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Famous Brandon Sanderson Quotes

“By now, it is probably very late at night, and you have stayed up to read this book when you should have gone to sleep. If this is the case, then I commend you for falling into my trap. It is a writer's greatest pleasure to hear that someone was kept up until the unholy hours of the morning reading one of his books. It goes back to authors being terrible people who delight in the suffering of others. Plus, we get a kickback from the caffeine industry.”

PeopleIfsShouldWritingBookNightSufferingFallReadingHoursSleepPleasureMorningCasesGoneIndustryTerribleLateShould HaveDelightHearingCoffeeStayingPlusReading BooksTrapsCaffeineLate NightGreatest PleasuresSuffering Of OthersCommendation
Author:Brandon Sanderson
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“Authors also create lovable, friendly characters, then proceed to do terrible things to them, like throw them in unsightly librarian-controlled dungeons. This makes readers feel hurt and worried for the characters. The simple truth is that authors like making people squirm. If this weren't the case, all novels would be filled completely with cute bunnies having birthday parties.”

PeopleIfsFeelsCharacterWould BeHurtSimplePartyCasesNovelReaderTerribleTruth IsFilledWorriedCuteFriendlyControlledLibrarianTerrible ThingsLovableBunniesDungeonsSimple TruthsBirthday Party
Book:Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
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“Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days...What is belief - what is faith - if you don't continue in it after failure?...Anyone can believe in someone, or something that always succeeds...But failure...ah, now, that is hard to believe in, certainly and truly. Difficult enough to have value. Sometimes we just have to wait long enough...then we find out why exactly it was that we kept believing...There's always another secret.”

IfsBelieveLongSometimesHardEnoughValuesBeliefWaitingDifficultSecretSucceedFairsHard To BelieveBright Days
Author:Brandon Sanderson
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“Well Vin says that there's something behind all this, right? Some evil force of doom or whatever? Well, if I were said force of doom, then I certainly wouldn't have used my powers to turn the land black. It just lacks flair. Red. Now, that would be an interesting color. Think of the possibilities--if the ash were red, the rivers would run like blood. Black is so monotonous that you can forget about it, but red--you'd always be thinking, 'Why, look at that. That hill is red. That evil force of doom trying to destroy me certainly has style.”

IfsThinkingTryingWellsLooksSaidWould BeRunningUsedTurnsEvilForceBlackForgetInterestingBehindsBloodLandStylePossibilityColorRedRiversHillsAshesDoomMonotonousFlair
Book:Mistborn Trilogy
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“What did it mean to be called “lord”? I’ll assume you’ve never had the honor, since I doubt any of you happen to be British royalty. (And, if by chance you are, then let me say, “Hello, Your Majesty! Welcome to my stupid book. Can I borrow some cash?”)”

IfsMeanBookHappensChanceLordDoubtStupidHonorLet MeAssumingBritishWelcomeCashHelloRoyaltyMajesty
Book:The Scrivener's Bones: Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
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“You are out of control, Rand al'Thor,' she declared. I do what must be done,' he said, speaking now from the shadows. He sounded exhausted. ... I hate what you just did, Rand,' Nynaeve snarled. 'No, "Hate" isn't strong enough. I loathe what you've done. What has happened to you?' Test him!' Rand whispered, voice dangerous. 'Before condemning me, let us first determine if my sins have achieved anything beyond my own damnation.”

IfsFirstsSaidDoneEnoughHateStrongVoiceMy OwnSinHappenedDangerousShadowTestsI HateDetermineAlsExhaustedStrong EnoughDamnationLoatheCondemningNo Hate
Author:Brandon Sanderson
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“Somehow, she had grown into a woman in between the fall of kings and collapse of worlds. Once she had been terrified of change. Then she had been terrified of losing Elend. Now her fears were more nebulous - worries of what would come after she was gone, worries of what would happen to the people of the empire if she failed.”

PeopleIfsWorldHappensFallWorryGoneKingsLosingEmpiresCollapseTerrified
Book:The Hero of Ages: Mistborn Book Three
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“What kind of woman is still able to trust people after everything she's been through? If she'd been Vin, she would have stabbed him in the back at the first opportunity, and that would have probably been the right thing to do. Yet, this girl just continued to trust. It was like finding a beautiful plant growing alone in a field of burnt ash.”

PeopleIfsFirstsKindStillsAbleBeautifulGirlOpportunityGrowingFieldsFindingsPlantThings To DoRight ThingAshesThis GirlPlants Growing
Book:The Hero of Ages: Book Three of Mistborn
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“People can do great things. However, there are somethings they just can't do. I, for instance, have not been able to transform myself into a Popsicle, despite years of effort. I could, however, make myself insane, if I wished. (Though if I achieved the second, I might be able to make myself think I'd achieved the first....) Anyway, if there's a lesson to be learned, it's this: great success often depends on being able to distinguish between the impossible and the improbable. Or, in easier terms, distinguishing between Popsicles and insanity. Any questions?”

PeopleIfsThinkingYearsFirstsMightAbleTermCan DoEffortImpossibleDependsEasierLessonsGreat ThingsInsaneDespiteInstanceInsanityGreat SuccessImprobableLessons To Be LearnedPopsicles
Book:Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
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“Galladon paused for a moment, then laughed. "Does nothing frighten you, sule?" "Actually, pretty much everything here does—I'm just good at ignoring the fact that I'm terrified. If I ever realize how scared I am, you'll probably find me trying to hide under those cobblestones over there.”

IfsTryingDoeMomentsFactsRealizingScaredLaughedTerrifiedFind MeCobblestone
Book:Elantris: Tenth Anniversary Author's Definitive Edition
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“Elend shook his head. "We can survive this. But, the only way that will happen is if our people don't give up. They need leaders who laugh, leaders who feel that this fight can be won. So, this is what I ask of you. I don't care if you're an optimist or a pessimist—I don't care if secretly, you think we'll all be dead before the month ends. On the outside, I want to see you smiling. Do it in defiance, if you have to. If the end does come, I want this group to meet that end smiling. As the Survivor taught us.”

PeopleIfsThinkingWayWantNeedsGivingFeelsDoeEndsHappensCareFightingAsksLeaderLaughingGroupsTaughtMonthsGiving UpDon't CareI Don't CareSurvivorOptimistDefiancePessimistDon't Give UpTaught UsWant To See You
Book:The Hero of Ages: Book Three of Mistborn
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“Your insult has offended me. If we were at the Peaks, we would have to duel in traditional alil'tiki'i fashion." "Which is what?" Teft asked. "With spears?" Rock laughed. "No, no. We upon the Peaks are not barbarians like you down here." "How then?" Kaladin asked, genuinely curious. "Well," Rock said, "is involving much mudbeer and singing." “How's that a duel?” "He who can still sing after the most drinks is winner. Plus, soon' everyone is so drunk that they forget what argument was about." Teft laughed. "Beats knives at dawn, I suppose.”

IfsWellsSaidStillsForgetRocksFashionLike YouDrinkBeatsSingingArgumentTraditionalDrunkCuriousWinnerDawnInsultPlusLaughedKnivesOffendedInvolvingBarbariansSpears
Author:Brandon Sanderson
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“Too many scholars think of research as purely a cerebral pursuit. If we do nothing with the knowledge we gain, then we have wasted our study. Books can store information better than we can--what we we do that books cannot is interpret. So if one is not going to draw conclusions, then one might as well just leave the information in the texts.”

IfsThinkingWellsBookMightStudyInformationDrawsResearchGainsStoresPursuitConclusionScholarCerebral
Book:The Way of Kings
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“The Stormlight rising from his exposed skin was enough to illuminate the chasm, and it cast shadows on the walls as he ran. Those seemed to become figures, crafted by the bones and branches stretching from the heaps on the ground. Bodies and souls. His movement made the shadows twist, as if turning to regard him.”

IfsMadeSoulEnoughBodyFiguresMovementWallShadowSkinsRegardCastsBonesRanRisingBranchesExposedTwistsStretchingChasms
Book:Words of Radiance: Book Two of the Stormlight Archive
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