Fantasy Book Club discussion

Hi all,

I don't know about you guys, but there were times when I feel as though the book speaks to me instead of me actually reading it. A certain character can strike a chord without even meaning to, and more often than not it would be because of what was said rather than done. So I would like to ask...

In your opinion, what is the best line ever said by a character, who said it and why?

I will go first.

"Promise me, Ned..." -Lyanna Stark, on her deathbed, whispered to her brother, Eddard. (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book One: A Game of Thrones)

I liked her because of the spunkiness of her character when she was still alive; she was a true born 'she-wolf' (for lack of a better word) , full of life and courage, and her tragic death left her brother in deep mourning that he was never the same after she died. Yes she was only a minor character because she was already dead when the series started, but these three words she uttered will stay with me, like the chirping of a cricket resounding in my ear long after it's gone.

Your turn! Have a go and let's hear your thoughts! =)

"Events may be horrible or inescapable. Men have always a choice; if not whether, then how they may endure." One of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite books, The Curse of Chalion. They speaker had been a galley slave for a time, yet he remained as courteous to his fellows as if he was at his ease beside his fireplace.

One that comes to mind actually comes from a graphic novel, Watchmen said by Rorschach, "None of you understand, I'm not locked up in here with YOU. You're locked up in here with ME."

It was epic :)

Elise wrote: "One that comes to mind actually comes from a graphic novel, Watchmen said by Rorschach, "None of you understand, I'm not locked up in here with YOU. You're locked up in here with ME."..."

I was just thinking of that last night, while we were talking about the second Boondock Saints movie. Exactly the same scenario.

Marc: The mighty Cazaril... If this is made into a movie I would be one of the first to buy a ticket! Now I'm tempted to read it again... ;)

Elise: I know that line! It is very prophetic to say the least... Rorschach, to me had always been the most interesting character among the Crimebusters (I like him better than Dr. Manhattan) because there's no gray area with him, it's either you're good or you're evil, and up until the end when he died you know that Walter Kovacs is constantly in there behind the mask despite the fact that his inkblot face changes all the time. Nice choice!

Thanks, you guys! =)

"Crom!"

Rorshchach is definitely one of the most interesting characters from any book. Comic or otherwise. And I do love that scene. I like Manhattan too.

My favorite line comes from A Game of Thrones: I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things.

I like it because I do. Have a place in my heart for broken people. And these are usually the characters I'm attracted to as well.

Another qoute I like is from Mistborn: Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days... What is belief- what is faith- if you don't continue 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.

I like this because its true of any faith. Including faith in love, friendship, etc. Faith is hope.

My most quotable book (and movie) is The Princess Bride. But if I started I would probably never stop. ;)

"Deserve it! I dare say he does deserve it. Many who live deserve death. And some who die, deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be quick to deal out death in judgment, for even the very wise cannot see all ends."

-Gandalf, to Frodo, speaking of Gollum (quoted from memory so don't pillory me if I got a word or two wrong!)

Tolkien is a very quotable author. I love that line.

Yes, its one of my favorite lines too.

Another one I like a lot is from Sun Tzu, "the art of war": Though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

It is not piece of a dialogue, but still i think its worth to be remembered.

I'm sure my favorite quote by a character will change, but I read Blood of Amber by Roger Zelazny very recently and it is still with me.

Merlin, the main character, is describing his use of magic, and I think the author writes it beautifully.

"I summoned the Logrus and extended my tongue into its moving pattern. Then I spoke the spell, slowly and clearly, leaving out the four key words I had chosen to omit. The woods grew absolutely still about me as the words rang out. The spell hung before me like a crippled butterfly of sound and color, trapped within the synesthetic web of my personal vision of the Logrus, to come again when I summoned it, to be released when I uttered the four omitted words."

J.W. wrote: ""Crom!""

Love it!!!

I could write about a hundred favorite quotes, most of them from Lord of the rings but i will add only one from my all-time crush :P

“I have sinned enough against the world. Teaching magic to a kender would ensure my damnation.”

—Raistlin Majere

K.A. wrote: ""Deserve it! I dare say he does deserve it. Many who live deserve death. And some who die, deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be quick to deal out death in judgment, for even the ve..."

Goodness... I read and reread that a couple of times. I wonder if it was also said in the movie? I mean they should've! It is one of the classics.

Bev wrote: "J.W. wrote: ""Crom!""

Love it!!!"

Seconded! =)

D.S. wrote: "Goodness... I read and reread that a couple of times. I wonder if it was also said in the movie? I mean they should've! It is one of the classics."

Yes, they said it in the movie, but it happened in Moria, not in Bilbo's / Frodo's home. Wording was a bit different maybe and the impact certainly is stronger when it is said while Frodo hears him crawling up on them in the mines, and not sitting in his peaceful home at the fireplace.

Toni: I had to take my dusty DVD out and watch that scene at Moria to see it for myself; yep, it was there! (why is it that I have more rapt attention for books than movie?!) oh well... Thanks! =)

'Love is a myth,' Grandfather Trout said. 'Like summer.'

-from Little, Big by John Crowley)

That would be my favorite line by a character. Here is the entire section:

“Love is a myth.'
'Love is a myth,' Grandfather Trout said. 'Like summer.'
'What?'
'In winter,'Grandfather Trout said, 'summer is a myth. A report, a rumor. Not to be believed in. Get it? Love is a myth. So is summer.”

Mawgojzeta wrote: "'Love is a myth,' Grandfather Trout said. 'Like summer.'

-from Little, Big by John Crowley)

That would be my favorite line by a character. Here is the entire section:

“Love is a m..."

Wow, just... wow. I have no words. Thank you for sharing this, I copied it and pasted in my journal.

And I will read Little, Big if only for those few meaningful lines.

“When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say.” -Tyrion Lannister, A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

Verra nice one, RuthAnn!

D.S. - It "gets" me every time I read it. There are many beautiful and/or unique passages within the book. People tend to LOVE it or find it a bit tedious or wordy, though.

Ruthann, A very true statement. Martin is a master. That's why his books are so good. Not the violence. Not the shocking deaths. Or controversal moments. He's a great writer. Period. I just wish he could write a little faster.

Basically anything Mark Lawrence has written sticks with me, but here are a few of my favourites:

1. “I’ll tell you now. That silence almost beat me. It’s the silence that scares me. It’s the blank page on which I can write my own fears. The spirits of the dead have nothing on it. The dead one tried to show me hell, but it was a pale imitation of the horror I can paint on the darkness in a quiet moment.”

2. “This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don't look to me to save you. Don't think I will not spend you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if you have the soul. Stand your ground if courage is yours. But don't follow me."

3. “There is something brittle in me that will break before it bends. Perhaps if the [the enemy] had brought a smaller army I might have had the sense to run. But he overdid it.”


also:

"It's like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story."
Frowning, Chronicler opened his mouth, but Bast held up a hand to stop him. "No, listen. I've got it now. You meet a girl: shy, unassuming. If you tell her she's beautiful, she'll think you're sweet, but she won't believe you. She knows that beauty lies in your beholding." Bast gave a grudging shrug. "And sometimes that's enough."
His eyes brightened. "But there's a better way. You show her she is beautiful. You make mirrors of your eyes, prayers of your hands against her body. It is hard, very hard, but when she truly believes you..." Bast gestured excitedly. "Suddenly the story she tells herself in her own head changes. She transforms. She isn't seen as beautiful. She is beautiful, seen."
-Patrick Rothfuss, Name of the Wind

and lastly:

"Children are dying."
Lull nodded. "That's a succint summary of humankind, I'd say. Who needs tomes and tomes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words." Stephen Erikson, Deadhouse Gates

Patrick Rothfuss knows how to tell a story without a doubt. One of those rare authors who aren't just writers, he's a storyteller.

I am reading Lawrence for the first time and I am highly impressed by his writing. I don't think he's as good as he can be (some of his writing comes across uneven to me) but he's definitely an author I'm going to watch.

Mark Lawrence is beautiful, even in his most brutal. Love it!

I'm sorry but I still love Miracle Max.

"Have fun storming the castle!"

This is not from fantasy, but my all-time favorite line is from Gone With The Wind.

"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."

It's been so popularized that it could probably be considered a cliche by now, though Clarke Gable's delivery was spot on. You get a sense in reading the book, even more so than in watching the movie, just what he's had to endure in being Scarlett's "go-to guy" while getting no respect or love in return. It's sort of a triumph against codependence, and something I have often wished I had the guts to say.

"mercy and cowardice are the same" -Monza Murcatto from Best Served Cold.

Anyone else get reminded of an older Arya Stark when reading about Monza's motivation for revenge in this book?Best Served Cold

"Fly, you fools!"

Love this line, and still remember how I felt reading the Fellowship thinking Gandalf had died - the team leader! I think it's important as well because at that stage in the book, you were seriously wondering if Sauron would prevail.

I never expected Saurons victory - that fantasy does not work like this was clear to me even when I was only twelve years old - but I came the closest to fear defeat after the breaking up of the fellowship at Tol Brandir.

Gandalf .. fly you fools Definately great... I also liked... you shall not pass but I wonder if these lines are great because of the acting and cinematography supporting the words

I will slit you open and splash around in your guts like a child playing in a muddy puddle(from memory may not be 100% correct)
-BastThe Name of the Wind
just the mental image of this is just awe inspiring and epic badazznezz

Gosh, every line from LOTR, but let me throw in a quote from a play, Goldman's The Lion In Winter, at the end when Eleanor of Aquitane says, "We're jungle creatures, Henry, and the dark is all around us. See them? In the corners, you can see the eyes." Henry II answers: "And they can see ours. I'm a match for anything. Aren't you?"

Or maybe from earlier in the play, when she says, "Of course he has a knife. And you have a knife. We all have knives. It's 1183, and we're barbarians." Such great irony.

Both great fantasy-esque quotes, tho not strictly fantasy.

True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one. - Gandalf The Grey

“Tell me, Tool, what dominates your thoughts?'
The Imass shrugged before replying.
'I think of futility, Adjunct.'
'Do all Imass think about futility?'
'No. Few think at all.'
'Why is that?'
The Imass leaned his head to one side and regarded her.
'Because Adjunct, it is futile.”
― Steven Erikson, Gardens of the Moon