I wanted to give you a victory. But by their essential nature triumphs can’t be given. Lois McMaster Bujold More Quotes by Lois McMaster Bujold More Quotes From Lois McMaster Bujold You have to be careful who you let define your good. Lois McMaster Bujold careful be-careful A tactical retreat is not a bad response to a surprise assault, you know. First you survive. Then you choose your own ground. Then you counterattack. Lois McMaster Bujold retreat surprise firsts All the geniuses I ever met were so just part of the time. To qualify, you only have to be great once, you know. Once when it matters. Lois McMaster Bujold mets genius matter You couldn't be that good and not know it, somewhere in your secret heart, however much you'd been abused into affecting public humility. Lois McMaster Bujold humility secret heart I am an atheist, myself. A simple faith, but a great comfort to me, in these last days. Lois McMaster Bujold atheism atheist simple This is the most important thing I will ever say to you. The human mind is the ultimate testing device. You can take all the notes you want on the technical data, anything you forget you can look up again, but this must be engraved on your hearts in letters of fire. There is nothing, nothing, nothing, more important to me in the men and women I train than their absolute personal integrity. Whether you function as welders or inspectors, the laws of physics are implacable lie detectors. You may fool men. You will never fool metal. That’s all. Lois McMaster Bujold heart integrity lying Your Reverence, I do not hate any man in this world enough to inflict the results of my prayers upon him. Lois McMaster Bujold hate prayer men Some men just aren't cut out for paternity. Better they should realize it before and not after they become responsible for a son. Lois McMaster Bujold cutting life son Miles clutched Quinn's elbow. "Don't Panic." "I'm not panicking," Quinn observed, "I'm watching you panic. It's more entertaining . Lois McMaster Bujold panic miles elbows All true wealth is biological. Lois McMaster Bujold true-wealth wealth When I go down into the ground at last, as God is my judge, I pray my best-beloved may have better to say of me than, "He didn't hit me." Lois McMaster Bujold lasts judging may Seems like half my anxiety dreams are about airports. Lois McMaster Bujold airports anxiety dream If there's no game, isn't winning a pretty meaningless concept? Lois McMaster Bujold ifs games winning Oh, was that liquor of yours a stimulant?" asked Elena. "I wondered why he didn't fall asleep." "Couldn't you tell?" chuckled Mayhew. "Not really." Miles twisted his head to take in Elena's upside-down worried face, and smile in weak reassurance. Sparkly black and purple whirlpools clouded his vision. Mayhew's laughter faded. "My God," he said hollowly, "you mean he's like that all the time? Lois McMaster Bujold laughter mean fall Endure pain, find joy, and make your own meaning, because the universe certainly isn't going to supply it. Lois McMaster Bujold endure pain joy We should have taken our chances back then, when we were young and beautiful and didn't even know it. Lois McMaster Bujold taken reflection beautiful This wasn't prayer anyway, it was just argument with the gods. Prayer, he suspected as he hoisted himself up and turned for the door, was putting one foot in front of the other. Moving all the same. Lois McMaster Bujold prayer doors moving A price is something you get. Lois McMaster Bujold values loses cost I take it as a man's duty to restrain himself. Lois McMaster Bujold duty character men The rule for finding plots for character-centered novels, which is to ask: 'So what's the worst possible thing I can do to *this* guy?' And then do it. Lois McMaster Bujold plot guy character