squire for me, and they’re worse than useless. Can’t even put a man’s armor on him properly. Squires, they say. I say they’re swineherds dressed up in silk.” Ned only needed a glance to understand the difficulty. “The boys are not at fault,” he told the king. “You’re too fat for your armor, Robert.”
“All she felt was pity, and pity was death to desire.”
“You will never find the eye with your fingers, Bran. You must search with your heart.”
“Fear is what keeps a man alive in this world of treachery and deceit.”
“A man will win one tourney, and fall quickly in the next. A slick spot in the grass may mean defeat, or what you ate for supper the night before. A change in the wind may bring the gift of victory.” He glanced at Ser Jorah. “Or a lady’s favor knotted round an arm.” Mormont’s face darkened. “Be careful what you say, old man.”
“You should think less about the future and more about the pleasures at hand.”
“The contents of my chamber pot are more able than Ser Harys.”
“A few lantern bugs were coming out, their little lights blinking on and off. The green water was warm as tears, but there was no salt in it. It tasted of summer and mud and growing things.”
“Shagga, cut off his manhood and feed it to the goats.” Shagga hefted the huge double-bladed axe. “There are no goats, Halfman.” “Make do.”
“Swift as a deer. Quiet as a shadow. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Quick as a snake. Calm as still water. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine. Fear cuts deeper than swords. The man who fears losing has already lost. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Fear cuts deeper than swords.”
“What evil?” He laughed. “What gods?” “The gods who made us all.” “All?” he mocked. “Tell me, little bird, what kind of god makes a monster like the Imp, or a halfwit like Lady Tanda’s daughter? If there are gods, they made sheep so wolves could eat mutton, and they made the weak for the strong to play with.” “True knights protect the weak.” He snorted. “There are no true knights, no more than there are gods. If you can’t protect yourself, die and get out of the way of those who can. Sharp steel and strong arms rule this world, don’t ever believe any different.”
“White is for Starks. I’ll drink red like a good Lannister.”
“Under the sea, the fish eat us. I know, I know, oh, oh, oh.”
“The drapes kept out the dust and heat of the streets, but they could not keep out disappointment. Dany”
“When men are starving and sick of fear, they look for a savior.”
“Nothing that ever happens is so unimportant that it doesn't change things.”
“God's greatest gift to man
In all the bounty He was moved to make
Throughout creation-the one gift the most
Close to his goodness and the one He calls
Most precious-is free will.”
“When Mary Shelley took a local legend based on truth and crafted fiction from it, she'd made Victor a tragic figure and killed him off. He understood her dramatic purpose for giving him a death scene, but he loathed her for portraying him as tragic and a failure.
Her judgement of his work was arrogant. What else of consequence did she ever write? And of the two, who was dead - and who was not?”
“Here's how you make absolutely sure that you'll keep getting crazier by the day:
- Ignore everything your psychiatrist tells you. Disregard all his warnings about the way you're living your life - in fact, do absolutely everything he tells you not to.
- Don't always take your pills. They're a hassle, and what if they make you dull? You don't need them. And if you're going to take the pills, take them with a glass of wine. It will make the mood swings even more exciting.
- Don't sleep; you've got to make sure your body clock is as fucked up as possible. The less you sleep, the more manic you'll get, until soon you'll go completely over the edge.
- Drink caffeine. Tons of it. Take your morning pills with coffee. It can't hurt.
- Work around the clock - it's important to put yourself under as much stress as possible.
- Eating normally would stabilize your blood sugar, so don't do that; it's better to keep your body in as unstable a state as you possibly can for maximum results.
- And, above all else, drink like a fish.”
“I’m not sure I trust myself around you I liked you from the start, J.D. I really wish things had been different, that's all.”
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