Cordelia Ransom
Encyclopedia
Cordelia Ransom is a fictional character
in the Honorverse
, a series of military science fiction
novels written by David Weber
. Many people consider her to be analogous to Jean-Paul Marat
, an important figure in the French Revolution
.
A citizen of the People's Republic of Haven
, Cordelia Ransom was a leading member of a radical faction called the Citizens' Rights Union. The CRU resorted to acts of terrorism
in what they believed was the defense of the God-given right to a high state-supported standard of living.
Together with Rob S. Pierre and Oscar Saint-Just
, Ransom led the coup against Haven's Legislaturalist government, and became a senior member of the Committee of Public Safety installed in its place. Her official position was Secretary for Public Information, which would give Ransom control of the People's Republic media
and censorship
apparatus.
Ransom was considered a skillful propagandist and an expert on managing the mob's emotions, but the more level-headed Pierre and Saint-Just noted that Ransom had extremely radical opinions about politics and economics. Her rhetoric had a distinct resemblance to Communist propaganda, and, as Admiral Thomas Theisman
noted, she believed her own propaganda.
Cordelia Ransom used the capture of Honor Harrington
as a propaganda weapon against Manticore and personally took Harrington to her scheduled execution on the planet Hades, but she died during Harrington's escape when her personal battlecruiser PNS Tepes was destroyed with all hands.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Honorverse
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
, a series of military science fiction
Military science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
novels written by David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
. Many people consider her to be analogous to Jean-Paul Marat
Jean-Paul Marat
Jean-Paul Marat , born in the Principality of Neuchâtel, was a physician, political theorist, and scientist best known for his career in France as a radical journalist and politician during the French Revolution...
, an important figure in the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
A citizen of the People's Republic of Haven
People's Republic of Haven
The Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
, Cordelia Ransom was a leading member of a radical faction called the Citizens' Rights Union. The CRU resorted to acts of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
in what they believed was the defense of the God-given right to a high state-supported standard of living.
Together with Rob S. Pierre and Oscar Saint-Just
Oscar Saint-Just
Oscar Saint-Just is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. His name is most likely a reference to Louis de Saint-Just, an important figure in the French Revolution, who sat in the Comité de Salut Public with Robespierre.As First...
, Ransom led the coup against Haven's Legislaturalist government, and became a senior member of the Committee of Public Safety installed in its place. Her official position was Secretary for Public Information, which would give Ransom control of the People's Republic media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
apparatus.
Ransom was considered a skillful propagandist and an expert on managing the mob's emotions, but the more level-headed Pierre and Saint-Just noted that Ransom had extremely radical opinions about politics and economics. Her rhetoric had a distinct resemblance to Communist propaganda, and, as Admiral Thomas Theisman
Thomas Theisman
Admiral Thomas Edward Theisman is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber...
noted, she believed her own propaganda.
Cordelia Ransom used the capture of Honor Harrington
Honor Harrington
Honor Stephanie Alexander-Harrington is a fictional character, the heroine of a series of military science fiction books set in the "Honorverse", written by David Weber and published by Baen Books....
as a propaganda weapon against Manticore and personally took Harrington to her scheduled execution on the planet Hades, but she died during Harrington's escape when her personal battlecruiser PNS Tepes was destroyed with all hands.