“A man with nothing to die for has even less for which to live.”
―
Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
“A 'why' is a dangerous thing... It challenges old, comfortable ways, forces people to think about that they do instead of just mindlessly doing it. (Haplo)...I think the danger is not so much in asking the 'why' as in believing you have come up with the only answer. (Alfred)” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragon Wing
“[P]eople only make decisions based on what they know. You can have everyone in the country vote freely and democratically and still come up with the wrong answer - if the information they base that decision on is wrong. People don't want the truth [when] it is complicated. They don't want to spend years debating an issue. They want it homogenized, sanitized, and above all, simplified into terms they can understand...Governments are often criticized for moving slowly, but that deliberateness, it turns out, is their strength. They take time to think through complex problems before they act. People, however, are different. People react first from the gut and then from the head...give that knee-jerk reflex real power to make its overwhelming will known as a national mandate instantly and you can cause a political riot. Combine these sins - simplification of information and instant, visceral democratic mandates - and you lose the ability to cool down. There is no longer deliberation time between events that may or may not be true and our reaction to them. Policy becomes instinct rather than thought.” ― Tracy Hickman, The Immortals
“I will do this. Nothing in my life matters except this. No moment of my life exists except this moment. I am born in this moment, and if I fail, I will die in this moment.” ― Tracy Hickman
“This wasn't in the histories", Raistlin murmured to himself, staring down at the little wretched bodies, his brow furrowed. His eyes flashed. "Perhaps", he breathed, "this means time has already been altered?"For long moments he sat there, pondering. Then suddenly he understood.None saw Raistlin's face, hidden as it was by his hood, or they would have noted a swift, sudden spasm of sorrow and anger pass across it."No," he said to himself bitterly, "the pitiful sacrifice of these poor creatures was left out of the histories not because it did not happen. It was left out simply because-" He paused, staring grimly down at the small, broken bodies. "No one cared...” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, War of the Twins
“What words are in you that can change the world?” ― Tracy Hickman
“Tanis blinked with disbelief, then he heard a sound behind him that nearly made him leap into a tree in panic. He whirled around, heart in his throat, sword in his hand. Raistlin was laughing.” ― Margaret Weis Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight
“...nothing on Krynn is more dangerous than a bored kender.” ― Margaret Weis Tracy Hickman
“Only a man who cannot conquer his deficiencies feels the need to convince the world that he has none.” ― Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
“[A] couple I had known - who were old friends - asked me what I was going to work on next. I told them I wanted to write a near future book about AIDS concentration camps. They were vehement in their response: they thought it was a terrible idea. Their words both shocked and saddened me. "Do you really want to write a book about homosexuals?" they asked me. "Won't people who read your work be influenced toward sin?"I notice that I don't hear from them much lately.” ― Tracy Hickman, The Immortals
“I say, did you hear me?" The old man shook a worn walking stick at the oak. "I said move it and I meant it! I was sitting on that rock" -he pointed to a boulder- "enjoying the rising sun on my old bones when you had the nerve to cast a shadow over it and chill me! Move this instant. I say!" The tree did not respond. It also did not move. "I won't take any more of your insolence!" The old man began to beat on the tree with his stick. "Move or I'll - I'll -" "Someone shut that looney in a cage!" Fewmaster Toede shouted, galloping back from the front of the caravan. "Get your hands off me!" the old man shreiked at the draconians who ran up and accosted him. He beat on them feebly with his staff until they took it away from him. "Arrest the tree!" he insisted. "Obstructing sunlight! That's the charge!” ― TRACY HICKMAN MARGARET WEIS
“Rule the world," Raistlin repeated softly, his eyes burning. "Rule the world? You still don't undestand, do you, my dear sister? Let me make this as plain as I know how." Now it was his turn to stand up. Pressing his thin hands upon the desk, he leaned towards her, like a snake."I don't give damn about the world!" he said softly. "I could rule it tomorrow, if I wanted it! I don't.” ― Margaret Weis / Tracy Hickman, Time of the Twins
“Sometimes people do much wrong unintentionally, meaning for the best” ― Tracy Hickman
“ "Turn my back on the world..." the historian repeated softly and slowly, his head moving to face the mage. "Turn my back on the world!" Emotion rarely marred the surface of Astinus's cold voice, but now anger struck the placid calm of his soul like a rock hurled into still water."I? Turn my back on the world?" Astinus's voice rolled around the library as the thunder had rolled previously. "I am the world, as you well know, old friend! Countless times I have been born! Countless deaths I have died! Every tear shed - mine have flowed! Every drop of blood spilled - mine has drained! Every agony, every joy ever felt has been mine to share!"I sit with my hand on the Sphere of Time, the sphere you made for me, old friend, and I travel the length and breadth of this world chronicling its history. I have committed the blackest deeds! I have made the noblest sacrifices. I am human, elf, and ogre. I am male and female. I have borne children. I have murdered children. I saw you as you were. I see you as you are. If I seem cold and unfeeling, it is because that is how I survive without losing my sanity! My passion goes into my words.” ― Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
“How much wrong have we done unintentionally, meaning the best” ― Tracy Hickman
“It is your only way home, my brother! And maybe our only way out of here alive.” ― Tracy Hickman
“My life for your life.' That means while we live, we share the joy of living with each other. 'My death for your life.' I would be willing to lay down my life to save yours. 'My life for your death.' I will spend my life avenging your death, if I can't prevent it. 'My death for your death.' A part of me will die when you do.” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
“Blasted doorknob of a kender” ― Margaret Weis Tracy Hickman
“No, as I've discovered, hate generally costs a man more than he can afford.” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragon Wing
“A 'why' is a dangerous thing... It challenges old, comfortable ways, forces people to think about that they do instead of just mindlessly doing it. (Haplo)...I think the danger is not so much in asking the 'why' as in believing you have come up with the only answer. (Alfred)” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragon Wing
“[P]eople only make decisions based on what they know. You can have everyone in the country vote freely and democratically and still come up with the wrong answer - if the information they base that decision on is wrong. People don't want the truth [when] it is complicated. They don't want to spend years debating an issue. They want it homogenized, sanitized, and above all, simplified into terms they can understand...Governments are often criticized for moving slowly, but that deliberateness, it turns out, is their strength. They take time to think through complex problems before they act. People, however, are different. People react first from the gut and then from the head...give that knee-jerk reflex real power to make its overwhelming will known as a national mandate instantly and you can cause a political riot. Combine these sins - simplification of information and instant, visceral democratic mandates - and you lose the ability to cool down. There is no longer deliberation time between events that may or may not be true and our reaction to them. Policy becomes instinct rather than thought.” ― Tracy Hickman, The Immortals
“I will do this. Nothing in my life matters except this. No moment of my life exists except this moment. I am born in this moment, and if I fail, I will die in this moment.” ― Tracy Hickman
“This wasn't in the histories", Raistlin murmured to himself, staring down at the little wretched bodies, his brow furrowed. His eyes flashed. "Perhaps", he breathed, "this means time has already been altered?"For long moments he sat there, pondering. Then suddenly he understood.None saw Raistlin's face, hidden as it was by his hood, or they would have noted a swift, sudden spasm of sorrow and anger pass across it."No," he said to himself bitterly, "the pitiful sacrifice of these poor creatures was left out of the histories not because it did not happen. It was left out simply because-" He paused, staring grimly down at the small, broken bodies. "No one cared...” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, War of the Twins
“What words are in you that can change the world?” ― Tracy Hickman
“Tanis blinked with disbelief, then he heard a sound behind him that nearly made him leap into a tree in panic. He whirled around, heart in his throat, sword in his hand. Raistlin was laughing.” ― Margaret Weis Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight
“...nothing on Krynn is more dangerous than a bored kender.” ― Margaret Weis Tracy Hickman
“Only a man who cannot conquer his deficiencies feels the need to convince the world that he has none.” ― Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
“[A] couple I had known - who were old friends - asked me what I was going to work on next. I told them I wanted to write a near future book about AIDS concentration camps. They were vehement in their response: they thought it was a terrible idea. Their words both shocked and saddened me. "Do you really want to write a book about homosexuals?" they asked me. "Won't people who read your work be influenced toward sin?"I notice that I don't hear from them much lately.” ― Tracy Hickman, The Immortals
“I say, did you hear me?" The old man shook a worn walking stick at the oak. "I said move it and I meant it! I was sitting on that rock" -he pointed to a boulder- "enjoying the rising sun on my old bones when you had the nerve to cast a shadow over it and chill me! Move this instant. I say!" The tree did not respond. It also did not move. "I won't take any more of your insolence!" The old man began to beat on the tree with his stick. "Move or I'll - I'll -" "Someone shut that looney in a cage!" Fewmaster Toede shouted, galloping back from the front of the caravan. "Get your hands off me!" the old man shreiked at the draconians who ran up and accosted him. He beat on them feebly with his staff until they took it away from him. "Arrest the tree!" he insisted. "Obstructing sunlight! That's the charge!” ― TRACY HICKMAN MARGARET WEIS
“Rule the world," Raistlin repeated softly, his eyes burning. "Rule the world? You still don't undestand, do you, my dear sister? Let me make this as plain as I know how." Now it was his turn to stand up. Pressing his thin hands upon the desk, he leaned towards her, like a snake."I don't give damn about the world!" he said softly. "I could rule it tomorrow, if I wanted it! I don't.” ― Margaret Weis / Tracy Hickman, Time of the Twins
“Sometimes people do much wrong unintentionally, meaning for the best” ― Tracy Hickman
“ "Turn my back on the world..." the historian repeated softly and slowly, his head moving to face the mage. "Turn my back on the world!" Emotion rarely marred the surface of Astinus's cold voice, but now anger struck the placid calm of his soul like a rock hurled into still water."I? Turn my back on the world?" Astinus's voice rolled around the library as the thunder had rolled previously. "I am the world, as you well know, old friend! Countless times I have been born! Countless deaths I have died! Every tear shed - mine have flowed! Every drop of blood spilled - mine has drained! Every agony, every joy ever felt has been mine to share!"I sit with my hand on the Sphere of Time, the sphere you made for me, old friend, and I travel the length and breadth of this world chronicling its history. I have committed the blackest deeds! I have made the noblest sacrifices. I am human, elf, and ogre. I am male and female. I have borne children. I have murdered children. I saw you as you were. I see you as you are. If I seem cold and unfeeling, it is because that is how I survive without losing my sanity! My passion goes into my words.” ― Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
“How much wrong have we done unintentionally, meaning the best” ― Tracy Hickman
“It is your only way home, my brother! And maybe our only way out of here alive.” ― Tracy Hickman
“My life for your life.' That means while we live, we share the joy of living with each other. 'My death for your life.' I would be willing to lay down my life to save yours. 'My life for your death.' I will spend my life avenging your death, if I can't prevent it. 'My death for your death.' A part of me will die when you do.” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
“Blasted doorknob of a kender” ― Margaret Weis Tracy Hickman
“No, as I've discovered, hate generally costs a man more than he can afford.” ― Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragon Wing
