Top 15 Keith Laumer Quotes

The human mind is a pattern, nothing more. The first dim flicker of awareness in the evolving forebrain of Australopithecus carried that pattern in embryo; and down through all the ages, as the human neural engine increased in power and complexity, gained control of its environment in geometrically expanding increments, the pattern never varied.
Man clings to his self-orientation as the psychological center of the Universe. He can face any challenge within that framework, suffer any loss, endure any hardship—so long as the structure remains intact.
Without it he’s a mind adrift in a trackless infinity—lacking any scale against which to measure his aspirations, his losses, his victories.
Even when the light of his intellect shows him that the structure is itself a product of his brain; that infinity knows no scale, and eternity no duration—still he clings to his self-non-self concept, as a philosopher clings to a life he knows must end, to ideals he knows are ephemeral, to causes he knows will be forgotten.

An idea was beginning to get through, and he wasn’t liking it very well.

“Impossible!” he said, as if he believed it—or as if he wanted awfully badly to believe it.

Too late, I realized how I had trapped myself. I had let sleep in as a guest, and death had slipped through the door.

The Karg looked at her with the interested expression of a coroner who sees his customer twitch.

It was a nasty little village, poverty-stricken, ugly, hostile, much like little towns in all times and climes.

Less than total control is no control at all. You will obey my instructions, Mr. Ravel. In every detail. Or I will scrap the project.

One nice thing about working with a piece of machinery: you don’t waste time trying to justify your actions.

Sure—that’s the concept. It wouldn’t be the first concept that had to be modified in the face of experience.

Are you all right? Mellia said.
"It's nothing a month in the intensive care unit wouldn't clear up."

Don’t go female on me now. We don’t have time for nonsense.

“Take it easy, girl,” I said, and patted her shoulder; I knew my touching her would chill her down again. Not a nice thing to know, but useful.

Rules had been made, and even enforced from time to time. When the first absolute prohibition of time meddling came along, it was already far too late.

Quelius—you're nuts—did you know that?
"Of course. That's quite all right. Better embarked on an exciting insanity than moldering away in dull normality. One thing you can't deny: we psychotics lead interesting lives."

Strange—I go along for months at a time—even years—without so much as a mild concussion—and then bam—slam—bash! They start using my head for a practice dummy. That’s how I can tell that I’m having an adventure.