A Side of Panache

Hello, and welcome back to our irregularly scheduled nonsense! Well, it's the midpoint of the semester and I'm trying to get through the bulk of this book before finals roll around soon.  Also, every single university in America is having a mass panic attack about COVID-19, so I'm writing these up to burn off some steam because I am incredibly frustrated about the whole thing . Anyway, last time Houck poorly explained mythology pertaining to Atlantis and dragons.  This time, the Plot actually happens!  And unlike the previous books, the Plot actually keeps happening, instead of stopping and starting at random.  So there will at least be things happening for the foreseeable future. This time, dragons! Chapter Fifteen: The Red Dragon's Star Kelsey asks how it's possible the boat is moving, even though it's pretty obvious that it's magic, given that when she touched the kimono her hand started glowing and the embroidered pattern started moving around....

Hello, and welcome back to our irregularly scheduled nonsense! Last time, we got to hear two discrete stories from two characters who don't really do anything.  I guess Lady Silkworm gave Kelsey something to help them on their quest, but she doesn't actually do anything other than give some very bad relationship advice.  And completely rip off The Princess Bride . Captain Dixon's story was entirely wrong, a bit sexist, and also gave some bad relationship advice. So, like, 0/2 in terms of quality. Also, I realized that I'm a bit of an idiot because silkworms aren't actually worms, they're caterpillars.  I already knew that silk is made by boiling cocoons, I was just too dumb to put that together.  Here's the silkworm moth: So, basically exactly how Houck described it. So, yeah, the moth isn't completely out of left field.  But whatever symbolism Houck was trying to go for still makes no sense.  Butterflies (and I guess moths, too) are gener...

Hello, and welcome back to our irregularly scheduled nonsense! Last time, Houck realized that nothing had happened for the past three chapters, so we're back to doing some Plot now. It's sad that this book still has better pacing than the previous two. Chapter Thirteen: Lady Silkworm Kelsey goes to speak with Mr. Dixon.  Mr. Dixon is, if you've forgotten, a Jamaican accent disguised as the ship's captain.  He's still really annoying to read, and I don't think I've ever seen a Jamaican accent written this way in my life. "Ah, hallo, Miss Kelsey.  And how are we feelin' ta'nite, eh?" So there's that. Kelsey tells him that she brought him up some dinner.  He comments that she's looking happier, and she says it's a combination of now dating Kishan and the fact that Randi isn't on the ship anymore.  They share some insults aimed at Randi, and Captain Dixon says that he had to physically lock her out of the wheelhous...