The Word for World is Forest Characters

Don Davidson is an army captain stationed on World 41, or “New Tahiti.” He’s the enemy of Selver Thele, a native Athshean (or “creechie”), and the owner of Ben, an… read analysis of Don Davidson

Selver Thele is a native inhabitant of Athshe, a former friend of Raj Lyubov, and an enemy of Don Davidson. After humans overtake his village, three officers (including Benton) enslave Selver… read analysis of Selver Thele

Raj Lyubov is an anthropologist stationed on World 41, a former friend of Selver Thele, and an enemy of Don Davidson. Unlike other humans, Lyubov is sympathetic to the Athsheans’ plight… read analysis of Raj Lyubov

Mr. Lepennon is a Hainishman, which is a form of non-Terran (non-Earth-based) human. Along with Mr. Or, he is an emissary for the newly-formed League of Worlds and becomes an acquaintance of… read analysis of Mr. Lepennon

Mr. Or is a Hairy Cetian, a form of non-Terran (or Earth-based) human that is characteristically gray and stocky-looking. Along with Mr. Lepennon, Mr. Or is an emissary for the League of… read analysis of Mr. Or

Commander Yung is the superior of the colonists on World 41 and the leader of the Shackleton spaceship, which makes the long journey from Earth to World 41 immediately before the massacre at Smith Camp… read analysis of Commander Yung

Gosse is an ecologist working on World 41 and living in Centralville. He and Raj Lyubov work closely together but eventually develop an antagonistic relationship, as Gosse doesn’t see the same danger in overlogging that… read analysis of Gosse

Coro Mena is an elderly Athshean, Ebor Dendep’s brother, and a “Great Dreamer” who lives in the village of Cadast. He welcomes Selver to Cadast after the massacre at Smith Camp. When Coro… read analysis of Coro Mena

Ebor Dendep is an Athshean, Coro Mena’s sister, and the Headwoman of Cadast, the village that Selver stays in after the Smith Camp massacre. Ebor Dendep is extremely practical, and after Selver’s arrival… read analysis of Ebor Dendep

Juju Sereng is a human colonist and engineer who works at World 41’s HQ in Centralville and is friends with Don Davidson. Given his engineering background, Sereng is interested in the workings of… read analysis of Juju Sereng

Ben is a native Athshean and was formerly enslaved by Don Davidson. Davidson guesses that Ben is older than other “creechies” due to his white fur (as Athsheans are normally green). Ben… read analysis of Ben

Thele was a native Athshean and Selver’s wife; she was enslaved in Centralville. Before the start of the novella, Don Davidson raped Thele, and she died during the assault; the novella suggests that she… read analysis of Thele

Major Muhamed runs New Java camp, the colony outpost that Don Davidson is sent to as punishment after his unauthorized air raid on the Athsheans. Davidson describes Muhamed as a by-the-book leader, and his… read analysis of Major Muhamed

Benton is an officer on World 41 and was one of three officers who previously enslaved Selver. Benton is hot-headed and hates the native Athsheans—when he and Selver reencounter each other after the… read analysis of Benton

Aabi is one of the humans working at New Java Camp, and after Don Davidson goes rogue and takes over New Java, Aabi assists him by building landmines to keep the native Athsheans out. Although… read analysis of Aabi

Post is a logging-crew foreman working at New Java Camp and remains loyal to Don Davidson after Davidson takes over New Java. Post doesn’t openly question Davidson as much as Aabi, Davidson’s other right-hand… read analysis of Post

Sherrar is the Athshean cousin of the headwoman in Tuntar, the village that Raj Lyubov visits after the Athsheans’ attack on Smith Camp. Lyubov had visited the village previously and met Sherrar then, but she’s… read analysis of Sherrar

Reswan is a native Athshean and one of Selver’s fellow leaders during the attack on Centralville. Reswan is a pragmatic person and ensures that the humans’ radios are destroyed after the attack so that… read analysis of Reswan

Tubab, also known as “Old Tubab,” is an Athshean and a “Great Dreamer” of Tuntar, the village that Raj Lyubov visits after the massacre at Smith Camp. Tubab had previously been an anthropological informant of… read analysis of Tubab

Torber is an Athshean healer who lives in the forest village of Cadast, where Selver stays after the Athshean attack on Smith Camp. Torber works closely with Coro Mena at the village’s Lodge, and both… read analysis of Torber

Kees Van Sten is an ecologist working in Smith Camp prior to its collapse; he greatly dislikes Don Davidson. At the start of the novella, Kees speaks to Davidson and expresses frustration at the… read analysis of Kees Van Sten

Oknanawi Nabo, whom Don Davidson refers to as “Ok,” is a dark-skinned officer working as a foreman in Smith Camp prior to the Athsheans’ attack on Smith. Ok is in charge of the Athshean… read analysis of Oknanawi Nabo