Top 15 Scott Lynch Quotes

Sabetha threw her own shoes and costume components on the tiles near the bath. She retained only her black hose and a dressing gown. Locke did his best to look like he wasn’t staring, and she did an admirable job of pretending she wasn’t encouraging him.

Next came the sort of kiss that banished the world to distant background noise and seemed to last a month.

How you deal with it I must and will leave to you, not out of despair or resignation but in deference to my conscience, that broken clock which I believe is now chiming one of its occasional right hours. I will not question your reasons. It is enough for you to tell me that you wish to keep this distance between us, and it will always be enough. Know that a single word will bring me running, but unless and until it pleases you to give it, I will expect nothing, force nothing, and contrive nothing contrary to your wishes.
I desire you as deeply as I ever have, but I understand that the fervor of a desire is irrelevant to its justice. I want your heart on merit, in mutual trust, or not at all, because I cannot bear to see you made uneasy by me. Not for all the world would I do so again, and I leave it to you to tell me how to proceed, if and when you can, if and when you will.

In my dreams I sign chits and file papers, Nikoros muttered. Then I awake to sign real chits and file real papers. I imagine my grave marker will be carved as a writing desk. 'Here lies Nikoros Via Lupa, wifeless and heirless, but gods how he could alphabetize!'

Are you really that arrogant, that logic is as optional as a fashion accessory for you?

My responsibility was to tell you the truth, not wrap you in swaddling clothes. She raised her hood again, half-veiling her face in shadow. Nor protect you from your own badly aimed temper.

Why the hell are you here?
A matter of conscience.
Really? said Locke. Yours? You keep alluding to its existence. Somehow I'm not convinced.

Remember when I told you, for the first time? You nearly threw me off the roof—
I thought you deserved it. You know, it's an opinion I return to from time to time, whether or not a roof is available.
You're a difficult woman, Sabetha. But then, difficult women are the only ones worth falling in love with.
How would you know? It's not like you've ever been after anyone else—
That part's easy. I started with the most difficult woman possible, so there was never any need to look any further.
You're trying to be charming. She squeezed his hand once, then pulled away. I choose not to be entirely charmed, Locke Lamora.
Not entirely?
Not entirely. Not yet.

“You’re taking the world awfully personally. Didn’t Chains ever tell you about the Golden Theological Principle?”
“The what?”
“The single congruent aspect of every known religion. The one shared, universal assumption about the human condition.”
“What is it?”
“He said that life boils down to standing in line to get shit dropped on your head. Everyone’s got a place in the queue, you can’t get out of it, and just when you start to congratulate yourself on surviving your dose of shit, you discover that the line is actually circular.”
“I’m just old enough to find that distressingly accurate.”
“You see? It’s universal,” said Locke.

Push your luck, gorgeous, and eventually luck pushes back.

Maybe this is going to complicate the hell out of things. So what? You’re the complication I want more than anything else. You’re my favorite complication.

We were sent here to learn from you!
You want a lesson, boy? If you find yourself being born, climb back in as quick as you can, because life's a bottomless feast of shit.

There were difficulties.
Oh, she said, so you're the man whose life develops complications! I've so longed to meet you; the rest of us here in this world have it much too easy, I'm afraid.

That's not worth worrying about. If pressed I'll use the never-fail universal apology.
What's the n-never-fail universal apology?
'I was badly misinformed, I deeply regret the error, go fuck yourself with this bag of money.'

I never would've thought—
Don't think, said Locke. I'm paid to do that for you.