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At First Glance, The Key And The Lock It Fits May Seem Very Different," Sazed Said. "different In Shape, Different In Function, Different In Design. The Man Who Looks At Them Without Knowledge Of Their True Nature Might Think Them Opposites, For One Is Meant To Open, And The Other To Keep Closed. Yet, Upon Closer Examination He Might See That Without One, The Other Becomes Useless. The Wise Man Then Sees That Both Lock And Key Were Created For The Same Purpose.

-Brandon Sanderson

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At First Glance, The

Brandon Sanderson

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At First Glance, The Key And The Lock It Fits May Seem Very Different," Sazed Said. "different In Shape, Different In Function, Different In Design. The Man Who Looks At Them Without Knowledge Of Their True Nature Might Think Them Opposites, For One Is Meant To Open, And The Other To Keep Closed. Yet, Upon Closer Examination He Might See That Without One, The Other Becomes Useless. The Wise Man Then Sees That Both Lock And Key Were Created For The Same Purpose.

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Ah, The Outdoors,' Shallan Said. 'i Visited That Mythical Place Once.

Impossible Things Are Really Rough To Do, You Know.

Impossible Things

Every Action We Take Has Consequences, Vin," Kelsier Said. "i've Found That In Both Allomancy And Life, The Person Who Can Best Judge The Consequences Of Their Actions Will Be The Most Successful.

You See The Dilemma?” Ham Asked. “i See An Idiot,” Breeze Mumbled.

Elend Started. "vin!" Then, He Smiled. "what Took You So Long?" "i Got Delayed By An Inquistor And A Dark God," She Said. "now Hustle.

The Nature Of Morality Must Be Considered, And Preferably Before One Is Exposed To Situations Where A Moral Decision Is Required.

I'm Teoish," Sarene Said, Successfully Spearing Something That Looked Like A Marinated Piece Of Shrimp. "we're All This Tall." "father's Teoish Too, Kaise," Daorn Said. "and You Know How Tall He Is." "but Father's Fat," Kaise Pointed Out. "why Aren't You Fat Too, Sarene?

Regardless, I Still Do Not Believe That Your Duty Is To Do As The People Wish. Your Duty Is To Lead As Best You Can, Following The Dictates Of Your Conscience. You Must Be True. Your Majesty, To The Man You Wish To Become.

A Man Can Only Lead When Others Accept Him As Their Leader, And He Has Only As Much Authority As His Subjects Give To Him. All Of The Brilliant Ideas In The World Cannot Save Your Kingdom If No One Will Listen To Them.

I Bring You A Message From A Friend Of Ours," She Said Quietly. "he Wanted You To Know That He's Not Dead. He Can't Be Killed." "he Is Hope." The She Raised The Spear And Rammed It Directly Into The Lord Ruler's Heart.

At First Raoden Stayed Away From The Library, Because It Reminded Him Of Her. Then He Found Himself Drawn Back To It—because It Reminded Him Of Her.

By Now, It Is Probably Very Late At Night, And You Have Stayed Up To Read This Book When You Should Have Gone To Sleep. If This Is The Case, Then I Commend You For Falling Into My Trap. It Is A Writer's Greatest Pleasure To Hear That Someone Was Kept Up Until The Unholy Hours Of The Morning Reading One Of His Books. It Goes Back To Authors Being Terrible People Who Delight In The Suffering Of Others. Plus, We Get A Kickback From The Caffeine Industry.

Remember That Your Job As A Practicing Writer Is To Remember It's Never Going To Be Perfect On Your First Pass.

Why Did They Believe? Because They Saw Miracles. Things One Man Took As Chance, A Man Of Faith Took As A Sign. A Loved One Recovering From Disease, A Fortunate Business Deal, A Chance Meeting With A Long Lost Friend. It Wasn't The Grand Doctrines Or The Sweeping Ideals That Seemed To Make Believers Out Of Men. It Was The Simple Magic In The World Around Them.

You're Wonderful. So Full Of Life And Excitement. The Priests And Servants Of The Palace, They Wear Colors, But There's No Color Inside Of Them. They Just Go About Their Duties, Eyes Down, Solemn. You've Got Color On The Inside, So Much Of It That It Bursts Out And Colors Everything Around You.

I Need Something, Wax. A Place To Look. You Always Did The Thinking.” “yes, Having A Brain Helps With That, Surprisingly.

Nothing Will Train You To Write Better As A Writer, Than Working On Your Next Book.

Everything Is A Contest. All Dealings Among Men Are A Contest In Which Some Will Succeed And Others Fail. And Some Are Failing Quite Spectacularly.

War Is Far Worse. At Least Where Politics Is Going On, There Are Usually Nice Hors D’oeuvres.

Spook: No, I'm Not Troubled. In Fact, I Actually Think Everything Is Going To Be All Right. Finally.

Anyone Know Where Kell Is?" "sleeping," Vin Said. "he Came In Late Last Night, And Hasn't Gotten Up Yet." Ham Grunted, Taking A Bite Of Baywrap. "dox?" "in His Room On The Third Floor," Vin Said. "he Got Up Early, Came Down To Get Something To Eat, And Went Back Upstairs." ... Ham Raised An Eyebrow. "you Always Keep Track Of Where Everyone Is Like That?" "yes.

The Best Performances, Are Those That Can Be Performed Once.

Best Performance

You Are Inexperienced. So Was I, Once. So Is Every Man. The Measure Of A Person Is Not How Much They Have Lived. . . It's In How They Make Us Of What Life Has Shown Them.

The More Limitations You Put On A Character Often Times The Better A Character You'll Make Them, The More Interesting The Story Becomes Because The Character Can't Simply Wave A Hand And Make Something Happen. They Have To Work Within The Framework.

Using A Fetching Face To Make Men Do As You Wish Is No Different From A Man Using Muscle To Force A Woman To His Will. Both Are Base, And Both Will Fail A Person As They Age.

You See, That Is The Sad, Sorry, Terrible Thing About Sarcasm. It's Really Funny.

Unknowing Ignorance Is Preferable To Informed Stupidity.

To Live Is To Have Worries And Uncertainties. Keep Them Inside, And They Will Destroy You For Certain--leaving Behind A Person So Callused That Emotion Can Find No Root In His Heart.

Eternity Ended Ten Years Ago.

If I Should Die,” Dalinar Said, “then I Would Do So Having Lived My Life Right. It Is Not The Destination That Matters, But How One Arrives There.” “the Codes?” “no. The Way Of Kings.” “that Storming Book.

I Love To Do What I Do. So, I Do Work Long Hours.

That’s The Funny Thing About Arriving Somewhere, Vin,” He Said With A Wink. “once You’re There, The Only Thing You Can Really Do Is Leave Again.

The Look Of Disbelief That Ran Across The Boy's Face Was Somehow More Disturbing Than The Despair It Had Replaced. This Creature Had Given Up Hope Long Ago; He Probably Begged Out Of Habit Rather Than Expectation.

Well Vin Says That There's Something Behind All This, Right? Some Evil Force Of Doom Or Whatever? Well, If I Were Said Force Of Doom, Then I Certainly Wouldn't Have Used My Powers To Turn The Land Black. It Just Lacks Flair. Red. Now, That Would Be An Interesting Color. Think Of The Possibilities--if The Ash Were Red, The Rivers Would Run Like Blood. Black Is So Monotonous That You Can Forget About It, But Red--you'd Always Be Thinking, 'why, Look At That. That Hill Is Red. That Evil Force Of Doom Trying To Destroy Me Certainly Has Style.

Mocking A Woman Is Like Drinking Too Much Wine. It May Be Fun For A Short Time, But The Hangover Is Hell.

Personally, I Like It Much Better When Someone Else Does The Decision Making. That Way You Have Legitimate Grounds To Whine And Complain. I Tend To Find Both Whining And Complaining Quite Interesting And Amusing, Though Sometimes--unfortunately--it's Hard To Choose Which One Of The Two I Want To Do. Sigh. Life Can Be So Tough Sometimes.

I Don't Have Much Time For Stories," Vin Said. "seems That Fewer And Fewer People Do, These Days." A Canopy Kept Off The Ash, But He Seemed Unconcerned About The Mists. "it Makes Me Wonder What Is So Alluring About The Real World That Gives Them All Such A Fetish For It. It's Not A Very Nice Place These Days.

The Best Liars Are Those Who Tell The Truth Most Of The Time.

Telling The Truth

The Most Dangerous Kind Of Man Is Not The One Who Spent His Youth Shoving Others Around. That Kind Of Man Gets Lazy, And Is Often Too Content With His Life To Be Truly Dangerous. The Man Who Spent His Youth Being Shoved Around, However … When That Man Gets A Little Power And Authority, He Often Uses It To Become A Tyrant On Par With The Worst Warlords In History.

What Would You Think If I Told You That I Wasn’t An Allomancer?” Sazed Asked. “i’d Think That You Were Lying,” Vin Said. “have You Known Me To Lie Before?” “the Best Liars Are Those Who Tell The Truth Most Of The Time.

It Was Strange, How Easily And Quickly Protection Could Cause Destruction. Sometimes, Vasher Wondered If The Two Weren't Really The Same Thing. Protect A Flower, Destroy Pests Who Wanted To Feed On It. Protect A Building, Destroy The Plants That Could Have Grown In The Soil. Protect A Man. Live With The Destruction He Creates.

Bitterness Is Repaid More Often Than Kindness.

It's Like A Banana Farm For Guns!

I'm An Amalgamation Of What I've Needed To Be. Part Scholar, Part Rebel, Part Nobleman, Part Mistborn, And Part Soldier. Sometimes I Don't Even Know Myself. I Had A Devil Of A Time Getting All Those Pieces To Work Together. And, Just When I'm Starting To Get It Figured Out, The World Up And Ends On Me.

There Has To Be A Balance, Vin," Elend Said. "somehow, We'll Find It. The Balance Between Whom We Wish To Be And Whom We Need To Be." He Sighed. "but For Now," He Said, Nodding To The Side, "we Simply Have To Be Satisfied With Who We Are.

Oh, I’m Just A Happy Person.

All Right," Spook Said. He Reached To The Ground, Scooping Up A Pile Of Ash. "let's Just Rub This Into Your Clothing And On Your Face...." Breeze Froze. "i'll Meet You Back Ath The Lair," He Finally Said.

We Were Like Deaf People Trying To Dance To A Beat We Couldn't Hear, Long After The Music Actually Stopped.

I Write Those Words In Steel For Anything Else Not Set In Metal Cannot Be Trusted

Those Candle Flames Were Like The Lives Of Men. So Fragile. So Deadly. Left Alone, They Lit And Warmed. Let Run Rampant, They Would Destroy The Very Things They Were Meant To Illuminate. Embryonic Bonfires, Each Bearing A Seed Of Destruction So Potent It Could Tumble Cities And Dash Kings To Their Knees.

I Never Wanted To Be Feared. If I Regret One Thing, It Is The Fear I Have Caused. Fear Is The Tool Of Tyrants. Unfortunately, When The Fate Of The World Is In Question, You Use Whatever Tools Are Available.

You Are Out Of Control, Rand Al'thor,' She Declared. I Do What Must Be Done,' He Said, Speaking Now From The Shadows. He Sounded Exhausted. ... I Hate What You Just Did, Rand,' Nynaeve Snarled. 'no, "hate" Isn't Strong Enough. I Loathe What You've Done. What Has Happened To You?' Test Him!' Rand Whispered, Voice Dangerous. 'before Condemning Me, Let Us First Determine If My Sins Have Achieved Anything Beyond My Own Damnation.

I Still Doubt It Will Work." "you'd Doubt The Sun's Rising If You Weren't Proven Wrong Each Day," Raoden Said With A Smile.

In The End, All Men Die. How You Lived Will Be Far More Important To The Almighty Than What You Accomplished.

Can A Woman Not Walk With Her Possessions Down The Street Of A City?

Wherever It May Be, Whoever May Hold It. That's Who I Am.

So, When People Try To Give You Some Book With A Shiny Round Award On The Cover, Be Kind And Gracious, But Tell Them You Don't Read "fantasy," Because You Prefer Stories That Are Real. Then Come Back Here And Continue Your Research On The Cult Of Evil Librarians Who Secretly Rule The World.

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." Brandon Sanderson(elantris)

Depressed Person

You're A Very Difficult Person To Manipulate, You Know." "nonsense," He Said. "you Just Have To Promise Me That I Won't Have To Do A Thing, And Then I'll Do Anything You Want." "anything?" "anything That Doesn't Require Doing Anything." "that's Nothing, Then." "is It?" "yes." "well, That's Something.

It Sounds To Me, Young One," Haddek Said, "that You Are Searching For Something That Cannot Be Found." "the Truth?" Sazed Said. "no," Haddek Replied. "a Religion That Requires No Faith Of Its Believers.

Oh, Wax Has Always Been Solemn, But When He's At His Best, There's A Smirk Underneath.

My Name Is Stephen Leeds, And I Am Perfectly Sane. My Hallucinations, However, Are All Quite Mad.

The Motivations Of Men. They Never Make Sense. And They Always Make Sense.

Strength Does Not Make One Capable Of Rule; It Makes One Capable Of Service.

You'll Never Learn How To Do Your Endings Until You Finish Your Endings.

The Ways Of Wayne Are Mysterious And Incomprehensible.

A Story Doesn't Live Until It Is Imagined In Someone's Mind.

In The End, I Worry That My Arrogance Shall Destroy Us All.

If You Are Anything Like Me --- Clever, Fond Of Goat Cheese, And Devilishly Handsome --- Then You Have Undoubtedly Read Many Books.

The Sudden And Abrupt Removal Of My All-consuming Goal ... Well, It Was Like I Was A Donut, And Somebody Had Sucked All The Jelly Out Of Me. But I Could Stuff New Jelly In There. It Would Just Get My Hands A Little Sticky In The Process.

Kelsier Smiled. 'it Means That You, Vin, Are A Very Special Person. You Have A Power That Most High Noblemen Envy. It Is A Power That, Had You Been Born An Aristocrat, Would Have Made You One Of The Most Deadly And Influential People In All Of The Final Empire.' Kelsier Leaned Forward Again. 'but, You Weren't Born An Aristocrat. You're Not Noble, Vin. You Don't Have To Play By Their Rules--and That Makes You Even More Powerful.

Your Insult Has Offended Me. If We Were At The Peaks, We Would Have To Duel In Traditional Alil'tiki'i Fashion." "which Is What?" Teft Asked. "with Spears?" Rock Laughed. "no, No. We Upon The Peaks Are Not Barbarians Like You Down Here." "how Then?" Kaladin Asked, Genuinely Curious. "well," Rock Said, "is Involving Much Mudbeer And Singing." “how's That A Duel?” "he Who Can Still Sing After The Most Drinks Is Winner. Plus, Soon' Everyone Is So Drunk That They Forget What Argument Was About." Teft Laughed. "beats Knives At Dawn, I Suppose.

Being Polite To A Person Is Not A Sign Of Respect For Them. It Is Merely A Sign Of A Good Upbringing And A Balanced Nature.

Good Upbringing

They Tried Boiling Books, But That Didn't Work Very Well." "i'm Surprised They Haven't Tried Boiling One Another." "oh, It's Been Tried," Galladon Said. "fortunately. Something Happens To Us During The Shaod—apparently The Flesh Of A Dead Man Doesn't Taste Too Good. Kolo? In Fact, It's So Violently Bitter That No One Can Keep It Down." "it's Nice To See That Cannibalism Has Been So Logically Ruled Out As An Option," Raoden Said Dryly

Authors Also Create Lovable, Friendly Characters, Then Proceed To Do Terrible Things To Them, Like Throw Them In Unsightly Librarian-controlled Dungeons. This Makes Readers Feel Hurt And Worried For The Characters. The Simple Truth Is That Authors Like Making People Squirm. If This Weren't The Case, All Novels Would Be Filled Completely With Cute Bunnies Having Birthday Parties.

That Isn’t Greatness. That’s Just Foolishness.

Small Things Were Important. Secods Were Small Things, And If You Heaped Enough Of Those On Top Of One Another, They Became A Man's Life.

He Found Insanity No Excuse, However, For Irrational Behavior.

I Am A Writer Who Works From An Outline. What I Generally Do When I Build An Outline Is I Find Focal, Important Scenes, And I Build Them In My Head And I Don't Write Them Yet, But I Build Towards Them.

They Are Presented Attractively For The Same Reason That Kittens Are Cute - So That They Can Draw You In, Then Pounce On You For The Kill. Seriously. Stay Away From Kittens.

What Did You Put In The Fire?" Kaladin Said. "to Make That Special Smoke?" "nothing. It Was Just And Ordinary Fire." "but, I Saw-" "what You Saw Belongs To You. A Story Doesn't Live Until It Is Imagined In Someone's Mind." "what Does The Story Mean, Then?" "it Means What You Want It To Mean," Hoid Said. "the Purpose Of A Storyteller Is Not To Tell You How To Think , But To Give You Questions To Think Upon. Too Often, We Forget That.

The Right Belief Is Like A Good Cloak, I Think. If It Fits You Well, It Keeps You Warm And Safe. The Wrong Fit However, Can Suffocate.

When Men Fought, They Connected. You Became Brothers As You Traded Blows.

Honestly, For An Evil God Of Darkness, He Certainly Can Be Dull.

Lately, I Feel Like My Life Is A Book Written In A Language I Don't Know How To Read.

You're A Mean Old Man, Your Grace." "and That Is The Way It Should Be." Roial Informed. "mean Young Men Are Trivial, And Kindly Old Men Boring. Here, Let Me Get Us Something To Drink.

I Killed You Once", The Lord Ruler Said, Turning Back To Kelsier. "you Tried", Kelsier Replied, His Voice Loud And Firm, Carrying Across The Square. "but You Can't Kill Me, Lord Tyrant. I Represent That Thing You've Never Been Able To Kill No Matter How Hard You Try. I Am Hope.

Ruin Still Used Reen's Voice-it Was Familiar, Something That Had Always Seemed A Part Of Her. Discovering That It Belonged To That Thing...it Was Like Finding Out That Her Reflection Really Belonged To Someone Else, And That She'd Never Actually Seen Herself.

People Can Do Great Things. However, There Are Somethings They Just Can't Do. I, For Instance, Have Not Been Able To Transform Myself Into A Popsicle, Despite Years Of Effort. I Could, However, Make Myself Insane, If I Wished. (though If I Achieved The Second, I Might Be Able To Make Myself Think I'd Achieved The First....) Anyway, If There's A Lesson To Be Learned, It's This: Great Success Often Depends On Being Able To Distinguish Between The Impossible And The Improbable. Or, In Easier Terms, Distinguishing Between Popsicles And Insanity. Any Questions?

Lessons To Be Learned

Never Throw The First Punch. If You Have To Throw The Second, Try To Make Sure They Don't Get Up For A Third.

I'm Galladon, From The Sovereign Realm Of Duladel. I'm Most Recently From Elantris, Land Of Sludge, Insanity, And Eternal Perdition. Nice To Meet You.

Though Most Expect Young Men To Be Fools, I've Noticed That Just A Little Bit Of Age Can Make A Man Far More Foolish Than He Was As A Child.

Does One Deserve To Have Evil Done To Her By Consequence Of Putting Herself Where Evil Can Reach Her?

Now, I Had Been Frightened On Several Different Occasions In My Life. The Most Frightening Of These Involved An Elevator And A Mime.

Joy Was More Than Just An Absence Of Discomfort.

For Now, I Only Wish To Make A Simple Acknowledgement Of The Woman Who Held The Power Just Before Me. Of All Of Us Who Touched It, I Feel She Was The Most Worthy.

Acknowledgement

That Hat Looks Ridiculous.” “fortunately, I Can Change Hats,” Wayne Said, “while You, Sir, Are Stuck With That Face.

It Is You!" The Man Exclaimed. "we Thought You Weren't Coming For Another Week!" "ashe," Sarene Mumbled, "who Is This Lunatic And What Does He Want With Me?

Must Someone, Some Unseen Thing, Declare What Is Right For It To Be Right? I Believe That My Own Morality - Which Answers Only To My Heart - Is More Sure And True Than The Morality Of Those Who Do Right Only Because They Fear Retribution.

...generally People Don't Recomend This Type Of Book At All. It Is Far Too Interesting. Perhaps You Have Had Other Books Recomended To You. Perhaps, Even, You Have Been Given Books By Friends, Parents, Teachers, Then Told That These Books Are The Type You Have To Read. Those Books Are Invariably Described As "important"- Which In My Experience, Pretty Much Means That They're Boring. (words Like Meaningful And Thoughtful Are Other Good Clues.)

Llarimar Had Told Him To Do His Best. That Sounded Like An Awful Lot Of Work. Unfortunately, Doing Nothing Was Beginning To Seem Like Even More Work.

Belief?" "yes," Sazed Said. "tell Me, Mistress. What Is It That You Believe?" Vin Frowned. "what Kind Of Question Is That?" "the Most Important Kind, I Think.

It Seems That The Rebels Found The Chaos Of Transition More Difficult To Accept Than The Tyranny They Had Known Before. They Joyfully Welcomed Back Authority-even Oppressive Authority-for It Was Less Painful For Them Than Uncertainty.

The Number 1 Thing That I Don't Want To See In A Story Is When Characters Exist Simply To Be Proven Wrong.

This Is Going To Take A While. I'm A Fantasy Author. We Have Trouble With The Concept Of Brevity.

There's Always Another Secret.' -kelsier

Sometimes It Was Daunting, Knowing How Easily I Could Break Things. This One Simple Curse Seemed To Dominate My Entire Life.

How Do You Fight Someone Smarter Than Yourself?' Rand Whispered. 'the Answer Is Simple. You Make Her Think That You Are Sitting Down Across The Table From Her, Ready To Play Her Game. Then You Punch Her In The Face As Hard As You Can.

Vin Snorted, Kneeling In The Low Tent As She Pulled Her Belt Tight; Then She Crawled Over To Him. "i Don't Know How You Read While Riding," She Said. "oh, It's Quite Easy - If You Aren't Afraid Of Horses." "i'm Not Afraid Of Them," Vin Said. "they Just Don't Like Me. They Know I Can Outrun Them, And That Makes Them Surly.

I've Seen Steelheart Bleed

And So, Does The Destination Matter? Or Is It The Path We Take? I Declare That No Accomplishment Has Substance Nearly As Great As The Road Used To Achieve It. We Are Not Creatures Of Destinations. It Is The Journey That Shapes Us. Our Callused Feet, Our Backs Strong From Carrying The Weight Of Our Travels, Our Eyes Open With The Fresh Delight Of Experiences Lived.

A Person Knows When They’re In Darkness, Even When They Can’t See. -nightblood

You Should Try Not To Talk So Much, Friend. You'll Sound Far Less Stupid That Way. - Breeze

Words Are Where Most Change Begins.

People Can Do Great Things. However, There Are Some Things They Just Can't Do. I, For Instance, Have Not Been Able To Transform Myself Into A Popsicle, Despite Years Of Effort.

He Smiled Despite The Grief He Felt At The Deaths Of His Men; He Smiled Because That Was What He Did. That Was How He Proved To The Lord Ruler-and To Himself-that He Wasn't Beaten.

If Men Should Read These Words, Let Them Know That Power Is A Heavy Burden. Seek Not To Be Bound By Its Chains.

But You Can't Kill Me, Lord Tyrant. I Represent That One Thing You've Never Been Able To Kill, No Matter How Hard You Try. I Am Hope.

It Is A Time Of Change,'' Sazed Said. ''perhaps It Is Also Time To Learn Of Other Truths, Other Ways.

People See In Stories What They’re Looking For, My Young Friend.

Overcome Your Guilt. Care, But Not Too Much. Take Responsibility, But Don't Blame Yourself. Protect, Save, Help- But Know When To Give Up. They're Precarious Ledges To Walk. How Do I Do It?

Getting Cut Off From The Knights' Magic Rock Also Required A Period Of Exile From Their Giant Glass Mushroom. (those Of You In The Hushlands, I Dare You To Work That Last Sentence Into A Conversation. "by The Way, Sally, Did You Know That Getting Cut From The Knight's Magic Rock Also Requires A Period Of Exile From Their Giant Glass Mushroom?")

Well, Then," He Said. "let's Do It." "what?" Vin Asked. "save The World." Elend Said. "stop The Ash.

I Take Two Hours Off For My Family Every Day. And Then I Write Fourteen Hours.

Men Had Always Told Kaladin That He Fought Like Nobody Else. He’d Felt It On The First Day He’d Picked Up A Quarterstaff, Though Tukks’s Advice Had Helped Him Refine And Channel What He Could Do. Kaladin Had Cared When He Fought. He’d Never Fought Empty Or Cold. He Fought To Keep His Men Alive

Are There Any Religions On Your List That Include The Slaughter Of Noblemen As A Holy Duty?

My Behavior Is Nonetheless, Deplorable. Unfortunately, I'm Quite Prone To Such Bouts Of Deplorability--take For Instance, My Fondness For Reading Books At The Dinner Table.

Of All The Recruits In His Cohort, He Had Learned The Quickest. How To Hold The Spear, How To Stand To Spar. He’d Done It Almost Without Instruction. That Had Shocked Tukks. But Why Should It Have? You Were Not Shocked When A Child Knew How To Breathe. You Were Not Shocked When A Skyeel Took Flight For The First Time. You Should Not Be Shocked When You Hand Kaladin Stormblessed A Spear And He Knows How To Use It.

That's Kind Of What Trust Is, Isn't It? A Willful Self-delusion.

I Have A Smoke Grenade In My Room," I Said. "what?" Megan Asked. "how?" "i Grew Up Working At A Munitions Plant," I Said. "we Mostly Made Rifles And Handguns, But We Worked With Other Factories. I Got To Pick Up The Occasional Goody From The Qc Reject Pile." "a Smoke Grenade Is A Goody?" Cody Asked. I Frowned. What Did He Mean? Of Course It Was. Who Wouldn't Want A Smoke Grenade When Offered One?

A Thing Of Nature. For Every Push, There Is A Pull. A Consequence.

The Shaod, It Was Called. The Transformation... When It Came, The Fortuante Person's Life Ended And Began Anew; He Would Discard His Old, Mundane Existence And Move To Elantris. Elantris, Where He Could Live In Bliss, Rule In Wisdom, And Be Worshiped For Eternity. Eternity Ended Ten Years Ago.

How Did Men Believe In Something That Preached Love On One Hand, Yet Taught Destruction Of Unbelievers On The Other? How Did One Rationalize Belief With No Proof? How Could They Honestly Expect Him To Have Faith In Something That Taught Of Miracles And Wonders In The Far Past, But Carefully Gave Excuses For Why Such Things Didn't Occur In The Present Day?

To Age Truly Was To Suffer The Ultimate Treason, That Of One's Body Against Oneself.

Have You Finally Grown So Jealous Of My Impeccable Fashion Sense That You've Decided To Have Me Disposed Of?

What Is Belief - What Is Faith - If You Don't Continue It After Failure?

I Consider Myself To Be A Man Of Principle. But, What Man Does Not? Even The Cutthroat, I Have Noticed, Considers His Actions "moral" After A Fashion. Perhaps Another Person, Reading Of My Life, Would Name Me A Religious Tyrant. He Could Call Me Arrogant. What Is To Make That Man's Opinion Any Less Valid Than My Own? I Guess It All Comes Down To One Fact: In The End, I'm The One With The Armies.

I Think Given The Choice Between Loving Mare - Betrayal Included - And Never Knowing Her, I'd Chose Love. I Risked, And I Lost, But The Risk Was Still Worth It.

Boys, Welcome To The Wonderful World Of Talking To Women About Their Feelings. As A Handy Primer, Here Are A Few Things You Should Know: 1) Women Have Feelings. 2) You Will Spend The Next Seventy Years Or So Trying To Guess What They're Feeling And Why. 3) You Will Be Wrong Most Of The Time. 4) I Like French Fries.

Sometimes The Prize Is Not Worth The Costs. The Means By Which We Achieve Victory Are As Important As The Victory Itself.

I Am A Smedry, And We Do Ridiculous, Unexpected, Eccentric Things Like This All The Time! Ha-ha!

It's All Right Wayne," Waxillium Said Softly. "i've Made A Promise. I Told Lord Harms I'd Return Steris To Him. And I Will. That Is That." "then I Will Remain And Help," Marasi Said. "that Is That." "and I Could Really Use Some Food," Wayne Added. "fat Is Fat.

You've Managed-- In Our Short Three Years Together-- To Kill Not Only My God, But My Father, My Brother, And My Fiance. That's Kind Of Like A Homicidal Hat Trick. It's A Strange Foundation For A Relationship, Wouldn't You Say?

Authority Doesn't Come From A Rank.," Kaladin Said, Fingering The Spheres In His Pocket. "where Does It Come From?" "from The Men Who Give It To You. That's The Only Way To Get It.

I've Found You Can Ignore Half Of What Dox Tells You And Not Miss Much-except For Maybe They Occasional Complaint That You're Spending Too Much.

When I Write My Books, Actually I'm Known For Very Logical Rule-based Magic Systems. I Write With One Foot In Fantasy And One Foot In Science Fiction.

He Found Himself Weeping. Not For The Future Or For The Emperor. These Were The Tears Of A Man Who Saw Before Himself A Masterpiece. True Art Was More Than Beauty; It Was More Than Technique. It Was Not Just Imitation. It Was Boldness, It Was Contrast, It Was Subtlety.

Better To Be The Failure Who Nobly Strived Than The Success Who Never Really Had To.

Everyone Is Either Happy Or Dead.

What? Is That Boy Crazy?" "most Young Men His Age Are Somewhat Crazy, I Think," Sazed Said With A Smile. "however, This Is Hardly Unexpected. Haven't You Noticed How He Stares At You When You Enter A Room?" "i Thought He Was Just Creepy.

I Strive For Nothing If Not Consistency

You Will Find That Hate Can Unify People More Quickly And More Fervently Than Devotion Ever Could.

To Believe, It Seemed, One Had To Want To Believe.

Somebody Has To Start. Somebody Has To Step Forward And Do What Is Right, Because It Is Right.

Remember, Despite The Fact That This Book Is Being Sold As A 'fantasy' Novel, You Must Take All Of The Things It Says Extremely Seriously, As They Are Quite Important, Are In No Way Silly, And Always Make Sense. Rutabaga.

It's Easy To Believe In Something When You Win All The Time...the Losses Are What Define A Man's Faith.

What Was That?" Galladon Demanded. "i Think I Just Destroyed The Biology Section" Raoden Replied With Wonder.

Our Belief Is Often Strongest When It Should Be Weakest. That Is The Nature Of Hope.

Being In Charge Isn't Always About Telling People What To Do. Sometimes, It's About Knowing When To Step Out Of The Way Of People Who Know What They're Doing. - Tam Al'thor

I Froze, Shocked. (and Don't Try To Clam That You Did Anything Different The First Time A Government Bureaucrat Pulled A Gun On You.)

Raoden Turned To Regard The Large Dula. "what Does It Matter? It's Not Like We Have Anything Pressing To Do. It's Actually Quite Pleasant Up Here—you Should Just Sit Back And Enjoy It." An Ominous Crash Came From The Clouds Above Them, And Raoden Felt A Wet Drop Splat Against His Head. "fantastic," Galladon Grumbled. "i'm Enjoying Myself Already.

Actually, [wax] Said, We Came Here Because We Needed Someplace Safe To Think For A Few Hours." Ranette: "your Mansion Isn't Safe?" Wax: "my Butler Failed To Poison Me, Then Tried To Shoot Me, Then Set Off An Explosive In My Study" Ranette: "huh.... You Need To Screen These People Better, Wax.

Somehow, She Had Grown Into A Woman In Between The Fall Of Kings And Collapse Of Worlds. Once She Had Been Terrified Of Change. Then She Had Been Terrified Of Losing Elend. Now Her Fears Were More Nebulous - Worries Of What Would Come After She Was Gone, Worries Of What Would Happen To The People Of The Empire If She Failed.

Personally, I Say, "out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Deadly Pit Filled With Sharks Who Are Wielding Chainsaws With Killer Kittens Stapled To Them." However, That One's Having A Rough Time Catching On.

Start Writing The Things That You Are Reading Or That You Want To Be Published Doing.

When I Do Research, I Cast My Net Very Widely And Then Snatch What Feels Right Out Of That. Occasionally I'll Read A Specific Book For A Specific Book, But Usually I'm Trying To Increase My General Understanding.

Novels Aren’t Just Happy Escapes; They Are Slivers Of People’s Souls, Nailed To The Pages, Dripping Ink From Veins Of Wood Pulp. Reading The Right One At The Right Time Can Make All The Difference.

Men Rarely See Their Own Actions As Unjustified.

Her Aunt Sol Had Once Told Shai To Smile At The Worst Insults And Snap At The Minor Ones. That Way, No Man Would Know Your Heart.

They Say A Man Doesn't Know Himself Until He Faces Death For The First Time. . . I Don't Know About That. It Seems To Me That The Person You Are When You're About To Die Isn't As Important As The Person You Are During The Rest Of Your Life. Why Should A Few Moments Matter More Than An Entire Lifetime?

Rest Of Your Life

Wayne's A Little Attached To That Hat," Waxillium Said. "he Thinks It's Lucky." Wayne: "it Is Lucky. I Ain't Never Died While Wearing That Hat." Marasi Frowned. "i ... I'm Not Sure I Know How To Respond." Wax: "that's A Common Reaction To Wayne.

Pain Los[es] Its Power When Other Things Bec[o]me More Important.

The Entire Point Of Life Is To Find Ways To Get Others To Do Your Work For You. Don’t You Know Anything About Basic Economics?

Faith Means That It Doesn't Matter What Happens. You Can Trust That Somebody Is Watching. Trust That Somebody Will Make It All Right.

Can You Feel It? Something Just Changed. I Believe That’s The Sound The World Makes When It Pisses Itself.

You Are Nothing If Not Exhaustive In Your Self-congratulatory Made-up Logic.

The Hallmark Of Insecurity Is Bravado.

One Can Have A Wit, But Not A Witless

We Follow The Codes Not Because They Bring Gain, But Because We Loathe The People We Would Otherwise Become.

Galladon Paused For A Moment, Then Laughed. "does Nothing Frighten You, Sule?" "actually, Pretty Much Everything Here Does—i'm Just Good At Ignoring The Fact That I'm Terrified. If I Ever Realize How Scared I Am, You'll Probably Find Me Trying To Hide Under Those Cobblestones Over There.

It's Actually A Rather Romantic And Dramatic Story --- One I Would Eagerly Tell You, Except For The Fact That I Recently Forgot It, Based On It Being Far Too Long And Having Not Enough Decapitations.

At First Glance, The Key And The Lock It Fits May Seem Very Different," Sazed Said. "different In Shape, Different In Function, Different In Design. The Man Who Looks At Them Without Knowledge Of Their True Nature Might Think Them Opposites, For One Is Meant To Open, And The Other To Keep Closed. Yet, Upon Closer Examination He Might See That Without One, The Other Becomes Useless. The Wise Man Then Sees That Both Lock And Key Were Created For The Same Purpose.

My Dear, Did You Just Try To Prove The Existence Of God With Your Cleavage?

Vin Shook Her Head. "no, Not Me. I'm Not A Good Person Or A Bad Person. I'm Just Here To Kill Things." Oreseur Watched Her For A Moment, Then Settled Back Down. "regardless," He Said, "you Are Not My Worst Master. That Is, Perhaps, A Compliment Among Our People.

And Is An Ending Always Bad? It Asked. Must Not All Things, Even Worlds, Someday End?"there Is No Need To Hasten That End," Vin Said. "no Reason To Force It."all Things Are Subject To Their Own Nature, Vin, Ruin Said, Seeming To Flow Around Her. She Could Feel Its Touch Upon Her - Wet And Delicate, Like Mist. You Cannot Blame Me For Being What I Am. Without Me, Nothing Would End. Nothing Could End. And Therefore, Nothing Could Grow. I Am Life. Would You Fight Life Itself?

Act With Honor, And Honor Will Aid You

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.

I Like Words. And I Always Learn A Few New Ones When Father Gets Angry. I Shouldn't Neglect My Education, Now Should I?

Joel, Lad, School Is About Learning To Learn. If You Don't Practice Studying Things You Don't Like, Then You'll Have A Very Hard Time In Life.

I'm Not Really Sure Why. But... Do You Stop Loving Someone Just Because They Betray You? I Don't Think So. That's What Makes The Betrayal Hurt So Much - Pain, Frustration, Anger... And I Still Loved Her. I Still Do.

[omin] ...all Things Must Progress, And Progression Is Not Always A Steady Incline. Sometimes We Must Fall, Sometimes We Will Rise - Some Must Be Hurt While Others Have Fortune, For That Is The Only Way We Can Learn To Rely On One Another. As One Is Blessed, It Is His Privilege To Help Those Whose Lives Are Not As Easy. Unity Comes From Strife, Child." Page 193

Control Yourself. Become Someone Who Can Handle This.

The Finest Defense Of Character Is Correct Action. Acquaint Yourself With Virtue, And You Can Expect Proper Treatment From Those Around You.

Entropy Shakes Its Angry Fist At You For Being Clever Enough To Organize The World. (p 2)

How Do You Do That?” Mennis Asked, Frowning. “what?” “smile So Much.” “oh, I’m Just A Happy Person.

Why Do They Call It Research If I've Only Done It This One Time?

It Is Very Important To Be Reading As Well As Writing. A Doctor Is Not Going To Ignore New Surgery Practices.

I Was Ten,” I Said. “give Me A Little Credit.” “to A Boy With Aspirations Like That, I Would Extend My Respect—but Not Credit. Or Life Insurance.” Abraham Sounded Amused. “you Are An Interesting Man, David Charleston, But You Sound Like You Were An Even More Interesting Child.

Sometimes, Son," My Father Said, Prying My Fingers Free, "you Have To Help The Heroes Along.

If We Must Put Our Head Into The Lion’s Mouth, Let Us Make Certain That He Chokes Upon Our Flesh!

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