Scott Westerfeld: Quotes about the trip

“You see, freedom has a way of destroying things.”

“Shay sometimes talked in a mysterious way, like she was quoting the lyrics of some band no one else listened to.”

“Her only way home was to betray her friend.”

“And over all those sleepy weeks, the dream always ended the same way, with the dragon coming for the princess saying the same words every time….
"Face it, Tally-wa, you're Special.”

“Even mocking people helped their face stats. In the reputation economy, the only real way to hurt anyone was to ignore them completely. And it was pretty hard to ignore someone who made your blood boil.”

“He thinks Goliath can end the war," Alek managed at last. "The man wants peace!"

"As do we all," Count Volger said. "But there are many ways to end a war. Some are more peaceful than others.”

“Becoming pretty doesn't just change the way you look," she said. "No," David said. "It changes the way you think.”

“It's just the way things are." she shrugged. "It's no one's fault."
"Or everyone's.”

“The world rests upon a turtle, which itself stands on the back of an elephant!”
Alek tried not to laugh. “Then what does the elephant stand on, madam?”
“Don’t try to be clever, young man.” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s elephants all the way down!”