John M. Ford > Quotes

“We're not lost. We're locationally challenged.”
― John M. Ford

“Every book is three books, after all; the one the writer intended, the one the reader expected, and the one that casts its shadow when the first two meet by moonlight.”
― John M. Ford, From the End of the Twentieth Century

“I long for the simplicity of theatre. I want lessons learned, comeuppances delivered, people sorted out, all before your bladder gets distractingly full. That's what I want. What I know is what we all know, whether we'll admit it or not: every attempt to impose the roundness of a well-made play on reality produces a disaster. Life just isn't so, nor will it be made so.”
― John M. Ford, Casting Fortune

“The worm drives helically through the wood
And does not know the dust left in the bore
Once made the table integral and good;
And suddenly the crystal hits the floor.
Electrons find their paths in subtle ways,
A massless eddy in a trail of smoke;
The names of lovers, light of other days
Perhaps you will not miss them. That's the joke.
The universe winds down. That's how it's made.
But memory is everything to lose;
Although some of the colors have to fade,
Do not believe you'll get the chance to choose.
Regret, by definition, comes too late;
Say what you mean. Bear witness. Iterate.”
― John M. Ford

“Askade took the battertoast, looked at it blearily. "I can't rewire it into a death ray without some extra parts," he said, and took a bite. "Hm. Tastes okay. What's the problem?”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?

“Then the syncretist Ficino, sitting hunched with Lorenzo standing at his side, put all the ideas together, along with Lorenzo's new song: chariots blazing between the worlds as gods fought rebel gods, the destruction of a city -- a planet? -- by fire, beasts beyond imagining both to terrify and befriend the heroes.

"It needs a title," Signorina Scala said.

Pulci had his mouth open, but Ficino beat him to the pun.

"It shall be dedicated to Isis and Mars," he said, "and we will call it Stella Martis.”
― John M. Ford, The Dragon Waiting

“The Human stared, then laughed shortly. “I suppose I have gone on a bit. Tell your people that not all Humans want their territory, and endless rounds of gunboat diplomacy and saber-rattling.”
[...]
Krenn said, “If you wish, I will take that message. But there is something I ought to tell you. We have a word, komerex: your translator has probably told you it means ‘Empire,’ but what it means truly is ‘the structure that grows.’ It has an opposite, khesterex: ‘the structure that dies.’ We are taught—by those you wish to receive your story—that there are no other cultures than these. And in my years as a Captain, I have seen nothing to indicate that my teaching was wrong. There are only Empires…and kuve.” Krenn saw Grandisson’s long jaw go slack; he knew how the Human’s machine had translated the last word. “And this is the change you say you wish to make in yourselves….
“So, yes, Mr. Grandisson, if you wish I will take your message. But I tell you now: there are none Klingon who will believe it.”
― John M. Ford, The Final Reflection

“Was it worth it, Peredur?” Richard said. “So I am now undisputed King. Do I have a son, or brothers? Is the land renewed? Shall I decree happiness, on pain of death?”
― John M. Ford, The Dragon Waiting

“We can misspend time - hurting people, ourselves included, making the world worse - but to 'waste' time - to get no motion at all, good or bad - to do that one would have to not be alive at all.”
― John M. Ford, Aspects

“Someday we will be only spirit, and all one; but here on earth we're made of earth, and sometimes flesh must touch.”
― John M. Ford, The Dragon Waiting

“There was not enough pain in Akhil’s body to pay for all of this.”
― John M. Ford, The Final Reflection

“What is life," Cynthia Ricci sang, eyes flooded and glowing, "but an improvisation to the music?”
― John M. Ford, The Dragon Waiting

“Kaden pointed upstairs. “I am not tired either. Let us converse as well. I know many glorious lies of battle.”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?

“covered”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?

“Magic is a building of many small efforts towards a final, greater end," Hywel said. "Magic is slow.”
― John M. Ford, The Dragon Waiting

“DEATH AND HOMEWARD When I no longer in my flesh do dwell When every other hunger gnaws no more Then I shall ask whatever Time will tell, And know at last what the charade was for. Yet not to overreach, if there’s a why To love, red roses, chocolate, or the moon, Beyond themselves, I’ll gladly pass it by: I’ll not run out of other questions soon. I want to know why life should so disguise Its purposes, and fear a friendly touch; And why we grow just old, and never wise, And why this meat and bone should mean so much. All this there will at last be time to learn, When I am done with death, and homeward turn.”
― John M. Ford, Aspects

“And you must be the ambassador.” “Charlotte Sanchez, UFP Diplomatic Service. Pleased.” “Why?” Flyter said innocently. Without missing a beat, Sanchez said “Because meeting new individuals gives me great intellectual pleasure. That’s why I became a diplomat.” “Oh, good! There are almost fourteen thousand of us, you know. We should be able to make you really, really happy.”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?

“They don’t have any real power, though,” Sanchez said. “They’re not tyrants.” “Are you trying to tell me that somebody who names you ‘Princess Deedee the First’ isn’t a tyrant?”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?

“Don’t let the videos fool you, kid. Jim Kirk’s okay, if you don’t mind his eyes pinching your posterior every fifteen minutes, but starship captains have this extraordinary tendency to go ‘round the bend. Garth’s in the booby hatch doing vaudeville impersonations, there was what’s-his-name who nearly started a war on Omega ‘cause he couldn’t tell the cowboys from the commies, I don’t even want to think about the one who thought he was Caesar—” “I thought that was Captain Kirk,” Deedee said, sounding bewildered. “Close, honey, close. When you get right down to it, they’re all—you with me on this one, Rish?” “Swaggering, tin-plated dictators with delusions of godhood,” the two women chorused.”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?

“Kirk pressed the Call key again. “Speaking of language, Bones, what was that about ‘novelty’” “Oh … well, Jim, I was just making an observation about the large number of women in Starfleet who turn out to be your old acquaintances.” “Aw, Bones …” “It’s almost as amazing as the number of those old flames who wind up on board the Enterprise.” “… what can I say?” The lift arrived. As they entered, Spock said, “Dr. McCoy has a valid statistical point—”
― John M. Ford, How Much for Just the Planet?