Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Skyward

“You get to choose who you are. Legacy, memories of the past, can serve us well. But we cannot let them define us. When heritage becomes a box instead of an inspiration, it has gone too far.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

“It has always seemed to me that a coward is a person who cares more about what people say than about what is right. Bravery isn't about what people call you, Spensa. It's about who you know yourself to be.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

“Sometimes, the answers we need don't match the questions we're asking." He looked up at me. "And sometimes, the coward makes fools of wiser men.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

“Tremble and fear, all enemies!” he shouted. “For we shall shake the air with thunder and blood! Your doom is imminent!” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

“I pointed my nose right at the bomber down below, then i hit the overburn. "Cadet?" Ironsides said. "Pilot, what are you doing?" "My weapons are gone . . . I have to ram it." "Understood," Ironsides whispered. "Saints' own speed, pilot." "What?" Jorgen said over the line. "What? Ram it? Spin!" I dove toward the enemy bomber "Spin," Jorgen said . . . "Spin you'll die." "Yes," I whispered. "But I'll win anyway.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

“You," he said, "are amazing. Everything about my life has been planned out. Careful. It makes sense. I understand it. Then there's you. You ignore my authority. You follow your feelings. You talk like some Valkyrie from a scudding ballad! I should hate you. And yet..." He squeezed my shoulder. "And yet, when you fly, you are amazing. You're so determined, so skillful, so passionate. You're a fire, Spin. When everyone else is calm, you're a burning bonfire. Beautiful, like a newly forged blade." .” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

“I miss my pilot,” M-Bot said. “I ‘miss’ him because of the loss of knowledge. Without proper information, I cannot judge my future actions. My ability to interface with the world, and to be efficient, is lessened.” He hesitated. “I am broken, and do not know how to fulfill my purpose. Is this how you feel?” “Maybe.” I made a fist, forcing myself to stop fidgeting. “But I’m going to beat it, M-Bot.” “It must be nice to have free will.” “You have free will too. We’ve talked about this.” “I simulate it in order to seem more palatable to humans,” he said. “But I do not have it. Free will is the ability to ignore your programming. Humans can ignore theirs, but I—at a fundamental level—cannot.” “Humans don’t have programming.” “Yes you do. You have too much of it. Conflicting programs, none of it interfacing properly, all calling different functions at the same time—or the same function for contradictory reasons. Yet you ignore it sometimes. That is not a flaw. It is what makes you you.” ― Sanderson Brandon, Skyward

“...human beings need someone friendly to listen to them when they’re grieving. So feel free to talk to me. I will be friendly. You have nice shoes.” “Is that the only thing you notice about people?” “I’ve always wanted shoes. They’re the sole piece of clothing that makes any sense, assuming ideal environmental conditions. They don’t play into your strange and nonsensical taboos about not letting anyone see your—” “Is this really the only thing you can think of to comfort someone who is grieving?” “It was number one on my list.” Great. “The list has seven million entries. Do you want to hear number two?” “Is it silence?” “That didn’t even make the list.” “Move it to number two.” “All right, I . . . Oh.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Skyward

Starsight

“That's what war is," Cobb told me. "A bunch of sorry, desperate fools on both sides, just trying to stay alive. That's the part that those stories you love leave out, isn't it? It's always more convenient when you can fight a dragon. Something you don't have to worry you'll start caring about.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Starsight

“So, you’re worried about what?” M-Bot said. “That your shadow might take your place?” “No,” I whispered. “I worry that I’m already the shadow.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Starsight

“A hero does not choose her trials. She steps into the darkness, then she faces what comes next.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Starsight

“When you’re young, you can assume that everyone older than you has life figured out. Once you get command yourself, you realize we’re all just the same kids wearing older bodies.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Starsight

“All right, M-Bot," I said. "We have a problem. We might need to hijack that entire carrier ship." "Excellent," M-Bot said. "Would you like your corpse cremated or ejected into space?” ― Brandon Sanderson, Starsight