“When the kingdom's people had stopped believing in the druids' deities they had not begun believing in nothing, they had begun believing in anything.”

“There is an ancient saying,' noted Ironflanks, 'originating, I believe, from you fastbloods. The truth will set you free.''No, old steamer,' said the commodore. 'In my experience, the truth will get you sent to the bottom of the ocean with an anchor chain wrapped around your legs to buy your silence. But it's the truth I need, all the same.”

“The world had moved on and all that was over, done before fairly begun.”

“All I have left is my anger at the foolishness of the world. The unnecessary cruelties, the pomposity and vanity of people who should know better. Most of the time I just want to shake some sense into the world.”

“At some time in your life, you probably had someone believe in you when you didn't believe in yourself.”

“No. I'm not from outer space or the future. And this is not magic, just science, pure engineering. Magic, religion, the occult --all of it-- they are all excuses to not believe that wonders are possible here on Earth. I don't want to be magic. I want people to understand that things they never even dreamed of are possible. I want to be believed, Louisa.”

“The bonds of friendship dwindle with age, Oliver. But a little blackmail lasts forever.”