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Scott Lynch Quotes
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Scott Lynch is an American fantasy author who wrote the Gentleman Bastard series of novels. His first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, was purchased by Orion Books in August 2004 and published in June 2006 under the Gollancz imprint in the United Kingdom and under the Bantam imprint in the United States. The next two novels in the series, Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Republic of Thieves, were published in 2007 and 2013, respectively. Wikipedia  

✵ 2. April 1978   •   Other names 스콧 린치, Սքոթ Լինչ, Скот Линч, اسکات لینچ
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Scott Lynch: 138   quotes 1   like

Scott Lynch Quotes

“I thought we were celebrating being richer and cleverer than everyone else!”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Variant: To us — richer and cleverer than everyone else!
Source: The Lies of Locke Lamora

“If you put Durant's brains in a thimble full of water they'd look like a ship lost in the middle of the sea.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Source: The Lies of Locke Lamora

Water , Sea

“For Calo, Galdo, and Bug”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

The Lies of Locke Lamora

“It had the expression common to all kittens, that of a tyrant in the becoming.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 11 “All Else, Truth” section 9 (p. 528)

“They’ll be fine, and wiser for the experience. Young minds are brittle. Oldsters, now, we’ve had some disappointments. We’ve set aside the notion that we’re the center of the universe, so our minds bend with strain instead of meeting it head-on.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 4 “Across the Amathel” section 1 (p. 184)

Disappointment , Universe

“Better to say nothing and be thought a fool,” said Amarelle, “than to interfere in the business of wizards and remove all doubt.”

Scott Lynch

In George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois (eds.) Rogues (p. 245)
Short fiction, A Year and a Day in Old Theradane (2014)

Fools , Business , Funny

“As for history, we are living in its ruins. And as for biographies, we are living with the consequences of all the decisions ever made in them. I tend not to read them for pleasure. It‘s not unlike carefully scrutinizing the map when one has already reached the destination.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 2 “Requin” section 4 (pp. 100-101)

Pleasure , History , Decision , Reading

“By rights he was still outrunning his age, still ahead of most men nearing threescore years, but he knew deep in his heart that there would never be any way of running fast enough.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 5 “On a Clockwork River” section 4 (p. 253)

Men , Age , Way , Heart

““My responsibility was to tell you the truth, not wrap you in swaddling clothes.” She raised her hood again, half-veiling her face in shadow. “Nor protect you from your own badly aimed temper.””

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 9 “The Five-Year Game: Reasonable Doubt” section 2 (p. 551)

Truth , Clothes

““What happened wasn’t fair!”
“Fair? You mean to claim with a straight face that you buy into that heresy, my boy?””

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Interlude “The Boy Who Chased Red Dresses” section 1 (p. 115)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

Boy

“I make it a point never to trust men with weapons to my windpipe.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Prologue “A Strained Conversation” (p. 2)
Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007)

Men

““What’s your hand look like?“
“A parched desert… How’s yours?“
“A wasteland of bitter frustration.“”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 1 “Little Games” section 1 (p. 7)

“You have confused me with someone who knows what’s going on.”

Scott Lynch

Source: Short fiction, A Year and a Day in Old Theradane (2014), p. 251

“Time’s a river, Locke, and we’ve always drifted farther down it than we think.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Interlude “Up the River” section 2 (p. 392)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

Thinking , Time

“I never would’ve thought—“
“Don’t think,” said Locke. “I’m paid to do that for you.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 6 “The Five-Year Game: Change of Venue” section 1 (p. 311)

Thinking

““Let’s be obvious. Me brute, you weasel.”
“Agreed. You brute, me charming mastermind.””

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 5 “The Five-Year Game: Starting Position” section 2 (p. 254)

““When I get this door open, you’re dead, Jean!“
“When you get that door open? I look forward to many long years of life, then.“”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Reminiscence “The Capa of Vel Virazzo” section 5 (p. 65)
Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007)

Life , Dead

“I have always found the presumptions of others to be the best possible disguise—haven’t you?”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Source: The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), Chapter 15 “Spiderbite” section 5 (p. 636)

““That’s a sweet piece,“ said Jean, briefly forgetting to be aggravated. “You didn’t snatch that off a street.“
“No,“ said Locke, before taking another deep draught of the warm water in the decanter. “I got it from the neck of the governor’s mistress.“
“You can’t be serious.“
“In the governor’s manor.“
“Of all the—“
“In the governor’s bed.“
“Damned lunatic!“
“With the governor sleeping next to her… It is possible,“ said Locke with a sheepish grin, “that I have been slightly too bold.“”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Reminiscence “The Capa of Vel Virazzo” section 6 (pp. 70-71)
Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007)

Sleep , Water , Forgetting

“Damn it, when will you learn that refusing to admit you’ve lost isn’t the same as winning?”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Interlude “Striking Sparks” section 2 (p. 233)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

Learning

“Only gods-damned fools die for lines drawn on maps.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 11 “All Else, Truth” section 5 (p. 513)

God , Fools

““Thank you very much, sir,” said Beth with nothing resembling actual gratitude.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Prologue “The Minder” section 5 (p. 10)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

Gratitude

“Sabetha threw her own shoes and costume components on the tiles near the bath. She retained only her black hose and a dressing gown. Locke did his best to look like he wasn’t staring, and she did an admirable job of pretending she wasn’t encouraging him.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Interlude “Death Masks” section 8 (p. 639)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

Shoe

“I’m sure we can communicate. I speak fluent hatchet.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Source: The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), Chapter 10 “Teeth Lessons” section 2 (p. 457)

Communication

““You need money that badly?”
“As a tool, certainly. Its application is simple and universally effective.””

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 4 “Across the Amathel” section 3 (p. 190)

Money , Universe

“I sometimes think that ‘friend’ is just a word I use for all the people I haven't murdered yet.”

Scott Lynch

Source: Short fiction, A Year and a Day in Old Theradane (2014), p. 258

People , Thinking

“The sun is up, and all that money out there won’t steal itself.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Interlude “The Undrowned Girl” section 1 (p. 69)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

Money , Sun

“Are you really that arrogant, that logic is as optional as a fashion accessory for you?”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 9 “The Five-Year Game: Reasonable Doubt” section 2 (p. 551)

Fashion

“Enlightenment! When it comes, it comes like a brick to the head, doesn’t it?”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Interlude “Locke Stays for Dinner” section 1 (p. 125)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

“When you’re a priest, people tend to see the robe rather than the man.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Interlude “The Half-Crown War” section 1 (p. 414)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

People

“Commonly thought,’ you say? Many things are commonly thought, but perhaps not commonly thought all the way through.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Source: The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), Chapter 9 “A Curious Tale for Countess Amberglass” section 1 (p. 435)

Way

““Yes, I like it a lot, it’s all worth having to bathe, even!”
“Hmmm,” said Chains. “You live long enough for your stones to drop, then tell me if bathing is really such a hardship when the young women around you have bosoms that are more than theoretical.”
“What? When my what?”
“Never mind. That subject will be sufficiently confusing in its own good time.””

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Interlude “The Boy Who Chased Red Dresses” section 1 (pp. 115-116)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

Women , Time

“”Is this man, ah, senile?”
”He’s absolutely competent,” she answered coldly.
”I assure you I am,” roared Cordo. Anger changed his countenance utterly. ”And I will not be put off from business by assassins in my own bedroom! Now, you will either kill me immediately or negotiate the price of my release!”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 16 “Settling Accounts” section 3 (p. 712)

Business , Change , Anger

“You’re trying to be charming again,” she said softly, “but I do not choose to be charmed, Locke Lamora.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Interlude “Striking Sparks” section 6 (p. 247)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

“In my dreams I sign chits and file papers,” Nikoros muttered. “Then I awake to sign real chits and file real papers. I imagine my grave marker will be carved as a writing desk. ‘Here lies Nikoros Via Lupa, wifeless and heirless, but gods how he could alphabetize!’”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 10 “The Five-Year Game: Final Approaches” section 5 (p. 582)

God , Dreams , Imagination

“Nikoros, your job this afternoon is to say yes to anything that comes out of my mouth. The more you rehearse this, the sooner it’ll become a smooth mechanical process allowing no time for painful reflection. Can you practice for me?”
“Yes.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

“You’re a natural.”
Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 5 “The Five-Year Game: Starting Position” section 7 (p. 275)

Pain , Nature , Time

“How you deal with it I must and will leave to you, not out of despair or resignation but in deference to my conscience, that broken clock which I believe is now chiming one of its occasional right hours. I will not question your reasons. It is enough for you to tell me that you wish to keep this distance between us, and it will always be enough. Know that a single word will bring me running, but unless and until it pleases you to give it, I will expect nothing, force nothing, and contrive nothing contrary to your wishes.
I desire you as deeply as I ever have, but I understand that the fervor of a desire is irrelevant to its justice. I want your heart on merit, in mutual trust, or not at all, because I cannot bear to see you made uneasy by me. Not for all the world would I do so again, and I leave it to you to tell me how to proceed, if and when you can, if and when you will.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 10 “The Five-Year Game: Final Approaches” section 11 (p. 605)

World , Justice , Understanding , Question

““There were difficulties.”
“Oh,” she said, “so you’re the man whose life develops complications! I’ve so longed to meet you; the rest of us here in this world have it much too easy, I’m afraid.””

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 6 “The Five-Year Game: Change of Venue” section 8 (p. 337)

Life , World

“Next came the sort of kiss that banished the world to distant background noise and seemed to last a month.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 10 “The Five-Year Game: Final Approaches” section 13 (p. 610)

World , Kiss , Distant

“I’m losing my taste for subtlety as fast as I’m depleting my supply.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 14 “Scourging the Sea of Brass” section 1 (p. 640)

“Most of us find it starkly ludicrous that the height of all possible ambition, to the ungifted, must be to drape oneself in crowns and robes.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 4 “Across the Amathel” section 3 (p. 191)

““Liquor does this? Even after you’re sober?”
“A cruel joke, isn’t it? The gods put a price tag on everything, it seems.””

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Interlude “The Last Mistake” section 1 (p. 179)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

God

“In time, you’ll come to understand that a state like ours cannot afford to offer up a show of weakness for honesty’s sake; Duke Nicovante charges me with vouchsafing his security, not his conscience.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Epilogue, “Falselight” section 2 (p. 715)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

Understanding , Time

“I’m going to give you a thorough examination. This may cause some discomfort, but don’t complain. I won’t be listening.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 1 “Things Get Worse” section 8 (p. 47)

“We already know how too—”
“I don’t care what you think you know, Kosta. Until further notice, we’re gonna presume that you’re too dumb to count to one.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 6 “Balance of Trades” section 2 (p. 291)

Thinking

“I can’t live forever. Each time something like this affair lands in my lap, I suddenly recall that I don’t want to live forever.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Epilogue, “Falselight” section 2 (p. 716)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

Time

“People die when they get hanged. It’s why they hang them!”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Prologue “The Minder” section 8 (p. 19)
The Republic of Thieves (2013)

People

“I find it best to make corpses of complications.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 13 “Points of Decision” section 2 (p. 587)

““Here's to charming losers, I suppose.“
“If only we knew where to find some.“”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007), Chapter 1 “Little Games” section 3 (p. 14)

“I’m not without my sympathies, Lamora. They just don’t necessarily reside with you.”

Scott Lynch book The Republic of Thieves

Source: The Republic of Thieves (2013), Chapter 5 “The Five-Year Game: Starting Position” section 6 (p. 270)