Quixotic

"Shelby couldn't help but think that Calhoun was getting the lucky end of the deal at the moment. Why couldn't she have been smart enough to make some incredibly stupid and quixotic trip down to the planet's surface?" -From Gods Above by Peter David.

I think Peter David actually read Don Quixote from a literary critical perspective, because he actually uses the term "quixotic" in the context it usually isn't-correctly. I've always heard the term used to describe a dreamer's actions, which I don't think encapsulates what DQ is all about. Captain Calhoun is quixotic, because he heads into a volatile situation without regard to safety, because the world for him is the world he decides is one specific way. He takes the role of captain on in much the same way DQ does being a knight. They both see the world in their own original way, much to the chagrin of those closest to them. Quixotic for me as term means heading into danger to fulfill one's duty, more so than it means dreamy and romantic. I would even add blood and disappointment to the list as well.