The Celestial Seas: Chapters 23–30

by T. A. Chan
In a futuristic, spacefaring version of Melville's Moby-Dick, Ishara Ming is a ship captain with a misfit crew vengefully hunting the Ballena — a legendary sentient spacecraft that haunts space.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–16, Chapters 17–22, Chapters 23–30
15 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. gist
    the choicest or most vital part of some idea or experience
    I meet his look, unflinching. “Well, sounds like you caught the gist. Good. I don’t need to catch you up.”
  2. harbinger
    something indicating the approach of something or someone
    He sucks in his cheeks—stars, how did I not notice how sickly sharp his cheekbones have become?—then rubs his bio-tats: 662934 plus yet another darkening patch of skin, which I now know is the harbinger of a new number.
  3. integrated
    formed or united into a whole
    “If the bacteria’s visible at the surface level, then it hasn’t become fully integrated with your body yet.”
  4. synthesis
    the combination of ideas into a complex whole
    “Once the bacteria is fully integrated, you won’t know it’s there—it’s a seamless synthesis.”
  5. stasis
    inactivity resulting from a balance between opposing forces
    Augustus cracks an eye open and croaks, “Assume the Ballena’s entered stasis when I pass out.”
  6. penchant
    a strong liking or preference
    A ragtag collection—a stoically devout pilot, a man who would rather talk to rocks than an actual person, a daredevil harpooner with a penchant for drama, a boy who’s losing color, and the girl with wildfire eyes.
  7. lackey
    a servile or submissive follower
    The Yucana and darts might be able to outfly the MOBIS, but the Dorado’s engines are older than old, and hell if I leave the ancient whaler alone to face the Ballena’s lackeys.
  8. tailspin
    a rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep spiral
    Pirouetting my dart on a tailspin, I arc for a flyby over the Ballena’s eye and unleash a round from the TOG.
  9. unfettered
    not bound or restrained, as by shackles and chains
    Organic and inorganic working together in harmony, unfettered by boundaries.
  10. sonorous
    full and loud and deep
    Despite the Ballena’s sonorous presence, I can feel the thinness in its words. The languid exhaustion that comes from carrying an impossible burden on a never-ending journey.
  11. languid
    lacking spirit or liveliness
    Despite the Ballena’s sonorous presence, I can feel the thinness in its words. The languid exhaustion that comes from carrying an impossible burden on a never-ending journey.
  12. tribulation
    an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
    We are an endless cycle of tribulation and retribution, the Ballena and I.
  13. retribution
    the act of taking revenge
    We are an endless cycle of tribulation and retribution, the Ballena and I.
  14. ruefully
    in a manner expressing pain or sorrow
    “But who are you to judge?” He shakes his head ruefully.
  15. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    For a fleeting moment, he looks just like the Augustus from my memories.
Created on Sun Oct 04 20:05:22 EDT 2026 (updated Thu Oct 15 17:20:51 EDT 2026)

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