Helen Mary Hoover > Quotes

“Somehow then you tell something that matters very much to you to people who don't care, their disinterest spoils things - makes the cheap.”
― H. M. Hoover

“They walked over land once forested for centuries. Farming had destroyed the trees; cities had destroyed the farms; time had destroyed the cities. The land remained, slowly covering its degradation with new plant life.”
― Helen Mary Hoover

“Yess,” it hissed. “You do well to remind me. You matter, young human. I may not understand why, but there is a reason you came to this world.” It paused. “So I believe. You have reason to fear us, yet you came back. I will listen to you.” Cody thought the skipper might not understand about corporations and money. Since he didn't understand such things himself, he decided to omit that part. The skippers probably knew better than he did how many of their kind had died since humans came to their world, so he didn't want to talk about that either, or about the corporation's plans for the skippers' future. Instead he began by telling the skipper about the laws of the Federation of Worlds.”
― H. M. Hoover, Only Child

“He was surprised to see a rack of bicycles just like the ones they rode to get around the ship. It hadn't occurred to him that bikes could be ridden on land.”
― H. M. Hoover, Only Child

“And where do we begin to search for our minds' copies, if they still exist? They must be hidden somewhere on Mars, maybe in one of the factories, or down there in those ghostly suites where the pioneers lived. I hope Hector comes home soon. It's very lonely here without him. That sounds pathetic, being lonely for a robot. But it's true. The thing is, with Shala gone, I don't have any real friends. And knowing Evan has been a thorough education in what false friends can be. So while I'm the President, it won't be wise to trust anyone who wants to become my friend. Power, like lasers, can do a lot of damage.”
― H. M. Hoover, The Winds of Mars

“While he'd always wanted to be an adult, equal and independent, part of him had always dreaded growing up. To grow up meant going to Earth, leaving behind not only Avi and Emory but everything and everyone familiar. And while adults told him they had all done that, he felt it wasn't quite the same for them. Now he looked forward to it all. He was going to matter. And he had the next four years, during the voyage to Earth, to decide if he wanted to study law, if that could help the skippers and other creatures like them.”
― H. M. Hoover, Only Child

“An hour passed in preparation. Lighting and recording camera were rigged, equipment carried in from the work wagon, tarps spread over the sand, a folding table set up for the microscope and instruments, rubber suits and gloves put on. It was a definite relief to put on the filter helmets. Along with the dust and microbes they eliminated odors in the air.”
― H. M. Hoover, The Rains of Eridan

“Later, on the basis of this and subsequent experiments, under Theo’s guidance, Karen wrote her first published paper, “The Cryptobiotic Characteristics of Specific Cephalopodic Scavengers on Eridan.”
― H. M. Hoover, The Rains of Eridan

“We give gifts because we want to please—or make daily life easier. It is a gesture of caring about one another. There is no ulterior motive behind it, no question of paying or owing. To accept a gift does not indebt you to the giver.”
― Helen Mary Hoover, Treasures of Morrow

“You were as great a monster as your esteemed namesake, Simone. But then both of you were necessary, weren’t you?”
― Helen Mary Hoover, Children of Morrow

“The two eyed each other, each through her own prejudices. The woman was tall and powerfully built, although her dark uniform made her look smaller. Her brown hair had gone fuzzy in the sea wind, bushing out and making her face look even more like a bright-eyed potato. She outweighed Merry by a hundred pounds, and her strong hands could have crushed a throat with ease. There were tales of mad bodyguards who’d turned on their employers. Merry sometimes thought of those stories when she looked at Worth. The woman saw just another child, featureless—her job. At least this one was polite, but then quite often her type used manners to mask contempt, as this one’s parents did. But that was part of the job, putting up with their attitude. At least the pay was good and the living quarters better than most. For that she could put up with listening to this kid whose idea of casual conversation was telling you about some stupid old book she’d read or some boring fact she’d learned. But then most members of the ruling class were a little crazy.”
― H. M. Hoover, The Shepherd Moon

“I mean, they look so stupid!” “They don’t!” said Lian, instantly angry. “How would you look gray, bald, a hundred pounds heavier, and naked? Would you like it if I looked at you then and said, ‘Wow, a fat dumb animal’?” “You don’t understand,” the man said. “I was trying to be polite, to explain—” “No,” said Lian. “You were trying to be forgiven for bigotry.”
― H. M. Hoover, The Lost Star

“Loving is never unwise—so long as you see the object of your love as an individual and not as a distorted reflection of your own mind.”
― Helen Mary Hoover, Children of Morrow

“Yess,” it hissed. “You do well to remind me. You matter, young human. I may not understand why, but there is a reason you came to this world.” It paused. “So I believe. You have reason to fear us, yet you came back. I will listen to you.” Cody thought the skipper might not understand about corporations and money. Since he didn't understand such things himself, he decided to omit that part. The skippers probably knew better than he did how many of their kind had died since humans came to their world, so he didn't want to talk about that either, or about the corporation's plans for the skippers' future. Instead he began by telling”
― H. M. Hoover, Only Child