Mr. Mercedes

Every religion lies. Every moral precept is a delusion. Even the stars are a mirage. The truth is darkness, and the only thing that matters is making a statement before one enters it. Cutting the skin of the world and leaving a scar. That’s all history is, after all: scar tissue.

Life is a crap carnival with shit prizes.

Rich people can be generous, even the ones with bloodcurdling political views can be generous, but most believe in generosity on their own terms, and underneath (not so deep, either), they’re always afraid someone is going to steal their presents and eat their birthday cake.

Creepy as hell. You ever see that TV movie about the clown in the sewer?

Never tell a lie when you can tell the truth.

Most people are sheep and sheep don't eat meat

When you gaze into the abyss, Nietzsche wrote, the abyss also gazes into you.

How cruel would a supreme being have to be to make a world as fucked-up as this one?

Any system created by the mind of man can be hacked by the mind of man.

Hodges has read there are wells in Iceland so deep you can drop a stone down them and never hear the splash. He thinks some human souls are like that.

Hodges remembers an old saying: even on the darkest day, the sun shines on some dog’s ass.

even on the darkest day, the sun shines on some dog’s ass.

That’s all history is, after all: scar tissue.

[E]ighty percent of success is just showing up.

More coffee?” Hodges declines with a smile. Hot can only do so much for bad coffee.

It’s easy—too easy—to either disbelieve or disregard someone you dislike.

In a don’t-give-a-fuck world, he is about to become the ultimate don’t-give-a-fucker.

It wasn't fair, but what is? Life is a crap carnival with shit prizes.

Imagination is a good servant, and a bad master.

That had to be the answer. When you heard hoofbeats, you didn't think zebras.

What he knows now is that guilt isn’t the only reason people commit suicide. Sometimes you can just get bored with afternoon TV.

Holly sighs. “I’m out of cigarettes, too.” “Those things will kill you,” Jerome says. She gives him a flat look. “Yes! That’s part of their charm.

You can lead a whore to culture, but you can’t make her think.

as if the cops expected the big gray sedan to start up by itself, like that old Plymouth in the horror movie,

I did something good for you just now. Before the sun goes down tonight, I want you to pass it on.

College was for people who didn’t know they were smart.

Any system created by the mind of man can be hacked by the mind of man. You feel me?

Woody Allen was right: eighty percent of success is just showing up.