Garth Nix Quotes

75 Sourced Quotes

"Lord Arthur, may I present Lady Wednesday's Dawn?"
Arthur bowed. He had already half-guessed the identity of their surprise guest. She had the hauteur that all the chief servants of the Trustees possessed. A kind of look that said, I am superior and you had better admit it.

Garth Nix
I have never known what to tell anybody. Except that it is better to do something than nothing, even if the cost is great.

Garth Nix
Death and what came after death was no great mystery to Sabriel. She just wished it was.

Garth Nix
"Oh, to be a minion," muttered Giac to himself dreamily. "I was a sub-minion."

Garth Nix
"They could have attacked us straight away. And Fred wanted to be one, so they can't be all bad."
"I wanted to be a Nithling with three heads once, so that's no guarantee," whispered Suzy as she lay down and raised her arms and feet.
"What's more, after a washing between the ears I thought it was possible."

Garth Nix
For all my longer works (i.e. the novels) I write chapter outlines so I can have the pleasure of departing from them later on.

Garth Nix
There is never one absolutely right thing to do. All you can do is honor what you believe, accept the consequences of your own actions, and make the best out of what happens.

Garth Nix
"What happened?" Arthur asked. He caught a glimpse of something below, but couldn't quite make out what it was. "The Nithling-"
"Missed me," called out Suzy. "Close-run thing. Bit off my right clog. I was kicking it in the teeth, so I s'pose that's fair."

Garth Nix
Blood trickled down his chin as he was hauled up onto his knees, the golden rope securing his arms behind him and his ankles together. Arthur looked up and saw the fizzing sparkling crown coming down. I'm Arthur Penhaligon, he thought desperately... The crown was wedged tightly upon his head- and Arthur fell silently screaming into darkness.

Garth Nix
There were also very special or dangerous items that had to be fetched in person, or even by large parties of armed librarians.

Garth Nix
The most important thing is to be true to yourself, however you feel, and not try to feel or behave differently because you think you should, or someone has told you how you must feel. But do think about it. Unexamined feelings lead to all kinds of trouble.

Garth Nix
"Who can I trust?" Arthur blurted out.
"Those who wish you well," said the Old One. "Not those who wish to use you well. Be a player, not a pawn. And that is three questions and all your time."

Garth Nix
So are you saying that somebody went to all the trouble to make you a crypt a thousand years ago on the off chance that you might turn up one day, walk in, and have a convenient heart attack?

Garth Nix
Wake me when what terrible thing is going to happen, happens, or if it appears I might get wet.

Garth Nix
She got up, grew her legs longer to get her body out of the water and shook herself dry. Then she wandered off, following a zigzag path along the border between Life and Death, her tail wagging so hard, the tip of it beat the river into a froth behind her.

Garth Nix
As for you, Private, if you mention a word of this to anyone, I'll feed you to the cat thing here. Understand?" "Yum," said Mogget. "Yes, sir!" mumbled the telephone operator, his hands shaking as he tried to smother the burning wreckage of his switchboard with a fire blanket.

Garth Nix
A Kiss," said Mogget sleepily. "Actually, just a breath would do. But you have to start kissing someone sometime, I suppose." "A breath?" she asked. She didn't want to kiss just any wooden man. He looked nice enough, but he might not be like his looks. A kiss seemed too forward.

Garth Nix
"General Turquoise Blue?" asked Arthur. "I didn't make Suzy a general, did I? I remember her talking about it, but I don't remember actually..."
"She probably just put on the uniform," said Dr Scamandros. "No one would question her."

Garth Nix
"I don't want to make a mistake," said the Will softly. "Better not to make a decision than to make a mistake."
"The whole House is going to fall down if you don't make a decision!" Arthur argued.

Garth Nix
But think of how much worse it would be to sit here, not knowing. Until the Dead choke the Ratterlin and Hedge walks across the dry bed of the river to batter down the door.

Garth Nix
Sam swallowed. The dire pronouncement echoed in his ears, imbued with the faint hint of the Free Magic power that was contained within the cat form on his shoulder. He slapped Sprout on the rump to get her going; then he said the first thing that came into his head.
"Mogget. Shut up."

Garth Nix
Hear, hear," said the Dog, raising her head. "It's always better to be doing, Prince. Besides, you don't smell like a coward, so you can't be one.

Garth Nix
A hundred hundred heartbeats..." whispered Sabriel, tears falling down her face.

Garth Nix
I can see time," whispered Mogget, so softly that his words were lost.

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"What do we do if we don't go through a hole?" asked Suzy.
"I think we get smashed to bits," said Arthur. "But like Longtayle said, it's mostly holes. And the current must aim for the holes, or get directed through them. We'll be all right."
"What happens if we don't get smashed completely to bits, but just a bit smashed to bits?" asked Suzy after a while. "I mean, so we're still alive but drowning?"
"Suzy, please don't ask me these questions right now," said Arthur, with as much restraint as he could manage.

Garth Nix
Your father is angry with me because he thinks I almost got myself killed,' said Sabriel, with a slight grin. 'I don't understand it myself, since I think he should be glad that I didn't.

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Fine!" muttered Mogget. "Wet, cold, and full of holes. Another fun day on the river.

Garth Nix
When the Dead do walk, seek water's run,
For this the Dead will always shun.
Swift river's best or broadest lake
To ward the Dead and haven make.
If water fails thee, fire's thy friend;
If neither guards, it will be thy end.

Garth Nix
All of us recruits are equal in the eyes of the Army: low as you can go.

Garth Nix
Five Great Charters knit the land
together linked hand and hand.
One in the people who wear the crown
Two in the folk who keep the Dead down
Three and Five became stone and mortar
Four sees all in frozen water.

Garth Nix