Chapter by Chapter features me reading one chapter of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.
If you recall back during the introduction to this series of Chapter By Chapter articles I mentioned that this was a book my mother tried to read to me when I was a young pup (having gotten it from the Weekly Reader Book Club) but it was a day I couldn’t stop peeing so she gave up, and we never tried again. The fact that my mom recently passed away makes me want to finally finish this book even more. I doubt she remembered it or that day but my failing have an evil habit of sticking with me. This is one “ghost” (no pun intended) I’m planning to bust, minor as it may be.
Back with our hero, who picked the beginnings of a major storm to decide hanging around a couple of creepy men might not be in his best interest, shared love of horses or not. So Alec and the Black are going to have to get through the Everglades, which they may not know a lot about, fast, since neither of them has an umbrella or a good set of galoshes.
Chapter 6: The Storm
Correction: a lighting storm is what they get, making it unsafe to leave. Alec and the Captain have to hide in the makeshift stall with Black since they were outside when it struck. This is a good coincidence for the Captain because I doubt he faked it and this doesn’t look like the type of story where he would have somehow caused it. However, even though Alec and the Captain bonded a bit more he’s reluctant to stay but when the storm runs into the night he has no choice. They move Black to the stable, putting him as far away from Ghost as they can and sending Odin with a message for the Seminole to give to the ranch.
There is one moment during the storm where Alec flashes back to how he and the Black met during a wild storm at sea. It’s a nice bit of continuity, the type that may make someone more into this kind of story curious about reading the earlier books to see how a storm brought our heroes together as well as something interesting about Alec’s character…why he’s afraid of this storm. Then again, the lightning crashing around him to the point that he actually felt some of the aftershock of one bolt, and the falling trees, including one that hit the shed, would be enough for me. 🙂
Thus far the Captain isn’t coming off nearly as bad as he did in the first chapter, but that could be because he’s either a good actor or at least willing to go a less violent route. Then again, he’s still trying to trick Alec into getting Black to mate with Ghost…which is something I don’t understand. Maybe somebody out there knows more about horses in general or race horses specifically that can tell me what the problem is. Alec seems insistent that Black not mate, whether it’s Ghost or the mares back at the ranch they’re staying at. Is there some reason a racehorse can’t mate? Is it the wrong season? What don’t I know? The book assumes anyone reading is already a horse/racehorse enthusiast and will already know why Alec is, pardon my language, cockblocking his best horse friend. I’m not so I don’t. This is a flaw in the story, as it alienates anyone who doesn’t know horses and may not understand by Black mating would be such a problem.
Now that Alec will have to stay overnight as the Captain wanted, what will happen to the Black? Sexy times? Will Alec be in danger? Remember, the Captain said he would do anything to see his breeding goals happen. Our answers may come in the next chapter.
Next Time: Images And Omens
BW Media Spotlight 