Fantasy Literary Quote Contest - Page 13

ABR. · #**361** (**permalink**) 08-May-2008, 03:00 AM

Bump and WAG: Something by Andre Norton, perhaps?

ciderman · #**362** (**permalink**) 10-May-2008, 11:30 AM

Thanks ABR

The author is British..

Quote:

If one were to see the real Egypt, they had been told again and again, then one must travel by dahabeeyah and by camel, not by steamboat. The experience of visiting the pyramids & the temples had been quite ruined, they had been assured, by the institution of official guides and the hiring of carridges for the tour. The technology of the 1870's, the old hands declared, had become a barrier which prevented Europeans from establishing any true rapport with the ancient world,..

ciderman · #**363** (**permalink**) 18-May-2008, 06:23 PM

They have also been (& continue to be) quite prolific, with over 50 novels published, some non fiction, these non fiction works including guides to the writing of science fiction & fantasy. He has also translated a number of French 19th century fantasies, but remains best known for his works of science fiction.

Quote:

In an underground cave whose entrance reaches up towards the light, men lie with their legs & necks in chains, unable to turn around. A fire burns behind them, and between the men and the fire there is a road, along which there marches a parade of creatures which have the bodies of men and the heads of animals and birds.

The chained men are born and grow and die seeing nothing but the shadows on the wall before them, thrown by the fire which burns behind them. They see the shadows of those who move along the road, and worship them as gods..

As they see only shadows, so they hear only echoes, and such is the confusion of these echoes that they can hardly begin the work of understanding.

But if one such man should contrive to break the chain set about his neck, so that he might turn his head away from the wall to see the road and the fire and the light beyond, what would he see and how would he convince his companions that he had seen at all?

That man would be dazzled and hurt by the true light, and confused by the voices which he heard instead of echoes, and yet he would know, beyond any doubt, that what he saw was truer than what he had seen before, and that his companions would be wrong to say that he must be dreaming. And though he could not begin to guess what else he might see, or whether he would be able to bear it, he would long to cast aside his other chains, that he might cross the road and pass by the fire, to come to the mouth of the cave & look out.

This, like the previous quotes, comes from the first part of this novel, which is itself the first installment of a trilogy.

ABR. · #**364** (**permalink**) 18-May-2008, 06:50 PM

I think I have the author now -- Brian Stableford -- but not the title of the quote. I seem to have only one of his books in my collection. Perhaps this will ring a bell for someone else.

jokergirl · #**365** (**permalink**) 19-May-2008, 07:03 AM

No clue about the author, but it sounds like somebody took Plato a bit too literal.

ciderman · #**366** (**permalink**) 19-May-2008, 12:44 PM

ABR has the author.

I'm pleased you got the original source/inspiration for that latter quote jokergirl (heh, never underestimate Bauters

), it is though still quite allegorical in it's context!

I'll give it a little while yet, before I start dropping in some real howlers of clues..

ABR. · #**367** (**permalink**) 01-June-2008, 07:44 PM

Bump.

I know the title now, ciderman. If you want off the hook, say the word. By the way, can you do whatever a cider can?

ciderman · #**368** (**permalink**) 02-June-2008, 11:48 PM

Proper cider doesn't come in cans, nor is it carbonated or transparent, mere metal cannot withstand the essence for long, IMO

last (giveaway) quote perhaps?..

Quote:

How are you descended from those of which legend speaks? Are you victims of the moon, as some say, or do you control your transformations? How do you find your prey in a great city like this?

Take it away ABR...

your friendly (global) neighbourhood Ciderman

ABR. · #**369** (**permalink**) 02-June-2008, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciderman

Proper cider doesn't come in cans, nor is it carbonated or transparent, mere metal cannot withstand the essence for long, IMO

last (giveaway) quote perhaps?..

Take it away ABR...

your friendly (global) neighbourhood Ciderman

In that case...The Werewolves of London by Brian Stableford.

ABR. · #**370** (**permalink**) 03-June-2008, 10:32 PM

Okay, I placed myself on the hook even before my last post, so here is a new quote. The source is kind of topical for reasons that may not be abundantly clear.

Quote:

[She] knew that it was only a dream. There was no reason for her to feel fear -- she knew that the danger, the chaos, the blind, sickening nightmare terror that filled the screaming night were not real; this city with its dark, unfamiliar architecture, those fleeing crowds of panic-stricken men and women who shoved her aside, unseeing, were only the vivid dregs of an overloaded subconscious, wraiths that would melt with the daylight.

ABR. · #**371** (**permalink**) 08-June-2008, 04:02 AM

Time for a hint. This is from the end of the book, which is part of a trilogy.

Quote:

"And my advisor will love it." She grinned up at him. "What a Ph.D. thesis! 'Effects of Subterranean Incursions on Preindustrial Culture.'"

ABR. · #**372** (**permalink**) 16-June-2008, 03:43 AM

A quick hint to bump this up the list a bit. The author is female. Also, the author and book were mentioned prominently in a recent thread. I'll post another quote tomorrow when I have more time.

ABR. · #**373** (**permalink**) 22-June-2008, 04:33 PM

Sorry for the delay. Busy week. Here is another quote with a few spoilers.

Quote:

The old man sheathed the sword in one smooth, competent gesture. "I came through the Void and am called Ingold Inglorion. This is Altir Endorion, last Prince of the House of Dare."

AndreasJ · #**374** (**permalink**) 01-July-2008, 03:37 PM

I have no idea what book and author it's from, but the names are very Tolkienian.

stutefish · #**375** (**permalink**) 01-July-2008, 04:33 PM

Barbara Hambly, The Time of the Dark.

ABR. · #**376** (**permalink**) 01-July-2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stutefish

Barbara Hambly, The Time of the Dark.

That's the one. Your turn.

stutefish · #**377** (**permalink**) 03-July-2008, 10:56 PM

Here we go:

Quote:

Some years ago there was in the city of York a society of magicians. They met upon the third Wednesday of every month and read each other long, dull papers upon the history of English magic.

Gillianren · #**378** (**permalink**) 03-July-2008, 11:06 PM

Is it Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? I've read the beginning of that one, and it sounds familiar.

stutefish · #**379** (**permalink**) 04-July-2008, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gillianren

Is it Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? I've read the beginning of that one, and it sounds familiar.

Curses! I should've given the last line, to eliminate all the dilettantes

And yes, you're correct, of course.

Out of curiosity, why didn't you read the rest of it?

Gillianren · #**380** (**permalink**) 04-July-2008, 01:20 AM

As I recall, because it was summer and too hot to concentrate. It wouldn't be the only book where that was the case. It's still sitting in my bookcase, and I'll get back to it at some point.

Hmmm.

Quote:

The next day he'd asked [a teacher] what the streaks were, and [the teacher] had said they were shooting stars. So [title character] had asked what shooting stars were, and [the teacher] had said they were meteors. So [title character] asked what meteors were, and [the teacher] had said they were rocks that fell from the heavens. So [title character] had asked if that meant the heavens were made of rocks, and why were the rocks so bright? Were they on fire? How did rocks catch fire? And [a teacher] clouted [title character] on the ear and told him not to ask so many questions. And that had been the end of it.

ToSeek · #**381** (**permalink**) 05-July-2008, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gillianren