Colossus (novel) - Characters

Characters

  • Professor Charles Forbin — Head of the Colossus Project. A tall man in his early fifties, an internationally respected cyberneticist, at story's end, he is Colossus's connection to humanity, thus the most important man in the world.
  • Doctor Jack Fisher — Duty Chief at the Colossus Programming Office (CPO). A leading USNA mathematician, he suffers a mental breakdown from the strain of dealing with Colossus, yet is a Soviet spy.
  • Doctor Cleopatra "Cleo" Markham — A CPO Duty Chief, the thirty-five-year-old cyberneticist is sexually attracted to Prof. Forbin; their feigned romance is a private communication not controlled by Colossus.
  • Blake — A fat, cigar-chewing CPO mathematician. As Colossus assumes control, Blake is a leader of CPO efforts to stop the computer.
  • Angela — Prof. Forbin's secretary
  • The President of the United States of North America — He is an anonymous, over-weight short man of about fifty years of age. He dismisses Forbin's concerns about Colossus, and too late recognises the threat of Colossus.
  • Prytzkammer — Principal Private Aide to the USNA President. A capable professional civil servant, he dies from fright during the nuclear missile threat.
  • Grauber — Head of the CIA.
  • Academician Kupri — Chief scientist of the Guardian system, he shares Prof. Forbin's concern about the growing power of the machines. Guardian orders Soviet agents to execute and decapitate him, for "antimachine activities".

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