Fantasy Quotes

“A writer sets out to write science fiction but isn’t familiar with the genre, hasn’t read what’s been written. This is a fairly common situation, because science fiction is known to sell well but, as a subliterary genre, is not supposed to be worth study—what’s to learn? It doesn’t occur to the novice that a genre is a genre because it has a field and focus of its own; its appropriate and particular tools, rules, and techniques for handling the material; its traditions; and its experienced, appreciative readers—that it is, in fact, a literature. Ignoring all this, our novice is just about to reinvent the wheel, the space ship, the space alien, and the mad scientist, with cries of innocent wonder. The cries will not be echoed by the readers. Readers familiar with that genre have met the space ship, the alien, and the mad scientist before. They know more about them than the writer does.

In the same way, critics who set out to talk about a fantasy novel without having read any fantasy since they were eight, and in ignorance of the history and extensive theory of fantasy literature, will make fools of themselves because they don’t know how to read the book. They have no contextual information to tell them what its tradition is, where it’s coming from, what it’s trying to do, what it does. This was liberally proved when the first Harry Potter book came out and a lot of literary reviewers ran around shrieking about the incredible originality of the book. This originality was an artifact of the reviewers’ blank ignorance of its genres (children’s fantasy and the British boarding-school story), plus the fact that they hadn’t read a fantasy since they were eight. It was pitiful. It was like watching some TV gourmet chef eat a piece of buttered toast and squeal, “But this is delicious! Unheard of! Where has it been all my life?”
― Ursula K. Le Guin

“There was no way he could fight his way out, not this time.”
― Madisyn Carlin, Shattered Reflection

“I don't have to be right as long as I am not wrong.”
― Evelyn Benvie, So What If I Am The Chosen One

“He had no desire to be a detective. All he wanted to do was right a wrong.

A wrong that never should have occurred in the first place.”
― Madisyn Carlin, Key

“Είσαι άνθρωπος, φίλε μου. Και οι αναζητήσεις του μυαλού και της καρδιάς σου είναι ανθρώπινες αναζητήσεις. Χάρη σε αυτές μπορούμε να ξεχωρίσουμε το σωστό από το λάθος, την αρετή από την κακία και το φως από το σκοτάδι. Και να θυμάσαι. Όποιος δε φοβάται το θάνατο, είναι καταδικασμένος να τον συναντήσει σύντομα.”
― Κωνσταντίνος Πάτρας, Αιθέριον: Η Αιώνια Φωτιά

“Εκεί έξω υπάρχουν μεγάλοι ήρωες. Ιππότες βασιλείων και αρχόντων που ανάλογα με τις επιταγές της αρετής τους, αποφασίζουν το μέλλον αυτού του κόσμου. Δε χωρούν όλα τα βάσανα των ανθρώπων σε δυο χέρια και οι πλάτες κανενός ανθρώπου δεν μπορούν να τα κουβαλήσουν. Όμως, δύο χέρια με επιρροή και δύναμη μπορούν να αλλάξουν πολλές ζωές.”
― Κωνσταντίνος Πάτρας, Αιθέριον: Η Αιώνια Φωτιά

“Give us that, Déagol, my love,” said Sméagol, over his friend’s shoulder.
‘“Why?” said Déagol.


‘ “Because it’s my birthday, my love, and I wants it,” said Sméagol.


‘“I don’t care,” said Déagol. “I have given you a present already, more than I could afford. I found this, and I’m going to keep it.”


‘ “Oh, are you indeed, my love,” said Sméagol; and he caught Déagol by the throat and strangled him, because the gold looked so bright and beautiful. Then he put the ring on his finger.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

“It means you're perfect just the way you are. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.”
― Evelyn Benvie, I Am Not Your Chosen One

“When told it is the only way to save the world as they know it, most people are okay with anything.”
― Evelyn Benvie, I Am Not Your Chosen One

“I shook my head, trying to get the voices of that memory out of my head. Now wasn't the time. I was still scared, and he was dead, and his sacrifice was going to waste. It was rotting away, being plunged into despair just like the rest of Baeno.”
― Niamh Schmid, To Take a World: The GhostMaker

“It wasn't like they were all too eager to take different sides when my sister betrayed us all...But I'm getting ahead of myself. You see, I was going to die.”
― Niamh Schmid, To Take a World: The GhostMaker

“It used to be boys became wizards and girls became witches, but that's changed. Now it's all based on talent and personal choice.”
― Shel Danielson, The Bell Tower Ghosts and Other Stories

“Arimas stemme var dyb og syngende. ”Har I aldrig tænkt på, hvordan alle sagn og gamle historier handler om lyset mod mørket, om det gode mod det onde? Dualiteten er ikke sand, men den er nemmere at forklare. Karawianerne er mørket, men de er også lys. De kæmper mod os, fordi de lever mørket. Selv de mennesker eller andre væsener, der kaldes onde, er af lyset. Alt er lyset, men nogle glemmer det mere end andre. De tog mørket som herre, og det giver dem et formål med livet. Før mørket opstod, var de bare mennesker.”
Mayin nikkede på den anden side af bålet, og Soral kiggede hen på hende. ”Der er ikke noget, der af natur er ondt, Mayin,” sagde han. ”Der er ikke noget, der fuldt ud er det modsatte af lys. Som sådan kan man sige, at alt er lys, bare i forskellige nuancer.”
Enilia sendte et skævt smil over bålet til Soral. Det var en god måde at sige det på.”
― Louise H.A. Trankjær, Eliors sang

“De forstår det bare ikke,” fortsatte Elior. ”Og jeg tror ikke, det er noget, der ændrer sig. Men du forstår det. Du ved godt hvorfor, og derfor må du lære at lade være med at tage dig af, hvad de siger.”
”Det er ikke bare det,” snøftede hun. ”Det er ikke som sådan ordene. Det er deres blikke. Deres ansigter på afstand.”
Hun kunne mærke, at Elior nikkede. Hans hage stødte let mod toppen af hendes hoved, og hun trak sig lidt væk og kiggede op på ham. ”De hader mig virkelig.”
Så rystede han på hovedet. ”Det er ikke had.”
”Jo, det er. Jeg kan se det.”
Han rystede igen på hovedet, slap hende og satte sig tilbage mod husmuren. Hun rykkede lidt væk, så hun kunne se hans ansigt igen.
”Jeg kan se det,” gentog hun. ”Det er altid det samme. Jeg kom gående derhen, og de stod der uden for købmanden, og så kiggede de på mig. Og det var had.”
”Det er ikke had dybest set,” sagde Elior stille og strøg en tot hår om bag øret. ”De er bange.”
Hun kom næsten til at le. ”De er overhovedet ikke bange for mig!”
”Ikke bange på den måde,” sagde han og bed i sin underlæbe. ”De er ikke bange for dig, de er bange for det, du er. De er bange for os. For ainatunari. De er bange, fordi de ikke forstår, hvad vi er.”
― Louise H.A. Trankjær, Eliors sang

“Jeg mener, at der er lys på den anden side af mørket,” sagde han. ”Jeg mener, at hvad der end sker, så træder vi igen ud i lyset på den anden side. Vores historie ender ikke her.”
Hun trak forsigtigt sin hånd til sig og krydsede armene foran maven. Mevarn trak sine knæ op mod brystet og støttede sine arme mod dem. Foran dem var bålet brændt ned til gløder, og ovenover tittede alle efterårets stjerner frem på den sorte himmel.
”Jeg er ikke så god til det,” sagde hun. ”Det der med tillid til lyset. Jeg vil bare gerne have, at det hele går væk og lader mig være i fred.”
Mevarn smilede skævt. ”Sådan tror jeg, vi alle har det. Tillid eller ej.”
”Han har levet i mørket i århundreder,” sagde hun undrende. ”Hvordan kunne han holde det ud?”
”Nogle gange kan man udholde utrolige ting for dem, man elsker.”
Hun så fra gløderne over på hans mørkeblå øjne og nikkede. Han smilede, og hun mærkede det efterhånden velkendte sug i maven. Et ganske kort øjeblik lænede hun sig over og holdt sin pande ind mod hans, så deres ansigter var helt tætte på hinanden. Hun mærkede hans ånde på sine læber. Så trak hun sig væk, rejste sig og sagde godnat.”
― Louise H.A. Trankjær, Eliors sang

“Destiny is another way of saying you don't know, isn't it?”
― Evelyn Benvie, I Am Not Your Chosen One

“Είσαι άνθρωπος, φίλε μου. Και οι αναζητήσεις του μυαλού και της καρδιάς σου είναι ανθρώπινες αναζητήσεις. Χάρη σε αυτές μπορούμε να ξεχωρίσουμε το σωστό από το
λάθος, την αρετή από την κακία και το φως από το σκοτάδι. Και να θυμάσαι. Όποιος δε
φοβάται το θάνατο, είναι καταδικασμένος να τον συναντήσει σύντομα.”
― Κωνσταντίνος Πάτρας, Αιθέριον: Η Αιώνια Φωτιά

“Εκεί έξω υπάρχουν μεγάλοι ήρωες. Ιππότες βασιλείων και αρχόντων που ανάλογα με
τις επιταγές της αρετής τους, αποφασίζουν το μέλλον αυτού του κόσμου. Δε χωρούν
όλα τα βάσανα των ανθρώπων σε δυο χέρια και οι πλάτες κανενός ανθρώπου δεν
μπορούν να τα κουβαλήσουν. Όμως, δύο χέρια με επιρροή και δύναμη μπορούν να αλλάξουν πολλές ζωές.”
― Κωνσταντίνος Πάτρας, Αιθέριον: Η Αιώνια Φωτιά

“A story where myth, fantasy, fairy tale, or science fiction explore and ask questions moves beyond pragmatic dailiness to wonder. Rather than taking the child away from the real world, such stories are preparation for living in the real world with courage and expectancy. A child who has been denied imaginative literature is likely to have far more difficulty in understanding cellular biology or post-Newtonian physics than the child whose imagination has already been stretched by reading fantasy and science fiction.”
― Madeleine L'Engle, Madeleine L'Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life

“Try again," while admirable, is not a plan.”
― Evelyn Benvie, So What If I Am The Chosen One?

“Try again, while admirable, is not a plan.”
― Evelyn Benvie, So What If I Am The Chosen One

“The best fantasy is written in the language of dreams. It is alive as dreams are alive, more real than real … for a moment at least … that long magic moment before we wake.

Fantasy is silver and scarlet, indigo and azure, obsidian veined with gold and lapis lazuli. Reality is plywood and plastic, done up in mud brown and olive drab. Fantasy tastes of habaneros and honey, cinnamon and cloves, rare red meat and wines as sweet as summer. Reality is beans and tofu, and ashes at the end. Reality is the strip malls of Burbank, the smokestacks of Cleveland, a parking garage in Newark. Fantasy is the towers of Minas Tirith, the ancient stones of Gormenghast, the halls of Camelot. Fantasy flies on the wings of Icarus, reality on Southwest Airlines. Why do our dreams become so much smaller when they finally come true?

We read fantasy to find the colors again, I think. To taste strong spices and hear the songs the sirens sang. There is something old and true in fantasy that speaks to something deep within us, to the child who dreamt that one day he would hunt the forests of the night, and feast beneath the hollow hills, and find a love to last forever somewhere south of Oz and north of Shangri-La.

They can keep their heaven. When I die, I’d sooner go to middle Earth.”
― George R.R. Martin

“Can one live up to their own expectations? Or are we all fated for hypocrisy?”
― BAD Agar, The Angaran Chronicles: The Underside

“I also send you on this mission,' said Arken. 'In the hope that if he is, in fact, responsible for all this. That you'll keep your head and not let it get personal.'

'You can trust me,' said Anargrin.

'I trust no one, and I suspect everything,' said Arken.

'I thought you trusted me, Arken.'

'No,' said Arken as he swivelled in his seat and swirled his glass. 'I just mistrust you the least.”
― BAD Agar, The Angaran Chronicles: The Underside

“The uncritical civilization bears witness to its own decline in accepting myths as fact while dismissing facts as myth.”
― Monte Schulz, Metropolis

“Traté de respirar con normalidad y de contener las lágrimas mientras caminaba detrás de él, apoyando los pies en sus huellas.”
― Adrienne Young, Spanish in 32 Lessons

“Por qué lo hiciste- pregunté- por qué le salvaste la vida a Iri?"
"Porque estábamos muriéndonos. Porque era el final. Y cuando ves el final, la vida se vuelve valiosa.”
― Adrienne Young, Sky in the Deep

“¡Corred!
"De acuerdo"- dijo Halvard- sus ojos revoloteando sobre mi rostro
"No trates de ayudarme ni regreses a buscar a Inge, Fiske o Iri. Corres. Te olvidas de ellos.”
― Adrienne Young, Sky in the Deep

“Pienso que nos vencerán."- No había nada en su voz que evidenciara miedo.
"¿Pero de todas formas pelearéis?
"Por supuesto"- Alzó la mirada hacia mi con desaprobación.
"Pero si no podéis ganar..."
"Si no peleamos, (...) nos matarán de todas maneras. Morimos peleando o morimos ocultándonos. ¿Qué elegirías?”
― Adrienne Young, Sky in the Deep

“Si yo no te hubiera derribado esa noche en Aurvanger, ese Riki te hubiera matado."
"Lo sé."
"Si yo no te hubiera clavado la flecha en el hombro, otro te habría clavado una flecha en el corazón. Si no te hubiera elegido como dýr, podrías estar en cualquiera de esas aldeas que han ardido en la montaña."
"Lo sé." -repetí.
"Volvería a hacerlo." -dijo- "Todo.”
― Adrienne Young, Sky in the Deep