19 quotes
That’s one thing I’ve noticed about war, Richard: there’s always more than enough irony to go around.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
After all, an agent on the inside of a rival organization was always worth more, operationally speaking, than a loyal servitor in one’s own.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Your arrogant self-importance is complicating your perception of what is a very simple matter.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Battles are lost because a combatant stops fighting too soon; wars are lost because a combatant does not stop fighting soon enough.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Idrem sensed Brenlor swinging toward the rash reactivity that the Srin often mistook for decisive action when confronted with a crisis.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
“On the surface, it’s crazy, right?”
“It’s crazy down beyond the surface, too,” Dora affirmed.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
All enlightenment begins in ignorance and humility. This place has been a constant instruction in both.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
He is young—well, younger—and idealistic. Which is to say, foolish.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
“Your rabble’s one unifying cry will be that there must be retribution. Most will call this ‘justice.’ A few of the most intemperate will also be the most honest; they will call it ‘revenge.’”
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Well, no plan survives contact with reality and today is no exception.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Bigotry was not only invulnerable to the appeals of logic and deduction; it was often blind to counterproofs such as those Yaargraukh had just witnessed.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Well, so be it. Today we only have time for the truth. Battles are won by facts and physics, not self-congratulatory ideology.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
“Would anyone, even low-breeds, be so ingenuous to believe such a tale?”
“Remarkably, yes. Their power to believe what they wish, if not given incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, is rather astonishing.”
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
“So,” sighed Rulaine, “we’re pretty much screwed.”
Yaargraukh’s black eyes stared. “I do not understand your expression—‘screwed?’ This is a carpentry metaphor?”
Bannor almost smiled. “Not exactly.”
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
Riordan stared. “Your…media…really advertised things like, uh, canned vegetables named after mythical monsters?”
Paulsen shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe what our media did, on occasion.”
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
And here are the wages you must pay in order to climb the political ladder, you foolish sod. You’ve got to do the dirty work that others have ordered. I’ve done it out of dubious patriotism. Let’s see if you’ll do it out of blind ambition.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
“You think she’ll make it?”
“She should. Unless something else goes wrong.”
Tsaami’s tone was sour. “Caine: this is a battlefield. Something else always goes wrong.”
To which Riordan had no ready response. After all, Karam was right.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
“Virodok!” exclaimed Sukhinin, who sounded short of breath. “Do you monsters hold nothing dear beyond yourselves?”
“No, we do not, and that is the source of our power: to reject the delusion that any human, anywhere, at any time, actually does anything or feels anything that they believe is not, at some level, in their own interest.”
Caine's Mutiny (2017)
They still grumbled, of course, but never within his earshot. Besides, grumbling was the true anthem of every military unit that had ever existed. And their current grumbling was simply aimless grousing about the food, the cramped quarters, and anything else that struck them as modestly annoying. It was, in summary, both a harmless and timeless bonding ritual.
Caine's Mutiny (2017)