One of the hardest lessons in young Sam's life had been finding out that the people in charge weren't in charge. It had been finding out that governments were not, on the whole, staffed by people who had a grip, and that plans were what people made instead of thinking.

I used to think that I was stupid, and then I met philosophers.

On the Disc the gods dealt severely with atheists.

Sometimes the truth is arrived at by adding all the little lies together and deducting them from the totality of what is known.

I would like to die peacefully with Thomas Tallis on my iPod before the disease takes me over and I hope that will not be for quite some time to come, because if I knew that I could die at any time I wanted, then suddenly every day would be as precious as a million pounds, if I knew that I could die, I would live. My life, my death, my choice.

He was currently wondering vaguely who Moey and Chandon were.

But that was just it - hate was exactly the right word. Hate is a force of attraction. Hate is just love with its back turned.