Quotessence
Home / Authors / Steven Erikson
Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson Quotes

Novelist

Filter quotes by topic

AllMalazanWarWorldKnowsMenEvilIfsChildrenSaidSoulCivilizationCompassionMemoriesPhilosophySoldierDarknessFacesHumanityInspirationalShould

Famous Steven Erikson Quotes

“As far as Gu’Rull could determine, the only virtue humans possessed was a talent for starting over, with stern resolve restored in the sudden glow of renewed optimism, in complete disregard of whatever lessons past failures might offer. And he had no choice but to acknowledge the power of that virtue. It is contingent upon collective amnesia, but as everyone knows, stupidity needs no excuse to repeat itself.”

PastHumanityHistoryVirtueOptimismCollective Amnesia
Book:The Crippled God
Create image

“He fashioned an empire of sorts, bereft of cities yet plagued with the endless dramas of society, its pathetic victories and inevitable failures. The community of enslaved Imass thrived in this quagmire of pettiness. They even managed to convince themselves that they possessed freedom, a will of their own that could shape destiny. They elected champions. They tore down their champions once failure draped its shroud over them. They ran in endless circles and called it growth, emergence, knowledge. While over them all, a presence invisible to their eyes, Raest flexed his will. His greatest joy came when his slaves proclaimed him god – though they knew him not – and constructed temples to serve him and organized priesthoods whose activities mimicked Raest’s tyranny with such cosmic irony that the Jaghut could only shake his head.”

ReligionHumanityHuman Nature
Book:Gardens of the Moon
Create image

“Do what's right,' Dassem told us. Gods, even after all this time he still remembered the First Sword's words. 'That's a higher law than the command of any officer. Higher even than the Emperor's own words. You are in a damned uniform but that's not a licence to deliver terror to everyone – just the enemy soldier you happen to be facing. Do what is right, for that armour you wear doesn't just protect your flesh and bone. It defends honour. It defends integrity. It defends justice. Soldiers, heed me well. That armour defends humanity. And when I look upon my soldiers, when I see these uniforms, I see compassion and truth. The moment those virtues fail, then the gods help you, for no armour is strong enough to save you.”

TruthHumanityCompassionIntegrityRighteousnessPrinciple
Book:Toll the Hounds
Create image

“War has its necessities...and I have always understood that. Always known the cost. But, this day, by my own hand, I have realized something else. War is not a natural state. It is an imposition, and a damned unhealthy one. With its rules, we willingly yield our humanity. Speak not of just causes, worthy goals. We are takers of life.”

WarStatesHandsHumanitySpeakCausesGoalNaturalMy OwnKnownCostUnderstoodWorthyThis DayYieldUnhealthyImposition
Author:Steven Erikson
Create image