Light from Uncommon Stars QUOTES

2 " As a civilization progresses, it goes through wars, pandemics, catastrophes. those that survive grow more astute, more perceptive, more advanced. Diseases are conquered, infirmity eliminated. Life spans increase. Suffering becomes largely a memory.
"Meanwhile, their explorers and historians find evidence of past cultures, and cultures before that. At first it is exciting. But all they keep finding are ruins. And slowly, either through science or history, every advanced civilizations becomes aware of a disturbing possibility -- that their futures may end in ruin too.
"The civilization then rushes to probe other stars, even other galaxies; it increases its research, attempting to manipulate space, time, in the hope that somewhere, someone might have found an escape, a loophole.
"But eventually, the find, and solve, the mathematical equation that explains the entire universe."
"I think our scientists are working on something like that too," Shizuka said.
Lan shook her head. "They'll need to find the Grand Unified Theory a few more times before they can even begin to understand what 'everything' is -- sorry, I didn't mean to offend your civilization."
Shizuka shrugged. "No offense taken."
"Still, should your civilization survive, it will eventually find the same equation. And that will be your death sentence. For in that equation, there will be no forever, no eternity. Nothing.
"And this collapse, and all its attendant despair, is the Endplague."
Shizuka was puzzled.
Space aliens, she could understand. Purple skin? Cute. Two elbows? Weird, but fine. Galactic warfare? Frankly, expected. Being a refugee? Of course.
But how could the mere concept of mortality be enough to topple advanced civilizations? People live, people die, and so what? "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

4 " The world is changing, you know. A pity you aren’t ready to live in it. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

6 " Nice mouthfeel. Creamy. Not at all like the eggs that one might buy at the store. I assume this chicken ate worms in the garden.’

Shirley tasted again.

‘Yes. These eggs. Definitely worms,’ she said before passing the fork back to Katrina. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

8 " Katrina thought of all the nights she felt certain she would die alone. With no one to care, and
a million things left unsaid. Even Ms. Satomi didn't know how difficult it was when you didn't feel real. Even Ms. Satomi didn't know how it felt when the only real thing genuine about you was the hurt your existence caused. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

10 " When you rush, all you are doing is practicing your mistakes at a faster pace. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

12 " Let her feel old and broken. Let her feel childish and naïve. There was no need to be perfectly beautiful, nor immortal, nor untouchable. After all, none of that was needed to write a poem or to sing a song. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

14 " Most often, however, we arrive at planets like this one … long forgotten after the Endplague has left them for dead. I played Handel. The survivors cried. They told me of the crimes they had committed. I told them of mine. Many were angry. More were ashamed. They asked, “Do we even have the right to hear this music? Is this okay?” But as I played, they listened. And slowly, their music welcomed them home. What did they find? Perhaps themselves. Perhaps each other—who am I to say? All I know is that I was not playing alone. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

16 " A good bread tastes like home. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

18 " Helvar Grunfeld’s Fine Violin Shoppe did look a little too much like it had been painted by Thomas Kinkade. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars

20 " Mr. Tso was benevolent and terrifying in that rich uncle mixture of awe, respect, and hope that one might inherit his collection of Bentleys. "

― Ryka Aoki , Light from Uncommon Stars