"What's so unpleasant about being drunk?"
"You ask a glass of water."
(Arthur and Ford, Douglas Adams' Hitchiker's Guide)

'Don't meddle in the affairs of wizards for they are subtle and quick to anger.' A fellow sorcerer said that. Good at his job, knew a lot about jewelry. Not bad at fireworks, either. Wasn't the snappy dresser Merlin was, though. Let's see what was his name? Raist--no that was the irritating young chap, kept hacking and spitting up blood all the time. Digusting. The other's name was Gand-something or other...
(Zifnab the Fabulous, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Death Gate Cycle)

[The Buddhists'] view seems to be that their God is so great, he doesn't even need to exist.
(Vaygay, Carl Sagan's Contact)

And travellers now within that valley / Through the red-litten windows see / Vast forms that move fantastically / To a discordant melody; / While, like a rapid ghastly river / Through the pale door / A hideous throng rush out forever / And laugh - but smile no more.
(Usher, Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher")

The art of the performer lies in the ability to transpose, adapting one form to another.
(Lama Tseten, Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris' Dagger Magic)

I did not say I did not believe in him [Udun]...I said we Rimmersmen no longer worship him.
(Sludig, Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair)

The priest at the Hayholt always used to say fire purifies. If that's true, then why does fire, does burning, frighten everyone? Well, by Aedon, I suppose no one wants to be purified *that* thoroughly.
(Simon, Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair)

You couldn't understand anything, and you couldn't change anything. But you could make music like that.
(Lestat, Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat)

"The power of Satan will blast you into Hell!"
"You keep on saying that. And it keeps on not happening, as we can all see!"
(Vampire and Lestat, Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat)