Top 224 Quotes & Sayings by Scott Westerfeld - Page 3

When the term "machine gun" enters common parlance, the word "machine" becomes much more sinister.

Perhaps Clankers and Darwinists would always be at war, if only in their hearts.

This is the power of the Goliath, that no one on earth, Clanker or Darwinist, can escape. So we all must learn to share the globe, or perish together!

With everything so perfect, reality seemed somehow fragile, as if the slightest interruption could imperil her pretty future... all of it felt as tenuous as a soap bubble, shivering and empty.

Your personality - the real you inside - was the price of beauty.

You and David could both be right. Maybe human beings are programmed … to help one another, even to fall in love. But just because it's human nature doesn't make it bad, Tally. Besides, we had a whole city of pretties to choose from, and we chose each other."-Zane

She turned to Frizz. "So you understand the problem? You can't let Tally know about Radical Honesty. There's no telling what she'll do if she finds out you could ruin her plans." Frizz's eyebrows rose. "So let me get this straight, Aya-chan. You want me, a person who can't lie, to lie about the fact that I can't lie?" "We need another plan," Hiro said.

As one does a bear riding a bicycle. One sees it so rarely. (Spoken by Volger, on Deryn)

And it was pretty clear that no prince was showing up, or at least that he was really late.

That was the whole point of being special: You existed to make sure everyone else behaved, but that didn't mean YOU had to.

I'm not sure what I am anymore... Sometimes I think I'm nothing but what other people have done to me?a big collection of brainwashing, surgeries, and cures... That, and all the mistakes I've made. All the people I've disappointed.

That was one problem with dramatic exits: Sometimes they wound up making you look like a bubblehead.

I'm not the one going for a biology degree. I'm just a philosophy major who eats people.

Two weeks of killer sunburn is worth a lifetime of being gorgeous

God, you mean I lost my virginity to the apocalypse?" Morgan sighed again. "The whole thing was really embarrassing; my parents sent me to Brooklyn when they found out." She shrugged. "I thought I’d be safe in a gay bar, okay? What were you doing in there anyway?" Lace looked at me sidelong. "You were where?" I took a sip of beer, swallowed it. "I, uh, hadn’t been in the city...very long. I didn’t know.

You young things are too easily persuaded by the touch of lips.

All that glitters is not hovery.

Maybe they didn't want you to realize that every civilization has its weakness. There's always one thing we depend on. And if someone takes it away all that's left is some story in a history class.

What if destiny doesn't care?

I love my virginity to the apocalypse.

maybe when you look at your face 50 times its really not that interesting anymore

Apparently textbooks were an endangered species here in Bixby, Oklahoma.

You’d best ask the lady boffin, sir,” Newkirk said. “Midshipmen aren’t allowed to have opinions.

The Rusty Ruins were the remains of an old city, a hulking reminder of back when there'd been way too many people, and everyone was incredibly stupid. And ugly.

You'd think that in a fight, NOT MOVING would be a bad habit!

Your father always suspected that being pretty-minded is simply the natural state for most people. They want to be vapid and lazy and vain—Maddy glanced at Tally—and selfish. It only takes a twist to lock in that part of their personalities. He always thought that some people could think their way out of it.

She thought of the orchids spreading across the plains below, choking the life out of other plants, out of the soil itself, selfish and unstoppable. Tally Youngblood was a weed. And, unlike the orchids, she wasn't even a pretty one.

It's just been a long week, that's all." "It's monday night, Jess." "My point exactly.

And you know, these things don't last forever.' I know, Mandy. Nothing does.' That's the spirit.

You're splitting?" "No sh*it, Sherlock.

Alek said, "Do you think I'm being a fool?" "I think you're trying to do something good. But doing good is rarely easy, and no weapon has ever stopped a war.

I spilled more times than a glass of milk on a roller coaster.

Gravity was something you could beat; all it took was hydrogen, hot air, or even a bit of rope. But being a girl was a miserable, never-ending struggle.

Sooner or later usually means too late

Let me get this stright, Aya-Chan. You want me, a person who can't lie, to lie about the fact that I can't lie?" -Frizz mizuno

Once you told yourself a story enough times, it was so easy to keep on believing it.

Never bored on a hoverboard.

Where did you get that idea for a nose? - Frizz Mizuno

And you've actually watched it yourself?' I asked. 'Willingly?' Sure. I had to see it, you know? Besides we should be safe. Only one in twenty viewers actually had a bad reaction. And it was mostly kids who were affected. I mean younger than you guys. I think the average age was about ten.' That made me feel somewhat better. But that was a kid's show,' said Jen. 'Maybe it affects everyone, but not that many adults were watching.' That made me feel less better. I wanted my protective bangs back.

Listen, you bubblehead-up-until-five-minutes-ago.

When she awoke, the world was on fire.

Once we turn, it’s new pretty, middle pretty, late pretty.” Shay dropped her arms, and her board stopped drifting. “Then dead pretty.

The world needed more fireworks- especially now that there was going to be a shortage of beautiful, useless things.

And over all those sleepy weeks, the dream always ended the same way, with the dragon coming for the princess saying the same words every time.... "Face it, Tally-wa, you're Special.

What happens when perfection isn't good enough?

Sometimes, the hardest thing was doing nothing.

Cure for writer's block: blow something up(in the story)

Maybe kissing is sort of like nature's coffee. -Jonathan

humanity is a cancer on the body of the world

Dude, I just watched you climb up a f*cking building!-Lace

It's not the traveling that takes courage Tally. I've done much longer trips on my own. It's leaving home.

To everyone who loves a long-secret romance, revealed at last.

I expect that you must receive top marks at school, young lady." Madeleine smiled as she stirred her tea. "There are always rewards for those who state the obvious frequently and with conviction.

Their reasons don't mean anything unless I have a choice.

Not everything made you stronger. It was possible to survive, yet still be crippled for your trouble. Sometimes it was okay to run away, to skip the test, to chicken out. Or at least to get some help.

Wow," came a familiar voice, "Hypochondriac killed the cat." -Dess

However stupid the choice seemed, Shay had made it with her eyes open, and had respected Tally's choice to stay.

Frighteningly Beautiful, Dangerously Strong, Breathtakingly Fast. Face it Tally-wa you're special.

so pRetty i hAd to Eat hiM

High school wasn't a trial by fire or some ordeal that had to be survived. It was all a big joke. You just had to provide the laugh track.