Quotes from Tamora Pierce

When people tell me a knight's job is all glory, I laugh, and laugh, and laugh," Lord Raoul had once told Kel. "Sometimes I can stop laughing before they edge away and talk about soothing drinks.

She preferred to avoid battles with them now so she would have authority with them later if she needed to use it. They never say it's one thing to be given command by your superiors and another to be given it by the men under you, she thought as she and Neal rode back to Haven.

Take care or her, Coram Smythesson! Alanna's old friend looked surprised. And here I thought the best part of ridin' with a knight was that she would be lookin' after me.

Beka: 'Will you keep me here forever? My hands are sticky.' Dale: 'I'll lick the honey off

At last the King's Champion straightened with a groan, her free hand going to her lower back. Nobody ever says that, even with healers, your body still adds up your breaks and bruises, then gives you the bill in your mid-thirties, she said wryly.

We are what we're made to be.

She fixed her mind on stone in the soles of her feet and on the song of the mountains, and kept going

She is Leaper, Russet said, and Leaper wagged her tail. The male pup trotted over. He is Chaser, commented Russet. These others are too silly to have names.

Commanders have an eye not just for what they do, but for what those around them do. Commanders size up people's strengths and weaknesses. They know where someone will shine and where they will collapse. Other warriors will obey a true commander because they can tell that the commander knows what he- or she- is doing.

She loved bats, but had learned years ago that few humans agreed.

ALANNA AWOKE AT dawn, ready for another session with Coram's big sword.

It's a Stromwing, Ozorne said. I always wanted one.

Gods of fire and ice, bless my new home, she whispered in Yamani. Keep my will burning as hot as the heart of the volcano, and as hard and implacable as a glacier.

Things change. We change with them. We sail before the wind. We become adults. As adults, we keep our minds and out secrets hidden, and our wounds. It's safer.

What do all my taxes pay for if monsters with daggers for teeth can land atop my castle and charm my little ones into giving away my shirts? Not to mention leave a stink behind them that took three rounds of scrubbing to get out of the stones!

The few gray hairs she has on her head are my doing. But"—with an exaggerated change of mood—"I send her plenty of money, so she can pay to have them dyed!

A bad name is just a fart with consonants.

Besides, haven't you noticed how tiring losing your temper is? I've noticed it gets you punishments, the redheaded boy replied with a shrug. Maybe it's the same thing. Well, you're tired at the end of both, so there you are, Kel said practically.

Not kind," he told her. "Grateful. Admiring. You're getting my shirt wet.

Either I'm adult enough to have a medallion and a student and make my own stupid choices or I'm not.

He deserves to die - but do you deserve to kill him?

Most girls your age worry about husbands, not the redistribution of lightning

Niko, these women deserve better than to have a monster pick them off one by one while those who should protect them say it's alright if they die, as long as they don't spread the pollution of their deaths around.

The gods like to make a man feel unprepared, so the wisewoment say