William Mandella

William Mandella is the novel's main character. Mandella ranks in the top percentile of the world for intelligence, education, and physical fitness. As a result, he is included in the elite group of people conscripted into the united armed services of the world to battle the unknown and elusive Tauran aliens. Although this war spans over a millennium, Mandella unwittingly sees it through from beginning to end due to the time differential created by travel through constantly evolving wormholes. Over the period of the war, which spans 1,143 years, Mandella is promoted from private to sergeant to lieutenant and finally to major, commanding his own strike force.

Mandella is among the first that will face the Taurans, and since very little is known about this enemy, military training involves a wide variety of environments and procedures as the humans attempt to prepare for anything. After the mission, Mandella...