Quotes from Frank Herbert

It requires good government. That does not depend upon laws or precedent, but upon the personal qualities of whoever governs.

Paul heard his mother's grief and felt the emptiness within himself. I have no grief , he thought. Why? Why? He felt the inability to grieve as a terrible flaw.

We Fremen have a saying: 'God created Arrakis to train the faithful.' One cannot go against the word of God.

Indeed? Pardon me for not listening further but I am really on an urgent errand.

When our time ends on its rictus smile, we'll pass the lure of fortune.

Forgive us, Lord," Nunepi whispered. "Forgive you?" Leto's voice was full of sweet reason. "Of course I forgive you. That is your God's function. Your crime is forgiven. However, your stupidity requires a response.

A victory is useless unless it reflects your deepest wishes.

The mouth snaked toward the narrow crack where Paul and Jessica huddled. Cinnamon yelled in their nostrils. Moonlight flashed from crystal teeth.

Moneo's eyes went wide with a sudden questioning awareness. He had seen the action of many polarities—the thing made known by its opposite.

When is a gift not a gift?

Technology, in common with many other activities, tends toward avoidance of risks by investors. Uncertainty is ruled out if possible. Capital investment follows this rule, since people generally prefer the predictable. Few recognize how destructive this can be, how it imposes severe limits on variability and thus makes whole populations fatally vulnerable to the shocking ways our universe can throw the dice.

Law—our highest ideal and our basest nature. Don't look too closely at the law.