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Quotes from Whispers Under Ground — Ben Aaronovitch

born 1964 England

← All quotes by Ben Aaronovitch

16 quotes

Like young men from the dawn of time, I decided to choose the risk of death over certain humiliation.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

“Fortunately,” said Nightingale, “seeing isn’t always believing.”

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

Low sample size—one of the reasons why magic and science are hard to reconcile.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

It was a good plan, and like all plans since the dawn of time, this would fail to survive contact with real life.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

“The scope of your ignorance, Peter,” said Seawoll, “is truly frightening.”

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

“Is that your professional opinion?”
“Yes.”
“Which as usual,” said Seawoll, “is as about as useful as a chocolate teapot.”

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

You don’t actually know enough about me to insult me properly.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

All diplomatic cars have distinctive plates that indicate status and nationality, for the ease and convenience of terrorists and potential kidnappers.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

As Conan the Barbarian famously said, “That which does not kill us does not kill us.”

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

A lot of people have died in the Underground, through accidents, stupidity, or suicide. All the one-unders whose dying wish had been to make other people late for work.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

I looked at Lesley—surely nobody could really be that stupid? She shrugged. Lesley has a much lower opinion of humanity than I do.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

Was it better to die in the illusion of sunshine and warmth or face death in a cold darkness of reality? Was it better to die in happy ignorance or terrified knowledge? The answer, if you’re a Londoner, is that it’s better not to die at all.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

So just chalk it up to pixie dust or quantum entanglement, which was the same thing as pixie dust except with the word “quantum” in it.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

Half-caste, I thought. I hadn’t heard that one in a while. Not since Mum fell out with Aunty Doris, who having grown up in Jamaica in the 1950s regarded political correctness as something that happened to other people.

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

“It’s one of those paradox thingies,” I said. “What happens when the unstoppable cook meets the unfillable stomach?”

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

“He did some drugs at university,” I said. “Isn’t that what it’s for?”

Whispers Under Ground (2012)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Ben Aaronovitch (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.