A phrase can be used so frequently in a novel that quoting it becomes a coded signal you’re a fan of the book. The best example is ‘So it goes’ from SH5. It’s a motto, a tattoo, a stand alone Reddit post comment. For those who can’t place the quote it also serves as a cultural shibboleth.
But the only other ones I can think of are ’Es muss sein’ from TULoB and ‘Oh my valves!’ from CoD. (Why are all three words?!) But there must be others. I don’t mean famous one liners, I’m talking about multiple uses of a phrase. Can anyone mention another?
‘Fuego’ HBC Dresden
“May the odds be ever in your favor.”
“Fire wants to burn, water wants to flow, air wants to rise, earth wants to bind, chaos wants to devour.”
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”
“We are the dead.”
The Catcher in the Rye uses repetition of various phrases in not quite the same way as So it Goes or Pootiweet, but they are repeated much more often to the point the repetition itself becomes a literary/commentary device.
___ killed me! Is the one that I can think of.
“Reacher said nothing.”
A man of few words but always prepared for action
‘Grilled rat - onna stick’ - any Pratchett book. I just love the way he writes that.
Ook
Ook
Ook indeed! :)
life is serious but art is fun. keep passing the open windows!
Rust and ruin
That’s some catch, that Catch-22
Is it written 22 times throughout the book?
tugs braid
crosses arms under breasts
Smooths skirts
Gonna catch some hate for this, but…
“Who is John Galt?”
I like to add, “Where is Tom Joad?”, to this bit of libertarian nonsense whenever I saw it.
“It’s ineffable”
Also “inconceivable!” Though I haven’t read the book, so it might only be a movie line.
The Princess Bride and Good Omens make a good pair. I should read the former, I’ve only ever seen the movie.
“Let’s be about it” from the Honour Harrington novels.
“Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers…”
Came here to say exactly this.
“You have to be realistic about these things”
“It’s better to do a thing than live with the fear of it”
“It helps to have a routine”
“Can never have enough knives”
Your post was gibberish to me. Initializing previously unreferenced books is incredibly obnoxious.
The only one I can really think of (other than Who is John Galt?) is “This is not for you” from House of Leaves.
“God damn it, Donut”