Jonathan Maas > Quotes

“I know precisely what honor is, Heracles. Honor is the artifice kings sell the peasants’ sons so that they may fight and die without pay. Honor is what drives a peaceful man to bloody vengeance. Honor is what drove the Celts to behead the children of the Apache Courts.
- The Egyptian God Bes”
― Jonathan Maas, Hellenica

“Having an attack of self-doubt about your writing ability?

Step #1 - Tell yourself - 'I'm the best damn writer there is, and the world deserves to hear my voice.'

Step #2 - Repeat Step #1 until you believe it.”
― Jonathan Maas

“I know precisely what honor is, Heracles. Honor is the artifice kings sell the peasants’ sons so that they may fight and die without pay. Honor is what drives a peaceful man to bloody vengeance. Honor is what drove the Celts to behead the children of the Apache Courts.
- (The Egyptian God) Bes”
― Jonathan Maas, Hellenica

“The only thing you really need to be a writer is time. Regular, consistent time, quality time when you're not tired.
I write on the bus to and from work, that's my time, 1 or 2 hours every single day.
Make the time, keep at it, and you'll be a real writer before you know it.”
― Jonathan Maas

“An awareness of mortality is a heavy price to pay for sentience”
― Jonathan Maas, Horsemen

“I'll investigate, but I've still got to be cautious, because a monster in one's lap isn't always a good thing.”
― Jonathan Maas, The Dog That Laid Eggs

“To lead by force all you need is a greater army, but to lead by example, to be a city on a hill, you need an uncompromising respect for basic dignity. And you don't gain either of those things by breeding monsters in dungeons.”
― Jonathan Maas, Horsemen

“Delight is all around us you know, from the food we eat, to the night sky, to the dreams we have. It surrounds us with every moment, you just have to stop and take it in whenever you can.”
― Jonathan Maas, Horsemen

“Introduction Part I - Recruitment Death War The White Knight Pestilence Part II – The Academy Hellenica Training The Pledge The Banshee The First Class The Legged Snake The Amazon Demon”
― Jonathan Maas, Hellenica

“An intelligent species will have a few millennia of development, a few centuries of glory, and will then become so smart that they’ll learn how to destroy themselves, truly destroy themselves. And once they’ve found out how to do that, it’s just a matter of time before they succeed in this endeavor. And”
― Jonathan Maas, Dion

“There were a few words in the song, but they had been passed through filters until they had basically become another instrument. The percussions wove themselves perfectly into the music as well, and allowed the melody to mewl patiently before soaring to softened heights. After every crescendo the song would push itself back down again, and the rhythm’s path would start anew. Davlok couldn’t”
― Jonathan Maas, Dead Moon

“Hitch saw his dog Salem’s golden frame collapsed and quivering on the ground, and he knew something was wrong. She’d been fine the day before, swimming in the creek just as careless as a dog swimming in a creek should be, but Salem was now moaning, fussing and generally acting as if a cat had just been elected governor. Hitch”
― Jonathan Maas, The Dog That Laid Eggs

“Thesis, antithesis, synthesis," he said. "That is where all truth comes from. One idea is born---thesis. A counter-idea rises to fight it---antithesis. From the clash of the two arises truth---synthesis.”
― Jonathan Maas, The Dog That Laid Eggs

“This is like surd, he thought. Surd and umwelt.”
― Jonathan Maas, The Grelnocks: A Philosophical Thriller

“This is what happens when you age, Vera-Lee, and it just makes more of you to love,” said Jethro. “You ain’t a fifteen-year-old wife now, you’re nineteen and a bit past your prime, but that don’t matter—” “Dr.”
― Jonathan Maas, The Dog That Laid Eggs

“Dear Jethro: I’ve spent the last few days in the Scottish Highlands with my newfound weight-lifting comrades, and we’ve been tossing cabers, putting stones and throwing hammers. My training has consisted of lifting a cow every day since it was a calf, and I hope to soon lift a full-grown bull over my head. I am enjoying this newfound freedom with my jacked friends, and though I miss Hitch with all my heart, I have no plans to return soon. Vera-Lee”
― Jonathan Maas, The Dog That Laid Eggs

“Honor is the artifice kings sell the peasants’ sons so that they may fight and die without pay. Honor is what drives a peaceful man to bloody vengeance.”
― Jonathan Maas, Hellenica

“there is nothing a human respects less than a god not his own.”
― Jonathan Maas, Hellenica