David G. Hartwell > Quotes

“Giving is taking is giving.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best SF

“When one has the means of getting everything, one winds up giving in to personal demons.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best SF 9

“You would have me burn your enemies for the glory of your kingdom, little fleck? In a thousand years Tadroth will be only a legend. In two thousand, even the legend will be forgotten. When you and all you make are dust in a grave, only I will remain. Why should I care how many kings rule this land for a season? Why should I care if your Serian lives or dies?”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy

“The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide To Obscure and Discredited Diseases.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Michael Swan-wick’s Periodic Table of Science Fiction, short-shorts inspired by the periodic table of the elements.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Fantasy and science fiction are closely allied in publishing, since both categories posit worlds that are not reality. The SF editor is most often a fantasy editor as well. Yet the most useful view for the working editor is to consider fantasy as conservative and pastoral, and SF as radical, technological, urban. There is a spectrum of variations, especially considering that for at least the last half century, many of the same authors have written both, a legacy, again, of the pulp magazines, which published both in the early twentieth century, before the battle lines were clearly drawn.”
― David G. Hartwell, Editors on Editing: What Writers Need to Know About What Editors Do

“Your turn in the chair next time,” said October. “I know,” said November. He was pale, and thin lipped. He helped October out of the wooden chair. “I like your stories. Mine are always too dark.” “I don’t think so,” said October. “It’s just that your nights are longer. And you aren’t as warm.” “Put it like that,” said November, “and I feel better. I suppose we can’t help who we are.” “That’s the spirit,” said his brother. And they touched hands as they walked away from the fire’s orange embers, taking their stories with them back into the dark.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“assist with the interior decoration of”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best SF 17

“Death in Love R. Garcia y Robertson”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“I know what I’m talking about,” she said sharply. “I’m Vice-President and a founding member of the Alliance for Ethical Lechery. Keeping an incubus is nothing less than sexual slavery.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Eros might be a demi-god, but he was young, flighty, and male, never pretending to be brave, or strong, or the least trustworthy.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Once spoken, madam, a thought hides inside at least one other.”
― David G. Hartwell, The Hard SF Renaissance

“Kore’s personal arms were embroidered on the front—on a field gules, a vulture sable vorant a child—a black vulture on a red field devouring a child. Too gaudy for ordinary wear, but perfect for greeting barbarians at the gate.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“It’s got the right combination of content, what Mackley calls the “Three S’s”: sex, stupidity, and schadenfreude.”
― David G. Hartwell, 21st Century Science Fiction: The New Science Fiction Writers of the New Century

“Eros grimaced, as cute as only the God of Love can be, his gloved hand hovering over a glass box full of hissing adders.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Moments like this make me glad I am a man.” “Playing with snakes and poisons does not appeal to you?” “Not the least.” “Come, you’ve been in battle. That cannot be much better. What is it like to stand in the front rank, thrusting your boarding pike at some hulking wild-eyed berserk trying to slash you in half?” “That is when I wish I was a woman,” he replied primly. At least Love did not lie.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“though her gaze kept tracking nervously to the blue sky framed by the dome, expecting any minute steeply banking wings there, fire or smoke. How could people turn on happiness like a tap, and pretend the world was a bright and shiny place when they knew it wasn’t at all?”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Humans are always looking for explanations. I’m not interested in them. Is that food over there? Is there water over the hill? Where is there shade from the midday sun and a warm rock to rest on at night? These are the important questions.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“We all dream of home,” said Mrs. Szince. “We dream of a place where what we are is right, where what we can do is the right thing.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Maurice liked this place. Even if there were no jewels, it was nice to dream about being rich. It was nice to dream about being well again. This was a place that invited dreams.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3

“Like most witches Lady Kore was left-handed, and her white sacrificial gown buttoned tightly from wrist to elbow with carved child-bone studs. Loose sleeves led to horrible mistakes.”
― David G. Hartwell, Year's Best Fantasy 3