William Mandella
Encyclopedia
William Mandella is the main character in Joe Haldeman
's
Forever War series
, the soldier protagonist of the The Forever War
and Forever Free
novels, who also is the main character of the Forever War graphic novel. The name's origin is an anagram of Joe Haldeman's surname, with Marygay Potter's name taken directly from Haldeman's wife of the same name.
Mandella, born on Earth in 1975, majored in physics
during college
. Following the start of the war with the Taurans, in 1996, he was conscripted to join the newly created United Nations
military force (UNEF). Only soldiers of extremely high intellectual and physical abilities are recruited to fight in this infantry force, conscripted under military legislation that presages the future takeover of all of Earth's governments by the military.
It is through his eyes that the reader experiences both the war against the alien Taurans and the changes in society and technology on Earth
during the thousand-year conflict (made possible by time dilation
, a relativistic consequence of traveling close to the speed of light, which allows Mandella to age only two decades biologically in a millennia).
Mandella is a very reluctant soldier (and even more so, officer), whose pacifistic leanings and somewhat resigned attitude are at odds with his tasks. A very small wheel in what at times seems more a bureaucracy than a military force, he only remains in the military because Earth had already changed so much at his first return that he has nothing to return to except the military life that he knows.
During the war, he falls in love with Marygay Potter, another soldier (and like him, later officer) of the force. Tragically separated by the uncaring military, they are only reunited hundreds of years later after the conclusion of the war, which both survived against all odds. With civilisation absolutely changed - humanity has become a cloned
group mind
, though it is now at peace with the Taurans - he marries her and they move to the planet "Middle Finger", one of a handful of worlds where traditional procreation occurs as a "eugenic safety device", to raise children.
The novel Forever Free begins after Mandella has lived on "Middle Finger" for a couple of decades.
Joe Haldeman
Joe William Haldeman is an American science fiction author.-Life :Haldeman was born June 9, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His family traveled and he lived in Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Anchorage, Alaska as a child. Haldeman married Mary Gay Potter, known...
's
Forever War series
The Forever War series
The Forever War series is a series of science fiction novels by Joe Haldeman. Not all of them take place in the same future universe.Forever Peace, while thematically linked to the previous novel The Forever War, is an entirely separate work...
, the soldier protagonist of the The Forever War
The Forever War
The Forever War is a science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story of soldiers fighting an interstellar war between humanity and the enigmatic Tauran species...
and Forever Free
Forever Free (novel)
Forever Free is a science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, the sequel to The Forever War. It was published in 1999.-Plot summary:...
novels, who also is the main character of the Forever War graphic novel. The name's origin is an anagram of Joe Haldeman's surname, with Marygay Potter's name taken directly from Haldeman's wife of the same name.
Mandella, born on Earth in 1975, majored in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
during college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. Following the start of the war with the Taurans, in 1996, he was conscripted to join the newly created United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
military force (UNEF). Only soldiers of extremely high intellectual and physical abilities are recruited to fight in this infantry force, conscripted under military legislation that presages the future takeover of all of Earth's governments by the military.
It is through his eyes that the reader experiences both the war against the alien Taurans and the changes in society and technology on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
during the thousand-year conflict (made possible by time dilation
Time dilation
In the theory of relativity, time dilation is an observed difference of elapsed time between two events as measured by observers either moving relative to each other or differently situated from gravitational masses. An accurate clock at rest with respect to one observer may be measured to tick at...
, a relativistic consequence of traveling close to the speed of light, which allows Mandella to age only two decades biologically in a millennia).
Mandella is a very reluctant soldier (and even more so, officer), whose pacifistic leanings and somewhat resigned attitude are at odds with his tasks. A very small wheel in what at times seems more a bureaucracy than a military force, he only remains in the military because Earth had already changed so much at his first return that he has nothing to return to except the military life that he knows.
During the war, he falls in love with Marygay Potter, another soldier (and like him, later officer) of the force. Tragically separated by the uncaring military, they are only reunited hundreds of years later after the conclusion of the war, which both survived against all odds. With civilisation absolutely changed - humanity has become a cloned
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
group mind
Group mind (science fiction)
A group mind, hive mind or group ego in science fiction is a single consciousness occupying many bodies. Its use in literature goes back at least as far as Olaf Stapledon's science fiction novel Last and First Men ....
, though it is now at peace with the Taurans - he marries her and they move to the planet "Middle Finger", one of a handful of worlds where traditional procreation occurs as a "eugenic safety device", to raise children.
The novel Forever Free begins after Mandella has lived on "Middle Finger" for a couple of decades.