The sun is simple. A sword is simple. A storm is simple. Behind everything simple is a huge tail of complicated.

It cannot be said often enough that science fiction as a genre is incredibly educational - and I'm speaking the written science fiction, not 'Star Trek.' Science fiction writers tend to fill their books if they're clever with little bits of interesting stuff and real stuff.

Time is a drug. Too much of it kills you.

In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.

Take it from me, whenever you see a bunch of buggers puttering around talking about truth and beauty and the best way of attacking Ethics, you can bet your sandals it's all because dozens of other poor buggers are doing all the real work around the place.

Tell someone you are going to rob them and all that will happen is that you'll get a reputation as a truthful man.

"Multiple exclamation marks," he went on, shaking his head, "are a sure sign of a diseased mind."