James Blish quotes

James Blish was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, noted for his influential works such as the "Cities in Flight" series. His adaptations of Star Trek episodes into novel form helped popularize science fiction among a wider audience. He made significant contributions to the genre and inspired future generations of writers. Here are 34 of his quotes:

Never assume that any fact is useless until it is so proven.

James Blish

Now that I'm a free agent I mean to make my own choices, and explain them to nobody if that's what pleases me.

James Blish

In retrospect, each of the steps toward this abyss seemed irrevocable, and yet they had all been so small!

James Blish

But now the shots began-not many, but one shot is a fusillade if there have been no shots before.

James Blish

We cannot count upon the secret being kept. It's a fact of nature, and as somebody or other remarked long ago, Nature is a blabbermouth; ask the right question, and you'll always get the answer.

James Blish

The express pulled into the Stazione Termini in Rome five minutes ahead of schedule with a feminine shriek. Ruiz found a porter with no difficulty, tipped him the standard 100 lire for his two pieces of luggage, and gave directions. The priest's Italian was adequate, but hardly standard; it made the facchino grin with delight every time Ruiz opened his mouth. He had learned it by reading, partly in Dante, mostly in opera libretti, and consequently what he lacked in accent he made up for in flowery phrases; he was unable to ask the way to the nearest fruit stall without sounding as though he would throw himself into the Tiber unless he got an answer.

James Blish

One death is as good as another, if death is what you are courting.

James Blish

The first thing a psychologist learns is to keep her mouth shut around laymen.

James Blish

Perhaps indeed Jehovah is not dead, But mere retir'd, withdrawn or otherwise Contracted hath, as Zohar subtle saith, His Essence Infinite; and, Epicurean, waits The outcome vast with vast indifference.

James Blish

A common thief with a gun in his hand isn't half as dangerous as an engineer with a stick of dynamite.

James Blish

Munitions and magic are circles that don't intersect very effectively.

James Blish

In his opinion, neither justice nor mercy were very closely related to love, let alone being identical with it-otherwise, why have three words instead of one? A metaphor is not a tautology.

James Blish

We often resort to something called Hilbert space, which is described as n-dimensional-it's like modern sex, any number may be played with.

James Blish

He was getting to be a little old for combat or for princesses, but what was worse, he had become a lot more cynical without having become even slightly the wiser.

James Blish

Actually, there are never motives behind actions. All actions are fixed. What we call motives evidently are rationalizations by the helpless observing consciousness, which is intelligent enough to smell an event coming-and, since it cannot avert the event, instead cooks up reasons for wanting it to happen...or ascribes it to the malice of God or man.

James Blish

We hear you, Father,” he said surprisingly. "Yet we sense that though what you say is the truth, it is not the whole truth.

James Blish

"Your concept is a tremendous network of inconsistencies.” "In what way?” the countess said, not very much interested. "It seems to be based on reverence for the young, and an extremely patient and protective attitude toward their physical and mental welfare. Yet you make them live in these huge caves, utterly out of contact with the natural world, and you teach them to be afraid of death-which of course makes them a little insane, because there is nothing anybody can do about death. It is like teaching them to be afraid of the second law of thermodynamics, just because living matter sets that law aside for a very brief period.

James Blish

I've already given you the whole explanation of how that came about. It happened because it was going to happen. All other explanations for anything are superfluous. All other explanations for anything.

James Blish

The technicians thought I was crazy. Now, five months later, I've proved it.

James Blish

Yet the closer he came to it, the more alert he felt; it was as though he were paying more and more attention to fewer and fewer things, so that at the heart of the mystery he would paradoxically be totally intent upon nothing at all.

James Blish

Something tells me that this isn't going to be as simple as it looks.” "What is?” Wald said, raising his eyebrows. "Nothing, of course. But hope springs eternal in the human spleen.

James Blish

No exercise of will can make any of us other than what we are, or more than marginally better than who we are.

James Blish