William Ritter > Quotes

“That the battles are usually in her head does not lessen the bravery of it. The hardest ones always are.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“I have ceased concerning myself with how things look to others, Abigail Rook. I suggest you do the same. In my experience, others are generally wrong.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“This world is full of dragon-slayers. What we need are a few more people who aren't too proud to listen to a few fish.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“Monsters are easy, Miss Rook. They're monsters. But a monster in a suit? That's basically just a wicked man, and a wicked man is a more dangerous thing by far.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“So often,” Jackaby said, “people think that when we arrive at a crossroads, we can choose only one path, but—as I have often and articulately postulated—people are stupid. We’re not walking the path. We are the path. We are all of the roads and all of the intersections. Of course you can choose both.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“I wondered which was sadder, leaving someone to cry after you were gone, or not having anyone who would miss you in the first place”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“The only paths you can't travel are the ones you block yourself--so don't let the fear of failure stop you from trying in the first place.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“Happiness is bliss - but ignorance is anesthetic, and in the face of what's to come, that may be all we can hope for our ill-fated acquaintances.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“Failure is not the opposite of success—it’s a part of it. And as failures go,” he added with a lopsided grin, “this one was really spectacular, wasn’t it?”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“I excused myself to go see a duck about a dress.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“Hell of a sight. She let out a scream and just fell to pieces. Can't say I blame her. Like I said, this sort of thing is not for the female temperament." He directed that last sentiment at me, making eye contact for the first time.

"I dare say you're right, sir," I conceded, meeting his gaze. "Out of curiosity, though, is there someone whose temperament you do find suited to this sort of thing? I think I would be most unnerved to meet a man who found it pleasant.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“DO NOT STARE AT THE FROG.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“The greatest figures in history are never the ones who avoid failure, but those who march chin-up through countless failures, one after the next, until they come upon the occasional victory.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“I never found a book that did not have at least a little magic in it”
― William Ritter, The Dire King

“Maybe if you would bother reading a book once in a while instead of hurling them about every chance you get, you would have put the pieces together yourself by now”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“Does this smell like paprika or gunpowder to you?”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed in giant squids or lucky coins or Belgium. They were things that probably existed, but I had never given any occasion to really care one way or another.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“illusions, so many masks and facades. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“This world doesn't need showy champions. It needs people who are good, people who do good, even if nobody will ever know.”
― William Ritter, The Dire King

“Jackaby hesitated, and when he spoke, his answer had a soft earnestness to it. “Hatun sees a different world than you or I, a far more frightening one, full of far more terrible dangers, and still she chooses to be the hero whom that world needs. She has saved this town and its people from countless monsters countless times. That the battles are usually in her head does not lessen the bravery of it. The hardest battles always are.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“Charlie helped with the dig as well?"Jackaby said.
Charlie nodded.
"Surprising-I should think that unburying bones would go against generations of instinct to do just the opposite, wouldn't it? Ouch! Watch your step in the dark, Miss Rook-you just kicked my shin. Where was I? Right-I was saying that coming from a family of dogs-ouch! You've done it again, rather hard that time. Really, the path isn't even bumpy here.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“He's quite mad, you know. But adventure can be very appealing.”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“And mostly I just want to be sure you don't come to me to discuss your romantic entanglements. I much prefer that you remain on comfortable terms with Miss Cavanaugh. Although, should she ever become unavailable," Jackaby said earnestly,"I want you to know"-he put a hand gently on my shoulder-"that Douglas is an excellent listener.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“It is the ugliest aspect of human nature that we fear what is most different from ourselves with such violent contempt.”
― William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes

“Miss Rook, on a scale of one to pomegranate, how dangerous would you say this situation has become?"

"Dangerous?" I faltered.

"Yes, Miss Rook," prompted Jackaby, in your expert opinion."

"On a scale of one to pomegranate?" I followed his lead, checking over the notes I had scribbled in my notepad and speaking in my most audible, serious whisper. "I should think ... acorn? Possibly badger. Time alone will tell.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“There is something humbling about knowing that an entity capable of moving mountains and reshaping continents still takes the time to tend to the smallest patch of dirt. Little things matter. Footsteps matter.”
― William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes

“I might be better prepared to slay dragons, I decided, than to flirt with boys.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones

“All due respect to Romeo and Juliet, but I don’t think love is sacrifice at all. Real love is when you let another person make you better. You don’t lose yourself in love—you find yourself there.”
― William Ritter, The Dire King

“Don't feel too bad" I offered. "I met him face-to-face, and I missed it, too."
"Yes, but no one expected you to be clever Miss Rook."
"Thanks for that," I said”
― William Ritter, Jackaby

“But trust me, men are never worth it. Behind every great man is a woman who gave up on greatness and tied herself into an apron. Romance is for saps, Abbie. You’re sharp and you’ve got pluck. Don’t waste it.”
― William Ritter, Beastly Bones