Mike Resnick Quotes

“Kabalka Five? That’s an alien world, isn’t it?”
“It doesn’t take aliens long to find out what men will do for gold,” she replied.

I also destroyed a man who was in serious need of destruction," replied Cain. "On the whole, I'd say the ledger came out on the plus side."
"There wasn't even any paper on Socrates."
"Then view killing him as a service to humanity."
"I wasn't aware that you were in the philanthropy business," said the Swagman.
"There are more important things than money," said Cain.
"True—but all of them cost money.

You have many wonderful qualities, Virtue—you lie and cheat and blackmail and bluff with great panache, and you’re thoroughly delightful in bed—but you simply aren’t a skilled professional killer.

“He does it because he wants to.”
“Then I was right the first time,” she said decisively. “He’s a fool.”
“For doing something that makes him happy?”
“For giving it away for free.”
“Maybe he’s got enough money,” suggested the Swagman.
She turned and stared at him. “Do you know anyone who’s got enough money?”
The Swagman smiled. “Maybe he’s a fool,” he said at last.

I may die unmourned, but I sure as hell don’t plan to die unavenged.

Have you ever done anything, even once, with no thought of a return?" he asked.
"Yes."
"How old were you? Six?"
"Younger. And I immediately decided that there was no percentage in it.

“You know,” he said unhappily, “I never did like you much. You were always too ambitious, always scheming and plotting.”
“Why should I deny it?” she said calmly. “I’ll only add that it’s people like you who made it easy.”
“What’ll you do when you finally get to the top, and there are no more bodies to climb over?”
“Mostly, I’ll enjoy it,” she replied.

Did you find God, or did you buy Him off?"
"It's all a matter of viewpoint," answered Socrates. "I contribute thousands of credits to His churches and sing His praises every morning, and He pretty much protects me and helps take care of business. It's a mutually nourishing relationship.

You must have been a very serious young man."
"Actually, I used to laugh a lot more than I do now." He shrugged. "That was when I thought one moral man could make a difference. The only thing I find really funny these days is the fact that so many people still believe it.

You never did tell me why you became a bounty hunter."
"I'd been a terrorist for twelve years. The only thing I knew how to do really well was kill people.

No matter what kind of promises a man who’s looking for power makes, he’s not going to turn out to be any different from the one he replaces.

Somewhere along the way he learned the most important lesson of all, which was that a king with no heirs had better never turn his back on anybody.

Man sells his soul to the devil, he spends the rest of his life trying to stockpile enough money to buy it back.

You measure a man by what he beats, Thaddeus—not by what he avoids.

I've always wanted what people told me I couldn't have," responded Flint. "You've never wanted all that much of anything. Which do you suppose is worse?