Patricia C. Wrede · 1056 pages
Rating: (8.8K votes)
“May you and your triple cursed wash water turn purple with orange spots and fall down a bottomless pit!”
― Patricia C. Wrede, quote from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“I didn’t ask what you’d said about it,” the frog snapped. “I asked what you’re going to do. Nine times out of ten, talking is a way of avoiding doing things.”
― Patricia C. Wrede, quote from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“You’d think they’d been raised in a palace for all the manners they have.” “If they’re princes, they probably have been raised in palaces,” Mendanbar said. “Princes usually are.” “Well, no wonder none of them have any manners, then.” The squirrel sniffed. “They ought to be sent to school in a forest, where people are polite. You don’t see any of my children behaving like that, no, sir. Please and thank you and yes, sir and no, ma’am—that’s how I brought them up, all twenty-three of them, and what’s good enough for squirrels is good enough for princes, I say.”
― Patricia C. Wrede, quote from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“Mendanbar wondered idly whether a bucket of soapy water plus lemon juice plus dishes would be as good for melting a wizard as one without dishes, and what effect the dishes would have on the process. Being melted was probably not very comfortable, but being melted while cups and plates and forks were falling on your head was likely to be even less so.”
― Patricia C. Wrede, quote from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“I’m the King, and I say you go to the dungeon instead of fighting wizards, and no argument.”
― Patricia C. Wrede, quote from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“Thank you very much,” I said. “But I really ought to tell you: I’m not a lord.” The dwarf smiled tolerantly. “Of course not, my lord. Is there anything else we can do for you?”
― Patricia C. Wrede, quote from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“In short, I never yet encountered the mere mathematician who could be trusted out of equal roots, or one who did not clandestinely hold it as a point of his faith that x squared + px was absolutely and unconditionally equal to q. Say to one of these gentlemen, by way of experiment, if you please, that you believe occasions may occur where x squared + px is not altogether equal to q, and, having made him understand what you mean, get out of his reach as speedily as convenient, for, beyond doubt, he will endeavor to knock you down.”
― Edgar Allan Poe, quote from The Purloined Letter
“It doesn't take any effort to dream. It's a lot easier than looking at the problems in front of you and figuring out what you're going to do about them. But all you're doing is putting your problems up on a shelf for later, right? That doesn't make them go away.”
― Fuyumi Ono, quote from The Twelve Kingdoms: Skies of Dawn
“The rhythm built up, high resonant notes from the buzzing xylophone, the off-scale dipping warble of the flute, the eerie, strangely primeval bass of the synthesizer.
The others punctuated the music with claps and sudden piercing shrieks from behind their veils. Suddenly one began to sing in Tamashek.
"He sings about his synthesizer," Gresham murmured.
"What does he say?"
I humbly adore the acts of the Most High,
Who has given to the synthesizer what is better than a soul.
So that, when it plays, the men are silent,
And their hands cover their veils to hide their emotions.
The troubles of life were pushing me into the tomb,
But thanks to the synthesizer,
God has given me back my life.”
― Bruce Sterling, quote from Islands in the Net
“Immortality is only for the gods,” he whispered. “I wonder how they can stand it.”
― Barry Hughart, quote from The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox
“Civilized man longs for the illusion of barbarism. Either his culture fulfills this need by adopting its outer trappings, or he will be seduced by his first contact with a culture that does.”
― C.S. Friedman, quote from In Conquest Born
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