Ian McDonald, The Dervish House

"The exoneration of the mass. No one voice is to blame. But his voice was there."

"We were young and thought we were invincible and we threw ourselves into the gears of history and it ground us up."

"You collect art: you must know that the miniature artists, at the end of careers spent painting the tiniest, most exacting details that no one would ever look at, would often put their eyes out with needles. Too much beauty, yes, but also too much seeing. They were tired of seeing. The dark was safe and warm and comfortable. Blindness was a gift. I still have seeing to do."

"He's never fought with religion; what is the point of railing against such beauty, such intimate theatre, such chime of eternity? He can treasure it without believing in it."