Character Analysis
Helena Lyakhov and Mohan Kaleer
These two are astronauts from the first chapter—and only the first chapter—of the novel. Lyakhov is a Russian cosmonaut and the deputy commander of the Mars Expedition. Mohan is the mission commander and a U.S. citizen.
Both witness the arrival of the Overlords on Earth. On that day, their careers are permanently grounded when the Overlords make space a giant no-fly zone.
Fun fact: If you're reading an edition of the book published before 1990, then you'll have totally different characters in the first chapter. Reinhold is the U.S.'s main scientist, and Konrad Schneider is the U.S.S.R.'s (as in the Cold War era).
No matter what edition you're reading, though, in both instances there are two scientists developing spaceships so their respective countries can have a military advantage when the Overlords show up and put a kibosh on their works.
Pieter Van Ryberg
Van Ryberg is Stormgren's secretary and deputy-general to the United Nations. He gets a chance at the big leagues when Stormgren is kidnapped and serves as acting U.N. General for a time. All things considered, he doesn't do too badly at the job. We'd give him a B, B+ if we're grading on a curve.
Alexander Wainwright
Wainwright is the founder of the Freedom League, a group that doesn't care much for the Overlords during the first part of the novel. He claims his followers distrust the Overlords because they took away human liberty and hide suspiciously in their ships.
Stormgren wonders if Wainwright's conflict isn't a "religious one" (2.29). Perhaps what Wainwright is really fighting against is how the Overlords stand in contention with his personal views on God.
Although Wainwright and the Freedom League die long before Part 2, their rebellious spirit lives on in Ben Salomon and his Athens colony.
Joe
Joe may or may not be part of the Freedom League but he certainly kidnaps Stormgren and holds him hostage underground. He and Stormgren play several hands of poker before Karellen gets off his demon butt and decides to mount a rescue mission.
Although Joe loses to Stormgren and fails in his mission, he at least walks away with a hefty I.O.U. for his poker winnings. So that's something.
Pierre Duval
Duval is the chief of the Science Bureau, meaning he's a character good for one thing and one thing only: science stuff. He develops the gadgets Stormgren uses to learn what the Overlords look like.
Jean Morrel
Jean is George's wife and mother to Jeff and Jennifer. Rashaverak discovers her latent psychic abilities during the Ouija board session at Rupert's post-party. After marrying George, she still receives small flashes of psychic breakthroughs, though nothing approaching the psychic powerhouses her children will become.
Rupert Boyce
Rupert is a veterinarian assigned to Africa and the thrower of parties of such awesomeness that poets and rock stars tremble before their magnitude. He also owns one of the largest collections of paranormal literature in the world.
It is at one of Rupert's killer soirees that Rashaverak discovers Jean's latent psychic potential and learns of humanity's ultimate fate.
Maia Boyce
The depth of Maia's character begins with how hot she is and ends with, "Dude, seriously, she's pretty hot." Oh, and she's Rupert's wife.
Benny and Ruth Shoenberger
The Shoenbergers are friends of George and Jean and fellow partygoers at Rupert's. Although present at the Ouija board fiasco, neither seems to notice anything out of the ordinary and go on with their lives (or what remains of their lives, at any rate).
Norman Dodsworth
Described by Rupert as a drunk poet. 'Nuff said.
Professor Sullivan
Professor Sullivan is an oceanographer and Jan Rodricks's co-conspirator. While designing the whale/squid tableau for the Overlords, he creates a small compartment to house Jan for the trip to the aliens' world. During the preparation, he constantly nags Jan over the details to make sure he will not be responsible for sending the young man to a premature death.
Ben Salomon
Salomon is the founder of the Athens colony. He begins the commune to counter Overlord rule because he sees the arts going down the toilet.
Salomon's last name is likely a reference to King Solomon, an Israeli king from the Bible. In Judeo-Christian tradition, Solomon is considered the wisest of kings, the builder of the First Temple, and the author of three books of the Bible: the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs—all very artistic works).
Fey
Fey is a golden retriever and the Greggson family dog. She is inseparable from Jeff and becomes depressed when the boy is not around.
Jennifer Anne Greggson
Jeffrey's baby sister and the second of her generation to begin the transformation into the Overmind. Not bad credentials for a wee one.
Charles Yan Sen and Mrs. Sen
Mr. Sen is the chairman of the Athens council, and Mrs. Sen is his wife. It is Sen's job to show Thanthalteresco around Athens when the Overlord drops in for a visit.
Professor Chance and Professor Sperling
These guys are two teachers at the Athens school. They try to get Thanthalteresco into a debate on whether art and science are compatible, but the Overlord puts a syllogism smack down on the two (17.34).