Favorite Quotes from Stormlight 1-5

[Usseewa ✾ She♡Her ✾]

here are some:

Quote

I noticed your touch on the contract, a dramatic voice said in his [Wit's, I believe] head.

"You've always been a clever one," Wit said. "Was it my diction that clued you in, my keen bargaining skills, or the fact that I included my name in the text?"

This one is just funny hehe. I think it's from WaT. Lots of what Wit says is funny.

 

Quote

Odium: What game do you play here?

Wit: "A game of sense."

... What?

"Sense, Odium. The only kind I have is nonsense. Well, and some cents, but cents are nonsense here too - so we can ignore them. Scents are mine aplenty, and you never cared for the ones I present. So instead, the sense that matters is the sense Dalinar sensibly sent you."

I hate you.

I love all the wordplays and puns in Stormlight :3

I also love how Wit talked about cents being nonsense (since Roshar doesn't really have coins, AFAIK.)

 

(Bold emphasis mine)

Quote

[Lift] clambered up onto the prow of the ship, releasing a loud string of curses.

Wow, [Nightblood] said. That's impressive vocabulary for a child. Does she even know what that last one means?

Szeth [did something irrelevant].

If she does know what that means, the sword added, do you think she'd tell me?

Just very funny, idk.

 

Quote

[Kaladin peered] at the Voidbringers. Monstrous terrors from the mythological past, enemies of all that was right and good. Destroyers who had laid waste to civilizations countless times.

They were playing cards.

Hehe

 

Quote

Wit: "A bunny rabbit and a chick went frolicking in the grass together on a sunny day."

"A chick...baby chicken?" Kaladin said. "And a what?"

"Ah, I forgot myself for a moment," Wit said. "Sorry. Let me make it more appropriate for you. A piece of wet slime and a disgusting crab thing with seventeen legs slunk across the rocks together on an insufferably rainy day. Is that better?"

Hehehehe

 

And, of course:

Quote

(Shallan's is paraphrased)

Pattern: "What is a chaperone?"

Shallan: "Someone who watches over two young people to make sure they don't do anything inappropriate."

Pattern: "Inappropriate? Such as...dividing by zero?"

Tehe

 

 

31 minutes ago, VieB13 said:

I barely cry while reading

I...cry a lot while reading...

Especially the Cosmere...

Edited January 17 by Theory

[Shatter He/Him]

 

Hoid: “Nonsense. Balderdash. Figgldybrak. Isn't it odd that gibberish words are often the sounds of other words, cut up and dismembered, then stitched into something like them yet wholly unlike them at the same time? I wonder if you could do that to a man. Pull him apart, emotion by emotion, bit by bit, bloody chunk by bloody chunk. Then combine them back together into something else, like a Dysian Aimian. If you do put a man together like that, Dalinar, be sure to name him Gibberish, after me. Or perhaps Gibletish.”

Sadeas: “A whore joke, Wit? Is that the best you can manage?”
Hoid: “I point out truths when I see them, Brightlord Sadeas. Each man has his place. Mine is to make insults. Yours is to be in-sluts.”

Hoid: “Can you feel it? Something just changed. I believe that's the sound the world makes when it pisses itself.”

Hoid: “Accept the pain, but do not accept that you deserved it.”

Hoid: “Keep cutting away at those thorns, strong one, and make a path for the light.”

Hoid: “Deal with your own stupid planet, you idiot. Don't make me come over there and slap you around again.”

Hoid: “Beware of anyone who claims to be able to see the future.”
Shallan: “Except you, of course.”
Hoid: “Beware of anyone who claims to be able to see the future.”

and last but not least:

“Kaladin said. “You told me it will get worse.” “It will,” Wit said, “but then it will get better. Then it will get worse again. Then better. This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you Kaladin: You will be warm again.””

I may love Hoid a bit too much

Edited January 18 by Shatter

[Usseewa ✾ She♡Her ✾]

1 minute ago, Shatter said:

Sadeas: “A whore joke, Wit? Is that the best you can manage?”
Hoid: “I point out truths when I see them, Brightlord Sadeas. Each man has his place. Mine is to make insults. Yours is to be in-sluts”

YESSSS i was thinking of doing that but wondered if it would be too offensive. Also couldn't find it.

Edited January 18 by Theory

[Shatter He/Him]

I relate to Hoid in that I messed up horribly and I must pick up the pieces and help others for I cannot help the people I hurt for they have been hurt beyond repair.

Just now, Theory said:

YESSSS i was thinking of doing that but wondered if it would be too offensive.

It's in the cosmere and therfore allowed.

at least I hope

[Usseewa ✾ She♡Her ✾]

Just now, Shatter said:

at least I hope

hehe lol

[Ink and Embers Any pronouns]

Quote

And Truth is, people are just as fluid as time is. We adapt to our situation like water in a strangely shaped jug, thought it might take us a little while to ooze into all the little nooks. Because we adapt, we sometimes don't recognize how twisted, uncomfortable, or downright wrong the container is we've been told to inhabit. We can keep going the way for a while. We can pretend to fit that jug, nooks and all. But the longer we do, the worse it gets. The more it weighs on us. The more exhausted we become. Even if we're doing nothing at all, because simply holding the shape can take all the effort in the world. More, if we want to make it look natural.

If we're doing Hoid quotes, then I also think this one is cool

[Vielence She/Her]

On 1/17/2026 at 8:07 PM, Shatter said:

 

Hoid: “Nonsense. Balderdash. Figgldybrak. Isn't it odd that gibberish words are often the sounds of other words, cut up and dismembered, then stitched into something like them yet wholly unlike them at the same time? I wonder if you could do that to a man. Pull him apart, emotion by emotion, bit by bit, bloody chunk by bloody chunk. Then combine them back together into something else, like a Dysian Aimian. If you do put a man together like that, Dalinar, be sure to name him Gibberish, after me. Or perhaps Gibletish.”

Sadeas: “A whore joke, Wit? Is that the best you can manage?”
Hoid: “I point out truths when I see them, Brightlord Sadeas. Each man has his place. Mine is to make insults. Yours is to be in-sluts.”

Hoid: “Can you feel it? Something just changed. I believe that's the sound the world makes when it pisses itself.”

Hoid: “Accept the pain, but do not accept that you deserved it.”

Hoid: “Keep cutting away at those thorns, strong one, and make a path for the light.”

Hoid: “Deal with your own stupid planet, you idiot. Don't make me come over there and slap you around again.”

Hoid: “Beware of anyone who claims to be able to see the future.”
Shallan: “Except you, of course.”
Hoid: “Beware of anyone who claims to be able to see the future.”

and last but not least:

“Kaladin said. “You told me it will get worse.” “It will,” Wit said, “but then it will get better. Then it will get worse again. Then better. This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you Kaladin: You will be warm again.””

I may love Hoid a bit too much

You cannot love Hoid too much this is thing is impossible.

[IronMistborn]

“The most important step a person can take is always the next one.”

That is genuinely my favorite life quote. I use it so much that even my non-Cosmere-enjoyer girlfriend loves it, and she quoted it to a mutual friend of ours who’s currently struggling with a lot of mental health stuff. 

———

“Szeth-son-son Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar, wore white on the day he was to kill a king.” 
 

Because come on, that’s a hell of a way to start your story! I love it so much, I’ve programmed a shortcut into my phone to autofill that whenever I type “Stormszeth” lmao. 
 

———

“For the first time in over four thousand years, the Bearer of Agonies fought back.” Do I really need to say why? Taln is the storming GOAT. The Rosharan equivalent of the Doomslayer. (Okay, now I’m imagining Taln just going ape on Braize for 4500 years…) 

——

“My father thinks I’m a better man than he is. Unfortunately for you…he’s wrong.” Again, self-explanatory. 
 

(Headcanon: Upon finding out that Adolin finally merked Sadeas, Hoid gives him gifts, the best fashion outfits from across the Cosmere.)

——

“Regardless, please keep your children’s rhymes and songs to yourself. The adults are trying to save the world.”

Ishar to Kaladin. Kaladin’s like “Well, this worked with Nale, let’s try it with him.” And then Ishar just completely shuts him down lmao. Like trying to quote Bluey to an ancient being (who also wrote Bluey).

 

 

[Adonalsium Will Return He/him]

Spoilered for length

 

Spoiler

Tradition? Kadash, did I ever tell you about my first sword trainer?

Back when I was young, our branch of the Kholin family didn't have grand monasteries and beautiful practice grounds. My father found a teacher for me from two towns over. His name was Harth. Young fellow, not a true swordmaster -- but good enough.

He was very focused on proper procedure, and wouldn't let me train until I'd learned how to put on a takama the right way. He wouldn't have stood for me fighting like this. You put on the skirt, then the overshirt, then you wrap your cloth belt around yourself three times and tie it.

I always found that annoying. The belt was too tight, wrapped three times -- you had to pull it hard to get enough slack to tie the knot. The first time I went to duels at a neighboring town, I felt like an idiot. Everyone else had long drooping belt ends at the front of their takamas.

I asked Harth why we did it differently. He said it was the right way, the true way. So, when my travels took me to Harth's hometown, I searched out his master, a man who had trained with the ardents in Kholinar. He insisted that this was the right way to tie a takama, as he'd learned from his master.

I found my master's master's master in Kholinar after we captured it. The ancient, wizened ardent was eating curry and flatbread, completely uncaring of who ruled the city. I asked him. Why tie your belt three times, when everyone else thinks you should do it twice?

The old man laughed and stood up. I was shocked to see that he was terribly short. 'If I only tie it twice,' he exclaimed, 'the ends hang down so low, I trip!'

I love tradition, I've fought for tradition. I make my men follow the codes. I uphold Vorin virtues. But merely being tradition does not make something worthy, Kadash. We can't just assume that because something is old it is right.”

 

[Qianweilian He/him]

Quote

Adolin had to stumble and crawl to climb that pile of corpses. At the top, they found two bodies. Unarmored. Taln, the Herald, knelt here with his head back, speared with a dozen lances, which propped up his corpse—his hand still holding the crushed skull of a dead Fused. In death, he was covered in blood, his face tipped toward the sky and his mouth open as if in a shout.

 

[Vielence She/Her]

On 1/23/2026 at 3:16 PM, IronMistborn said:

“The most important step a person can take is always the next one.”

That is genuinely my favorite life quote. I use it so much that even my non-Cosmere-enjoyer girlfriend loves it, and she quoted it to a mutual friend of ours who’s currently struggling with a lot of mental health stuff. 

———

“Szeth-son-son Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar, wore white on the day he was to kill a king.” 
 

Because come on, that’s a hell of a way to start your story! I love it so much, I’ve programmed a shortcut into my phone to autofill that whenever I type “Stormszeth” lmao. 
 

———

“For the first time in over four thousand years, the Bearer of Agonies fought back.” Do I really need to say why? Taln is the storming GOAT. The Rosharan equivalent of the Doomslayer. (Okay, now I’m imagining Taln just going ape on Braize for 4500 years…) 

——

“My father thinks I’m a better man than he is. Unfortunately for you…he’s wrong.” Again, self-explanatory. 
 

(Headcanon: Upon finding out that Adolin finally merked Sadeas, Hoid gives him gifts, the best fashion outfits from across the Cosmere.)

——

“Regardless, please keep your children’s rhymes and songs to yourself. The adults are trying to save the world.”

Ishar to Kaladin. Kaladin’s like “Well, this worked with Nale, let’s try it with him.” And then Ishar just completely shuts him down lmao. Like trying to quote Bluey to an ancient being (who also wrote Bluey).

 

 

BLUEY

[wyndle gardens chair she/her]

 

"You knock like a girl"

     --Shallan Davar!!!

Edited January 31 by wyndle gardens chair

[Vielence She/Her]

On 1/30/2026 at 8:29 PM, wyndle gardens chair said:

 

"You knock like a girl"

     --Shallan Davar!!!

"ooh birthmark on your thigh eh? Whats a girl gotta do to see that?" -Shallan

"Knock like a man, apparently" -Adolin

[Factor She/Her]

This one is so bad, yet I enjoy reading it too much. 

How? Ishar repeated. "What are you?" He gestured toward Szeth. "Are you... Are you his spren? His god?"

"No," Kaladin said. "I'm his therapist."

 

And then one of my favorite parts, where reading through the last quote and way too much therapy with Szeth (it fell flat for me) actually pays off: (Wind and Truth climax spoiler, plus it's pretty long)

Spoiler

Then, a quiet voice.

I... I am not a thing.

"Rule one," Kaladin whispered, searching for the voice. Landing on the spinning sword.

I... I can choose.

Evidently someone other than Szeth had listened to the lessons Kaladin had been teaching.

"You are not a thing, Nightblood," Kaladin said.

I AM NOT A THING!

The pain vanished. Nightblood spun to a stop, lazily, the smoke fading away. The black sword balanced on its point for a second, then clattered to the stones.

A dozing voice seemed to whisper, I... will not... kill my friends.

 

Plus no mating and pretty much all Pattern quotes.

Edited March 28 by Factor

[Vielence She/Her]

On 3/28/2026 at 3:31 PM, Factor said:

This one is so bad, yet I enjoy reading it too much. 

How? Ishar repeated. "What are you?" He gestured toward Szeth. "Are you... Are you his spren? His god?"

"No," Kaladin said. "I'm his therapist."

 

And then one of my favorite parts, where reading through the last quote and way too much therapy with Szeth (it fell flat for me) actually pays off: (Wind and Truth climax spoiler, plus it's pretty long)

  Reveal hidden contents

Then, a quiet voice.

I... I am not a thing.

"Rule one," Kaladin whispered, searching for the voice. Landing on the spinning sword.

I... I can choose.

Evidently someone other than Szeth had listened to the lessons Kaladin had been teaching.

"You are not a thing, Nightblood," Kaladin said.

I AM NOT A THING!

The pain vanished. Nightblood spun to a stop, lazily, the smoke fading away. The black sword balanced on its point for a second, then clattered to the stones.

A dozing voice seemed to whisper, I... will not... kill my friends.

 

Plus no mating and pretty much all Pattern quotes.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Oathbringer spoilers:

Spoiler

“Ten spears go into battle” he whispered. “And nine shatter. Did the war forge the one that remains? No, Amaram. All the war did was identify the spear the would not break.”

 

[bedtime]

On 4/19/2025 at 7:04 PM, VieB13 said:

I love Kal, so his "Honor is dead but I'll see what I can do" is my fav.

Plus Shallan and her "No apologize! Boots!"

What are some of your favorite quotes and why?

 

I'd have to say that this is probably my favorite as well.

That said, perhaps it's me, but I feel like there might have been a drop-off in jokes and humor in his 3rd and 4th book (haven't read the 5th yet). This is with the exception of when Lift is around. I remember reading this post when I starting reading The Way of Kings, so I was on the lookout for humor.

[earthexile]

I know most people find her narration and speech a bit annoying, but it's just my truth: The Lift chapters have struck something in me that resonates in a way nothing else in the story quite reaches. Her story is why I wear my Edgedancer glyph, and what flashes through my mind when I'm deciding how to be. There is something of the divine in just remembering to give a rust about people. So much of life pressures us to forget. That's what's happened to poor Nale.

Quote

"You don't even care, do you?"

"No," he said, "I don't."

"You should," she said, exhausted. "You should... should try it, I mean. I wanted to be like you, once. Didn't work out. Wasn't... even like being alive."

It's almost the fact that she's a goofy, distracted, delusional little bandit, that highlights the absolute beauty and power of the ideal. It doesn't take strength. It doesn't take skill or knowledge. Experience helps but you don't need it either. Edgedancers are remembered as glorious, like living art, all grace and amazement, but even Nale, who knew them, doesn't think that's what makes them. It's when she puts herself in harm's way to do something for somebody nobody cares about, that he says "It seems you are an Edgedancer."

Edited April 23 by earthexile

[Nitpicking]

The refreshing thing about Lift is that she's amazingly heroic. As you say, the risks herself constantly to save strangers, just because otherwise they won't have any help. And unlike, say, Kaladin (who would also do that), she doesn't get recognition or admiration 99% of the time. She just can't do otherwise.

[Deception He/Him]

Look at the quotes in my signature under this post.