Maria V. Snyder famous quotes

Love trumps logic?” “Every time,
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Logic #Trump

I offer my heart, entrust my soul and give my life to you.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Heart #Giving #Soul

You can't let the past ruin your future.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Past #Ruins #Your Future

I never said it would be easy. Giving up is easy.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Business #Giving Up #Would Be

...my sanity threatened to take a holiday without me.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Holiday #Sanity

There is a reason for everything. You might not be able to figure it out, and time might have made us all forget it, but the reason is there all the same.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Might #Able #Forget

Positive thoughts lead to positive results.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Stay Positive #Positive Thoughts #Results

Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Knowing #Harder

Everyone grieves in different ways. For some, it could take longer or shorter. I do know it never disappears. An ember still smolders inside me. Most days, I don’t notice it, but, out of the blue, it’ll flare to life.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Grief #Grieving #Blue

Yelena, you've driven me crazy. You've caused me considerable trouble and I've contemplated ending your life twice since I've known you." Valek's warm breath in my ear sent a shiver down my spine. "But you’ve slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.” “That sounds more like a poison than a person,” was all I could say. His confession had both shocked and thrilled me. “Exactly,” Valek replied. “You have poisoned me.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Crazy #Heart #Blood

But you've slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Love #Romantic #Heart

I remembered my little brother, Allyn, had appeared so innocent and angelic when he slept--similar to Kerrick. It must be a survival tactic. If Allyn hadn't looked so sweet, we would have killed him while he slept. He had been pure evil when he was awake--similar to Kerrick.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Sweet #Brother #Evil

In the war room, love? What if someone comes in?” I stood and removed his shirt. “Then they’ll have a good story to tell.” “Good?” He adopted the pretense of being offended. “Prove me wrong.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#War #What If #Rooms

Suppressing his relief, Valek asked, “Can you please tell this Lieutenant who he has arrested?” “Can do,” Janco said with a smile. “Lieutenant Darren, let me be the first to congratulate you on capturing the elusive and legendary Kelav. He’s been wanted in Ixia for years on multiple counts of espionage.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Years #Firsts #Relief

Knowledge, whatever the form, could be as effective as a weapon.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Weapons #Form

I found Esau’s field guide at the bottom of my pack. Taking a candle into the bedroom, I read his book until my eyes grew heavy. From his vast notes, it seemed that almost every plant and tree in the jungle had a reason for existing. I caught myself wishing there was a page in his guide that had my picture on it with the reason for my existence written underneath in Esau’s neat hand.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Book #Eye #Hands

Oscove?" Valek paused. "He didn't have the stomach for it.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Stomach

It's the effort, not the results that matter.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Effort #Matter #Results

One, and two, and three, four, five. Keep fighting like this and you will die," Janco sang.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Fighting #Two #Three

Right before I was escorted to the jail, Fawn waved bye bye to me. I smiled. My empty, pointless life for hers. Not bad.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Bye #Jail #Fawns

Sorry. An overdeveloped nurturing instinct comes with being a healer.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Sorry #Instinct #Nurturing

No," I said. "I'm not safe, Belen. Who is going to tear Kerrick's arm off if he hits me again? Come on," I urged. "Stay with us".
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Tears #Safe #Arms

There's always another storm. It's the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately, but you need to keep an eye on whats brewing for tomorrow.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Eye #Storm #Way

How did you-" Fool your guards? They're not very good, the forgot to check the ceiling for spiders."Valek grinned. His angular face softened.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Ceilings #Spiders #Faces

The heart is a strange beast and not ruled by logic.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Heart #Strange #Logic

You’ve only had a small glimpse of how insufferable and annoying I can be. As the older brother, it’s my birthright.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Brother #Glimpse #Annoying

You could change into a goat and it would still apply.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Goats #Stills

They actually think I would abandon the Commander. they have no concept of loyalty.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Loyalty #Thinking #Abandon

Rand rubbed his hands over his face. His anger had dissipated. “I’m sorry, Yelena. I was backed into a corner and I couldn’t get out without hurting someone.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Hurt #Sorry #Hands

Pretty stupid,” I called after his retreating form. “To give up before all possible solutions have been tried.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Giving Up #Stupid #Form

...things happen that are out of your control.' Kerrick gave him a tight smile. 'You mean I'm not omnipotent?' 'You're not even semi-potent.' 'Is that even a word?' Kerrick asked. 'He probably means you're impotent,' I offered.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Mean #Things Happen

Valek coalesced from the shadows and wrapped me in his long lean arms. I soaked in his musky smell, listening to his heart beat. Strong and steady. No indication that he had been sneaking around.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Strong #Heart #Smell

Back so soon?" he asked. "Too bad. I was just about to organize a search for your dead body. What happened when you knocked on the southerner magician's door to sacrifice yourself? Did they kick you out, thinking you too half-witted to waste their time on?
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Sacrifice #Thinking #Doors

I didn't expect a knife, though. Is it the one missing from the kitchen?" "Did Rand report it?" I felt betrayed. Why hadn't he just asked for it back? "No. It just makes sense to keep track of large kitchen knives, so when one goes missing you're not surprised when someone attacks you with it.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Knives #Track #Missing

A full-out rebellion would take a major amount of luck and coordination. The Tech Nos and Domotor looked at me, waiting. No one else would be able to organize both sides. I drew in a deep breath. We had the technology, the intelligence and the people—put enough sheep together and you have a herd, a force to be reckoned with. We needed a leader.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Technology #Sheep #People

Your fear remains strong. You are not ready to face your story, preferring instead to surround yourself with knots. Someday, they will strangle you.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Strong #Fear #Faces

To Yelena, our newest food taster. May you last longer than your predecessor.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#May #Lasts

Only Valek would consider an attempt on my life a fascinating diversion.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Diversion

His movements were so graceful that I wondered if he had been a dancer, but his words betrayed to me that his fluid gestures were those of a trained killer.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Dancer #Movement #Gestures

Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Fighting #Forever #Together

An execution order hasn’t kept us apart before. There are ways to get around it. We will be together.” “Is that an order?” “No, a promise.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Order #Promise #Together

Ah, Kerry. You've found your heart. Who is she?" ... "A healer, but she's... gone.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Heart #Gone #Found

I understood that Valek’s loyalty to the Commander was without question. His blue eyes held a fierce determination and I knew in my soul that Valek would take his own life after he had taken mine.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Loyalty #Determination #Taken

Did you live here?" Leif asked. I nodded. "For two years"."Where did you stay?" "I had a room in Valek's suite." Leif shot me an incredulous look. "Boy, you worked fast.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Boys #Years #Two

I had hoped to hear everyone discussing how much they missed my altruistic qualities, my legendary skills as a fighter and as a lover." He leered. "Instead, you're making plans for tomorrow. Interesting how life goes on in spite of itself.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Skills #Interesting #Quality

I'm your mother. I see all. Hear all. Know all.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Mother

[Janco] paused. His eyes held a distant gleam as if seeing into his past. 'My first practice was a shock. I was a cocky smart aleck--' [Opal] 'Was?' [J] 'Be quiet. I'm telling a story here.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Smart #Eye #Cocky

I didn’t want or expect this. But I couldn’t resist you.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Want

Do you really want to know why you lost?” I asked. “Do you really have an answer?” he countered. “You need to get off your horse and run with your men. You don’t have the stamina for a long fight. And find a lighter sword.” “But it was my uncle’s.” “You’re not your uncle.” “But I’m the King, and this is the King’s sword,” Cahil said. His brows creased together. He seemed confused. “So wear it to your coronation,” I said. “If you use it in battle, you’ll be wearing it to your funeral,” I said.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Running #Horse #Uncles

Words are easy. It's convincing the heart that's hard.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Heart #Easy #Convincing

If you put enough sheep together you have a herd- a force to be reckoned with.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Sheep #Together #Enough

I doubt I would ever be missed. Noted absent, charged delinquent, reprimanded but never missed.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Doubt #Absent

It's a dirty way to fight, but I'm late for lunch." - Valek to Yelena
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Dirty #Fighting #Lunch

After almost two hours of creeping around the forest, one of the jacks discovered Belen. He had fallen asleep, and the young man had literally tripped over him. So much for his reputation.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Men #Two #Forests

I balled my hands into tight fists to keep them from wrapping around Mr. I-Know-Everything's superior neck.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Hands #Fists #Necks

Valek: You know a death sentence hasn't kept us apart before. Yelena: Is that an order Valek? Valek: No, it's a promise!
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Order #Promise #Death Sentence

In keeping with his cryptic nature, all your Story Weaver said was 'The horses know where to go.' It's certainly not a military strategy I would use, but I've learned that the south uses its own strategy. And, strangely enough, it works.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Horse #Military #Stories

Besides, thinking kind thoughts about Valek could be extremely dangerous. I could admire his skills, and be relieved when he was on my side in a fight. But for a rat to like the cat? That scenario ended only one way. With one dead rat.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Cat #Fighting #Thinking

No. I took this job in self-defense. Quain burns everything. Belen thinks jerky is all we need to survive. Flea's idea of a good meal is something that hasn't been in a garbage can first. And Kerrick poisoned us-' 'Not on purpose,' Kerrick said. 'The meat looked done.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Jobs #Thinking #Self

My cheek stung and throbbed. I remained on the floor of the cave. Belen stood between me and Kerrick. "...temper in check. She's a sweet girl," Belen said. "She's a healer, Belen. And no longer a girl. Healing Ryne is all I care about. All you should care about, as well. You know-" "Yes, I know what's at stake." Belen spat the words. "But if you raise your hand to her again, I'll rip your arm from its socket.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Girl #Sweet #Rip

You had me tied in knots. You saved Belen's life, and I wanted to kill and thank you all at the same time. And during those nights when we didn't know if you'd live or die, I went from being angry, to worried to frustrated to scared all within a single heartbeat. If you had die, I would have killed you.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Night #Frustrated #Scared

It had been wishful thinking, plain and simple, dangerous for me to indulge in. Hope, happiness and freedom were not in my future.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Simple #Thinking #Dangerous

It’s your fault. I was defending you!” I blurted. He paused. “In protecting my honor, you exposed months of work. I should be flattered?
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Honor #Months #Faults

Here we go. Kerrick was as subtle as a thunderstorm.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Thunderstorm #Subtle

I feel an extremely annoyed thunderstorm nearby," Kade warned. "Actually, I'm the one annoyed. The thunderstorm could go either way." - Storm Glass
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Glasses #Annoyed #Storm

The Queen Seeker was back!
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Queens

I gave him a bored look. I had been threatened many times before and had learned that the men who didn’t make verbal threats were the most dangerous.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Men #Bored #Looks

Should haves lead to death
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Should

In the end, only Leif believed that you were still alive. He thought you might be hiding somewhere, playing a game. As the rest of us grieved, Leif searched the jungle for you day after day.” “When did he finally stop?” I asked. “Yesterday.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Yesterday #Games #Alive

You're easily distracted by the pattern of the cloth and can't see the quality of the threads.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Quality #Patterns #Thread

As her newest apprentice, it had been my job to go to the market every morning. I had gotten all the jobs no one else wanted, but I had treated each task as if it had been essential to do well -- a trick I had learned from my father.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Morning #Jobs #Father

Don’t worry," I said. "These men are good. They’re going to heal the world.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Men #Worry #World

Ursan flourished the knife, threatening me. "Talk, or I'll start cutting off body parts." "Yours? Or mine?" I kept my voice steady despite my insides twisting into goo. "It's an important distinction.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Cutting #Knives #Voice

I did what any good rat would do. I bit down on the guard's hand until I tasted blood.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Blood #Hands #Rats

Trust, Kiki said, Trust is peppermints.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Peppermint #Said

Valek's thoughts returned to Yelena. An icy finger of loneliness touched the emptiness inside him. She was in Sitia, where she needed to be to learn about her magical powers, but she had taken his heart with her.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Loneliness #Taken #Heart

We are searching for the same thing,” Stripey said. “How do you know?” Janco asked. “I read his mind.” The Sitian pointed to Ari. “Yours was too…chaotic. Too many useless thoughts to wade through.” A compliment or an insult? Janco guessed compliment and preened.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Mind #Wade #Useless

She's the nicest person I know." Zila chewed on her lower lip. "Well, the second nicest. Avry's the first.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Firsts #Lips #Wells

I peered deeper and found my soul. A little tattered and with some holes, but there all the same. It had always been there, I realized with shock.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Soul #Littles #Shock

Riley - “Don’t worry, there are many safeguards in place. Unless you want me to have Logan explain—” Trella - “No! I trust you.” He clutched his hands to his chest. “She… Gasp… Trusts me! Call for medical aid stat!” I swung at him, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet. Snaking his arms around my waist, he said, “We need to celebrate this momentous occasion.” "What are we celebrating?" Jacob Ashon, Riley's father, asked from the doorway.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Father #Hands #Feet

Trella! You’re here,” he said with glee. “Even though I’m not as smart as you, I do know where I am.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Smart #Glee #Said

Skewer is just too vague. I think if you say, ’Stand back or I’ll stab him in the stomach,’ then I have an idea about how serious you are. After all, Leif’s stomach is his favorite body part so that’s a decent threat.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Thinking #Ideas #Serious

For the first time, I was the center of attention. Everyone watched me as if I were a bomb. Would I explode and cause a disaster or would I pop and cause a miracle?
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Miracle #Center Of Attention #Firsts

Why is she convinced Ambrose is out to get her" Leif asked "Ambrose?" Yelena raised a slender eyebrow. She carried a tray of tea and fruit. "You're on a first name basis with the Commander now?" "I usually call him Amby, but not in mixed company.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Names #Eyebrows #Tea

Did she just-" "Yes." "But I don't-" "Yes you do. We both stink." "Well, I'm not-" "Yes. You are." He huffed. "You wont let-" "No. No complaining. Let's go." I grabbed a clean shirt and pants from my saddlebags. "Well, she could have handled it better," he grumped. "No. She couldn't." He settled into a sulky silence as we visited the bathhouse.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Silence #Pants #Sulky

I needed to sit down. I'd heard other people talk about having to sit down when shocked by an event or revelation and I had dismissed the notion as pure exaggeration. Little did I realize the actual physical weakness. It felt as if my bones had dissolved and my muscles could no longer support my weight.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#People #Support #Weight

You missed the point completely! You're acting..." The word stuck in my throat. He didn't hesitate to say it. "Jealous?" When I nodded, he continued. "Now you're missing the point. It isn't jealousy. It's fear." "Fear?" Not the emotion I expected. "Yes. Fear. I'm afraid you'll be hurt or killed. I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you. I'm afraid I'll lose you to another man.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Hurt #Jealous #Men

I am a Stormdancer! Mere metal is nothing compared with the power of a storm." Kade made his voice boom and spread his arms wide. His eyes sparked with humor. "I. Am. Invincible." "Until a happy wind blows," I said. "Curse those sunny days." "The bane of your existence." "The scourge of society." "The downfall of decency." "And boring, too. Nothing like a good gale to put a spring in your step." Kade grinned.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Spring #Eye #Blow

The uniform enhanced his athletic body, and my thoughts drifted to how magnificent he would look with his uniform puddled around his feet.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Feet #Athletic #Looks

Bad dreams are ghosts of our fears and worries, haunting us while we sleep. I doubt Valek is in trouble.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Dream #Sleep #Worry

Many have tried to kill us. All have failed. -Valek
-- Maria V. Snyder

Don't knock the power of a pest," Leif said. "Persistance and stubborness can be useful in many situations.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Pests #Said #Situation

The others had taken Valek's return in stride, although Janco made a comment about Valek's lack of hair. "You ever notice how couples start to look alike?" he asked. In a deadpan, Valek replied, "Yes. In fact I was just thinking how much you and Topaz resemble each other. It's uncanny.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Couple #Taken #Thinking

I'm glad you're here. We've had some...interesting developments." Leif groaned. "That's Yelena-speak for life-threatening danger.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Interesting #Development #Speak

Let's go. We're supposed to rendezvous with the Captain at the lake. Oh, and try to keep the noise down. You sound like a panicked moose crashing through the woods," the smarter man chided. "Oh yeah. Like you could hear me over your specially trained 'woodland-animal footsteps,'" Rough Voice countered. "It was like listening to two deer humping each other.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Men #Animal #Two

Out of nowhere, Valek appeared before me, yelling in my ear, shaking my shoulders. Stupidly, belatedly, I realized he was the drunk. Who else but Valek could win a fight against four large men when armed only with a beer mug?
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Fighting #Beer #Men

Don't feel ashamed for having those feelings and those memories. What happened in the past can't be changed, but they can be a guide for what happens in the future." - Yelena
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Memories #Past #Feelings

No need to act, i let my fear show "He killed himself," i whispered. Eve raised an eyebrow. "Fourteen times?" "He had bad aim.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Eyebrows #Needs #Aim

Life is like molten glass. It flows, it's flexible, it can be molded and shaped and...what do you say? Ah, yes. It holds vast potential. You have a number of uncertainties in your melt right now. But they will always be there in one form or another. Always. Unlike molten glass, life can't be fixed or frozen into a pretty vase and placed on a shelf to gather dust.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Numbers #Glasses #Dust

The past shouldn't be forgotten. It should be used as a guide for future situations and not used as a reason to avoid making difficult decisions. There was always a choice.
-- Maria V. Snyder

#Past #Decision #Choices