1,718 books
—
1,565 voters
“Quinn seemed to have become one of a jaded philosophical society, a group of arcane deviates. Their raison d'etre was a kind of mystical masochism, forcing initiates toward feats of occult daredevilry - "glimpsing the inferno with eyes of ice", to take from the notebook a phrase that was repeated often and seemed a sort of chant of power. As I suspected, hallucinogenic drugs were used by the sect, and there was no doubt that they believed themselves communing with strange metaphysical venues. Their chief aim, in true mystical fashion, was to transcend common reality in the search for higher states of being, but their stratagem was highly unorthodox, a strange detour along the usual path toward positive illumination. Instead, they maintained a kind of blasphemous fatalism, a doomed determinism which brought them face to face with realms of obscure horror. Perhaps it was this very obscurity that allowed them the excitement of their central purpose, which seemed to be a precarious flirting with personal apocalypse, the striving for horrific dominion over horror itself.
("The Dreaming In Nortown")”
― The Nightmare Factory
("The Dreaming In Nortown")”
― The Nightmare Factory
“Death is the defined destination at the end of our life where we transform and transcend ourselves for eternal life.”
―
―
“You are happy when you are enthusiastic and action-oriented, not when you are luxury and pleasure oriented.”
―
―
“What is the truth?’ he asked.
‘We place faith in ourselves,’ replied Altaïr (...) ‘We see the world as it really is, and hope that one day all mankind might see the same.’
‘What is the world, then?’
‘An illusion,’ replied Altaïr. ‘One we can either submit to – as most do – or transcend.’
‘And what is it to transcend?’
'To recognize that laws arise not from divinity, but reason. I understand now that our Creed does not command us to be free.’ And suddenly he really did understand. ‘It commands us to be wise”
― Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade
‘We place faith in ourselves,’ replied Altaïr (...) ‘We see the world as it really is, and hope that one day all mankind might see the same.’
‘What is the world, then?’
‘An illusion,’ replied Altaïr. ‘One we can either submit to – as most do – or transcend.’
‘And what is it to transcend?’
'To recognize that laws arise not from divinity, but reason. I understand now that our Creed does not command us to be free.’ And suddenly he really did understand. ‘It commands us to be wise”
― Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade
Reni’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Reni’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Art, Contemporary, Crime, Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Poetry, Psychology, Religion, Science fiction, Spirituality, and Travel
Polls voted on by Reni
Lists liked by Reni































