Quotes from book
Century Rain

Name: Century Rain
Author: Alastair Reynolds

Alastair Reynolds

Century Rain is a 2004 noir science fiction alternate history mystery novel by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds .

“The central defect of the human mind,” Custine said, “is its unfortunate habit of seeing patterns where none exist. Of course, that is also its chief asset.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

“But sometimes a very dangerous one.”
Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 12 (p. 178)

““Is that as bad as it sounds?” Floyd asked.
“No,” Auger said. “It’s worse. A lot worse.””

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 30 (p. 466)

“It was bad, but it was some other slightly less piquant flavour of bad.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 37 (p. 573)

“Auger could not help marvelling at the experience of being inside the ALS sphere and seeing her world as it should have been. This was an earth that had never known nuclear war, or runaway climatic catastrophe, or smart weather, or a Nanocaust. The sight of it made her want to weep. No image had ever come close to the heartbreaking beauty of this small blue world, a beauty all the more acute now that she knew how exquisitely fragile it was. It was the beauty of a butterfly’s wing.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 40 (pp. 596-597)

“Anxiety is a useful tool: it forces us to make plans. But when too much anxiety freezes us into indecision, it needs checking.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 33 (p. 506)

“I thought debate was supposed to be healthy,” she countered.
“It is,” Auger replied, “so long as you don’t disagree with me.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 2 (p. 17)

““But at least you cared. At least you were ready to do something.”
“This little mess,” Auger said, “is all because of people who were ready to do something. People like me, who always know when they’re right and everyone else is wrong. Maybe what we need is a few less of us.””

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 36 (pp. 565-566)

“The future might have been crammed with miracles and wonders, but it also offered truly awesome opportunities for screwing up.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 30 (p. 467)

“I guess I’ll do what everyone else does: get on with my life and forget the big questions.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 41 (p. 606)

“As always, it was necessary to strike a balance between a cavalier disregard for the rules and a professional understanding that some rules were more flexible than others.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 2 (p. 19)

“Until recently we were a trio. Before that, a quartet. Perhaps it’s just me, but I’m beginning to detect a trend.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 1 (p. 1)

“She must have walked through life with men like him falling at her feet, squashing them underfoot like autumn leaves. It probably happened so often that all she noticed was that nice crunching sound.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 21 (p. 357)

“There’s a catch,” Skellsgard said.
“Another one? But of course there is. You know, I’m thinking I should start a collection.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 11 (p. 171)

“The Fascists got what they deserved,” Floyd said.
“My husband lived long enough to see those monsters come to come to power. He saw through their lies and promises, but he also knew that they spoke to something nasty and squalid in the human spirit. Something in all of us. We want to hate those who are not like us. All we need is an excuse, a whisper in the ear.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 9 (p. 135)

“Maybe it’s not as bad as she fears. Old people always think the world is going to ruin. It’s their job. Maybe they’re right, Floyd replied.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 9 (p. 138)

““I feel as if I’m missing all the excitement.”
”In my experience,” Tunguska said, making himself a temporary seat, “excitement is always better when it happens to other people.””

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 36 (p. 561)

“I’ll survive,” Floyd said. “I’m a private detective. If I don’t get clouted on the head at least once a week, I’m not doing my job properly.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 24 (p. 392)

“There was something about the cocksure confidence of that statement that gave Auger goose pimples. It was like an invitation to fate.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 40 (p. 599)

“No one ever took music away from me, but I’m damned if it ever sounds quite as good as it used to when I was twenty.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 36 (p. 555)

“But when she tried to say something, the words always seemed trite and inadequate. Nothing measured up. When any moment might be their last, there was nothing she could ever imagine saying that had the necessary dignity to fill that instant. Silence was better. Silence had its own dignity.”

Alastair Reynolds book Century Rain

Source: Century Rain (2004), Chapter 37 (p. 573)

Similar authors

Alastair Reynolds 198

British novelist and astronomer 1966

Joanne K. Rowling 29

British novelist, author of the Harry Potter series

Chuck Palahniuk 555

American novelist, essayist

Nicholas Sparks 646

American writer and novelist

Jimmy Carr 20

British comedian and humourist

Sherrilyn Kenyon 752

Novelist

Laurell K. Hamilton 261

Novelist

Carlos Ruiz Zafón 149

Spanish writer

Brian Molko 2

musician

John Green 103

American author and vlogger