Quotes from Scott Nicholson

When you have one of those waking nightmares, when you think bad things in the dark and can't go to sleep, you think happy thoughts. Cartoon dogs, fat clowns, things like that. Except sometimes the cartoon dogs bite and the fat clowns grow sharp smiles. Happy

the crows turned, and its eyes flashed with fire. A blood-chilling caw cracked the brittle air. Rachel slid her machete from its canvas sheath, but the crow veered wildly and then rejoined the broken formation heading south toward the distant city of mutants. DeVontay Jones chuckled

shimmered behind the clouds as if the black birds were swimming against a frothy tide. The hardwood trees on the surrounding Appalachian slopes were gone to gold and scarlet, and the strange light hinted at the gray winter waiting ahead. One of the crows turned, and its eyes flashed with fire. A blood-chilling caw cracked the brittle air. Rachel slid her

but no creature ever asked to be born, they just got squirted out slimy and squealing into the world and told to deal with it or get out of the way for the next one.

I haven't seen this much blood since those driver's ed films they showed in high school.

Glory and honor were found as much in defeat as in victory.

Well, who's real? The living or the dead?

Glory and honor were found as much in defeat as in victory. Maybe more so, when the war was senseless and never-ending.

Women were born to serve and not to question the workings of gods or men. The blood and pain of women had always sustained the Earth, and would ever thus.

before getting shot, he would never nail both of the armed men from thirty yards away. He could also duck into the water and swim downstream, but he didn't think he could hold his breath long enough to get out of range. That was assuming the rapids ahead were even deep enough to conceal him. "What do you want?" DeVontay said, stalling for time.

My thermograph got nothing," he said. "I think that place is deader than Bob Dole's dick.

DeVontay Jones chuckled behind her. "What were you going to do with that blade? Make us some chicken pot pie?" She replaced her machete and

Lying, like marksmanship and tomato growing, got easier with practice. He

priests seem to be either dead or Zap." DeVontay shouldered his M16 and caught up with her so they could walk

No wonder these creatures sinned. No wonder they sought refuge in lust and depravity and excess. They were God's mistakes.

And just what is the nature of things?" "It's beyond us. Not to be understood. The sun blows a fuse here and shoots energy there, and here's this small ball of rock minding its own business ninety-three-million miles away and suddenly it's all turned upside down. The natural law gets rewritten and even the science goes to shit. Along comes a new science. New creatures, new people.

them. Experience suggested such places were more likely to harbor danger than supplies. Not that the

The greatest form of genius is that which isn't noticed

Because consciousness is ultimately a matter of faith," James said

this was looking like her final hour. They'd not seen a Zaphead for two days, ever since leaving the highway and taking the Old Turnpike Road, a winding dotted line on the map that promised few houses and even fewer murderous mutants. The bite wound on Rachel's left calf had gotten steadily worse, passing from

learn of Campbell's drawings, addiction

I don't need the drama right now." "Our goats are trying to eat our asses, this Horseback Preacher thing is back from the grave, and the people of Solom say everybody he kills comes back sooner or later. That means good old Gordy may shamble back from the grave and try to finish the job. I don't think a little extra drama would even get noticed at this point." As

Goody's headache powder.

He glared at Jorge. "I doubt you're American, but we'll throw you in as a bonus.