The reader has certain rights. He bought your story. Think of this as an implicit contract. He's entitled to be entertained, instructed, amused; maybe all three. If he quits in the middle, or puts the book down feeling his time has been wasted, you're in violation.

A civilization has the ethics it can afford

There is a technical, literary term for those who mistake the opinions and beliefs of characters in a novel for those of the author. The term is 'idiot'.

The Gods do not protect fools. Fools are protected by more capable fools.

Anything beats an expensive stack of paper.

We should not have assumed that a political space station could be built.

The value of a thing is what that thing will bring. -Legal Maxim