The voices / 90 fragments

Lois McMaster Bujold

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01Undated

You go on. You just go on. There's nothing more to it, and there's no trick to make it easier. You just go on.""What do you find on the other side? When you go on?"She shrugged. "Your life again. What else?

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

02Undated

It was hell to be so tired, and still care.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

03Undated

We should have taken our chances back then, when we were young and beautiful and didn't even know it.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

04Undated

Growing up, I have discovered over time, is rather like housework: never finished.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

05Undated

Not that I haven't leaped up into the blinding light of competence now and then. It's sustaining the altitude that defeats me.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

06Undated

One foot in front of the other, wasn't that the grownup way of solving problems? Surely he ought to be a grownup at his age.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

07Undated

Bleeding ulcers run in my family, we give them to each other.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

08Undated

Poets speak of hope in ladies smiles, but give me a smirk any day, I say.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

09Undated

Anyway, if the Cetagandans really wanted to assassinate you, they'd hardly do it here. They'd slip something subtle under your skin that wouldn't go off for six months, and then would drop you mysteriously and untraceably in your tracks

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

10Undated

He who plots revenge must dig two graves.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

11Undated

Miles added it to his life's lessons list. Call it Rule 27B. Never make key tactical decisions while having electro-convulsive seizures.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

12Undated

But when he’s cut, I bleed.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

13Undated

Your father calls you to his court. You need not pack. You go garbed in glorious raiment. He waits eagerly by his palace doors to welcome you, and has prepared a place at the high table, by his side, in the company of the great-souled, honored, and best-beloved.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

14Undated

The really unforgivable acts are committed by calm men in beautiful green silk rooms, who deal death wholesale, by the shipload, without lust, or anger, or desire, or any redeeming emotion to excuse them but cold fear of some pretended future. But the crimes they hope to prevent in that future are imaginary. The ones they commit in the present — they are real.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

15Undated

For your fourth consoling thought, I would point out that in this venue," a wave of his finger took in Vorbarr Sultana, and by extension Barrayar, "acquiring a reputation as a slick and dangerous man, who would kill without compunction to obtain and protect his own, is not all bad. In fact, you might even find it useful.""Useful! Have you found the name of the Butcher of Komarr a handy prop, then, sir?" Miles said indignantly.His father's eyes narrowed, partly in grim amusement, partly in appreciation. "I've found it a mixed . . . damnation.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

16Undated

everyone has their folding-point, Miles. Their mortal vulnerability. Some just keep it in a nonstandard location.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

17Undated

And this was your friend?" Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Seems to me the only difference between your friends and your enemies is how long the stand around chatting before they shoot you.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

18Undated

There's something to that in both directions," said Ekaterin mildly. "Nothing is more guaranteed to make one start acting like a child than to be treated like one. It's so infuriating. It took me the longest time to figure out how to stop falling into that trap.""Yes, exactly," said Kareen eagerly. "You understand! So—how did you make them stop?""You can't make them—whoever your particular them is—do anything, really," said Ekaterin slowly. "Adulthood isn't an award they'll give you for being a good child. You can waste . . . years, trying to get someone to give that respect to you, as though it were a sort of promotion or raise in pay. If only you do enough, if only you are good enough. No. You have to just . . . take it. Give it to yourself, I suppose. Say, I'm sorry you feel like that, and walk away. But that's hard.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

19Undated

I miss it every minute, and I have no wish at all to go back.

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20Undated

I am not schizoid. A little manic-depressive, maybe.""'Know thyself.'" "We try, sir.

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21Undated

The fourth approved approach for the problem of frontally attacking a guarded wormhole was to shoot the officer who suggested it.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

22Undated

That civet-jasmine blend you're wearing tonight absolutely clashes with the third-level formal style of your dress, you know.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

23Undated

Her smile grew bitter as desert brine. "The gods may forgive Ista all day long. But if Ista does not forgive Ista, the gods may go hang themselves.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote

24Undated

Change is possible.''Change is inevitable.

Lois McMaster Bujold / quote