Tamora Pierce > Quotes

“Waves are the voices of tides. Tides are life," murmured Niko. "They bring new food for shore creatures, and take ships out to sea. They are the ocean's pulse, and our own heartbeat.”
― Tamora Pierce, Sandry's Book

“Don't die on me," she whispered when the clock struck midnight and he still had not moved. "It's only a little shoulder wound. Goddess, George-don't die on me."
His eyes flickered open and he smiled. "I didn't know you cared," he whispered. "And why insult me? I won't die for a wee nick like this; I've had worse in my day."
Alanna wiped her wet cheeks. "Of course I care, you unprincipled pickpocket!" she whispered. "Of course I care.”
― Tamora Pierce, In the Hand of the Goddess

“There is power and there is power, my dear. My power can be vast, in the right places.”
― Tamora Pierce, Trickster's Queen

“My heart bleeds buttermilk.

-Daine”
― Tamora Pierce

“Briar: "So I guess I was the last to know."
Rosethorn: "Of course you are. You're a man, aren't you?”
― Tamora Pierce, Street Magic

“Without patience, magic would be undiscovered - in rushing everything, we would never hear its whisper inside.”
― Tamora Pierce, Sandry's Book

“This may be my only chance to see humans before these two are made into fertilizer for Moonwind's rosebushes.”
― Tamora Pierce, The Realms of the Gods

“Raoul: Age and treachery!
Neal: Youth and skill!”
― Tamora Pierce, Trickster's Choice

“I wish you would thrash him. He deserves it."
She looked back at him. "I will one day, sir. I'm getting tired of falling down.”
― Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure

“Oh! I'm stupid as well as insane.”
― Tamora Pierce, In the Hand of the Goddess

“Goodwin scowled at her cup. "With all due respect, my lord, I hate it when you make sense.”
― Tamora Pierce, Bloodhound

“Fear is a good thing. It mean you're paying attention.”
― Tamora Pierce, Page

“I believe in deeds, not words.”
― Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure

“I bet his mother was a wyvern.
-Scamp”
― Tamora Pierce, The Realms of the Gods

“I myself have noticed my growing resemblance to a daffodil.”
― Tamora Pierce

“I'm sorry," she said humbly. "I haven't wanted to lie to you."
"I should hope so. You're the worst liar I've ever met." He thought about it for a moment, then added, "--or the best. Now I'm all confused.”
― Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure

“Rosethorn had gone to her room the moment Niko started to cough. Now she returned with her syrup and a firm look in her eye. "I thought you were having trouble last night. Drink this." She poured some into a cup and held it out to him.

Niko looked at it as if she offered him rotten fish. "I am fine. I am per-" He couldn't even finish the sentence for coughing.

"It's not bad," said Tris, crossing her fingers behind her back. "Really, tastes like-like mangoes."

Niko looked at her, then took the cup and downed its contents. The four watched with interest as his cheeks turned pale, then scarlet. "That's terrible (exclamation point)" he cried, his voice a thin squeak.

"Maybe I was thinking of some other syrup," Tris remarked with a straight face.”
― Tamora Pierce, Daja's Book

“At last Niko dropped his hands, and opened his eyes. His perfect tree illusion solidified and settled.

"Very nice," said Briar with approval. "Couldn't have done better myself"

"Couldn't do it at all yourself," muttered Tris.

Briar ignored her. "But you'd never find a cork oak in these parts. Too cold."

Niko looked down his nose at the boy. "I beg your pardon?"

Briar shrugged. "Just thought I'd mention it."

Niko glared.”
― tamora pierce

“Scummer, pox and wound rot!" roared Tunstall, slamming his fist down on the bed. "Gods cursed the pig-tarsed mammering craven currish beef-witted bum-licking gut-griping louts that did this to me! May every flea, leech and hookworm in all creation find and feast upon them!”
― Tamora Pierce, Bloodhound

“I love you, Jonathan," she whispered.
A long arm snaked around her, and he pulled her against his side.
"I know," he said. "I just wanted to be sure you knew it, too.”
― Tamora Pierce, In the Hand of the Goddess

“I told Ersken, "Lately it's been like living on the knife's edge, never knowing which side I'll fall off on"
Ersken clapped me on the shoulder as we stepped into the street. "Cheer up, Beka. Maybe you were going to fall off that razor's edge before, but not today," he said, as good humored as always. "Today we're doing to jump.”
― Tamora Pierce, Bloodhound

“Dale: "No, no--curse it, Beka, you're the prickliest woman I've ever met!"
Goodwin: "No, I am. But she comes very close, I have to say."
— Dale Rowan and Clara Goodwin when Beka didn't want to accept money for being Dale's "luck”
― Tamora Pierce, Bloodhound

“You mortals are like fish
swimming in a globe of glass.
That globe is your world.
You do not see beyond it.”
― Tamora Pierce, Lady Knight

“I'm not so fond of people myself, Evvy, but I took my vows for a reason. There are two classes of people in the world, the destroyers and the builders. I want to build, not destroy. You need to ask yourself who you're going to be.”
― Tamora Pierce, Melting Stones

“Tris: "What if I don't want to cut up aloe leaves?"
Rosethorn: "Ask me if I care what you want.”
― Tamora Pierce, Daja's Book

“Now to find Tristan, if he survived the excitement. I hope he did. I have some things to say to him, and none of them are 'Goddess bless'.

-Numair Salmalin”
― Tamora Pierce, Wolf-Speaker

“Curse him for being all tight muscle, with ivory skin and a mouth as soft as rose petals. Curse him for having hair as fair as the sun, and eyes as black as night. Curse him for having the grace of a cat and deft, cool hands.

And now I am having the same argument on paper that I have in my own head on too many nights. I know my choice is sensible, but it isn't my common sense I think with, those times Rosto's stolen a kiss from me.”
― Tamora Pierce, Bloodhound

“Where everyone else sees a straight line, you see a maze, and when I'm done talking to you, the maze starts to make more sense
--Reply by Dove to Aly's silent inquiry”
― Tamora Pierce

“If I say you're a goatherd's son, you say, 'Yes, Lord Ralon.'"
Alanna gasped with fury. "I'd as soon kiss a pig! Is that what you've been doing-kissing pigs? Or being kissed?”
― Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure

“Mithros's spear, Kel!" he exclaimed. "When did you turn into a real girl?"
"You said she was a girl already," muttered one of his cousins...
"But not a girl-girl, with a chest and all!" protested Owen.
..."I've been a girl for a while, Owen," Kel informed him.
"I never realized," her too outspoken friend replied. "It's not like you've got melons or anything, they're just noticeable.”
― Tamora Pierce, Page