Lois McMaster Bujold

"I’ve seen planetary invasion plans less complex than what’s being booted about for this Imperial Wedding."

"“The trouble with you, Ti,” lectured Leo kindly, “is that you lack teaching experience. If you had, you’d have faith that the most unlikely people can learn the most amazing things."

"She could be the only person on Barrayar to automatically put Gregor the man before Gregor the emperor. All our ranks look like optical illusions to her, I think."

"Surely only correct understanding could lead to correct action."

"Yeah, so I’m short. But wait’ll you see me dance."

"Devotion to duty, or pragmatic ruthlessness, which was which? He would never know, now."

"To kill a man, it helps if you can first take away his face. A neat mental trick. Handy for a soldier."

"When a normal ensign looked at his commander, he ought to see a godlike being, not a, a...future subordinate. New ensigns were supposed to be a subhuman species anyway."