A true Vor, Miles told himself severely, does not bury his face in his liegewoman's breasts and cry--even if he is at a convenient height for it.

When you can’t do something truly useful, you tend to vent the pent up energy in something useless but available, like snappy dressing.

For me, writing is more a process of discovering the book than planning it.

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.

The will to be stupid is a very powerful force, but there are always alternatives.

History does not so much repeat as echo, I suppose.

I don't confuse greatness with perfection. To be great anyhow is the higher achievement.