Quotes from book
Masters of the Maze

Masters of the Maze
Avram Davidson

Masters of the Maze is a science fiction novel by American writer Avram Davidson, originally published in 1965 by Pyramid Books with a cover by John Schoenherr. The first UK edition, the only hardcover to date, was issued by White Lion in 1974. An American paperback reprint followed from Manor Books in 1976. Ebook editions appeared in 2012, from both Prologue Books and SF Gateway.The novel presents historical and fictional characters as "Guardians" of a maze which malignant, insect-like aliens are seeking to traverse in order to subjugate Earth.

“The fact that you know the questions,” he said, a mite grudgingly, “tends to make me think you might really know the answers.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 7 (p. 100)

“He who has slain one, will he abstain from slaying many?”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 5 (p. 68)

“Life continued, the wheel turned, the earth moved, and even death—that delightful biological necessity—was an aspect of life.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 4 (p. 57)

““How is your new woman? Your new-est one, I sh’d say.”
Jack shrugged. “Good enough. They all got the same thing.”
“Yeh-es,” Jeff nodded, judiciously. “But some of ’m’s got more of it than others.””

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 1 (p. 16)

“No greed was comparable to the appeal of self-sacrifice.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 10 (p. 143)

“The short man was all of a piece, but there was nothing reassuring in this; it was a piece of the same material that too many high school principals, boys’ camp directors, and military and naval officers are made of: a texture or quality often dignified by the description, “ability to command”—the desire to bully, override, bear down—the capacity to do so by virtue of office—the habit of having done so for a long time and the confidence of continuing to do so for a long time.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 7 (p. 85)

“The instructor-Na has observed in the Na 14 tendencies toward an archaic and dangerous quality to which the ancients gave the name personal ambition.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 2 (p. 30)

“I can tell you that only a fool destroys useful things merely because he doesn’t like them.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 8 (p. 108)

“Experience may be a bitter teacher, but She is a good one.”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 1 (p. 19)

“Follow me, men! I’m right behind you!”

Avram Davidson book Masters of the Maze

Source: Masters of the Maze (1965), Chapter 8 (p. 101)

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