All fiction has to have a certain amount of truth in it to be powerful.

But Tolkien doesn't ask the question: What was Aragorn's tax policy?

Why do our dreams become so much smaller when they finally come true?

all men carry murder in their hearts, yet even so, the poisoner is beneath contempt.

Jon Snow had dreamed of leading men to glory just as King Daeron had, of growing up to be a conqueror. Now he was a man grown and the Wall was his, yet all he had were doubts. He could not even seem to conquer those.

In my dreams, I kill him every night,' Robert admitted. 'A thousand deaths will still be less than he deserves'.

Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given a chance to climb, but they refuse. They cling to the realm, or the gods, or love. Illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.