Navigation

Firebird: Major Protagonists

This page is filled with SPOILERS for the Firebird universe. Do not read further if you do not want major plot or character developments revealed! Characters are listed in alphabetical order by their last name.

 

Queen Carradee Angelo – Oldest daughter of the Angelo royal family, Carradee is the heir in waiting for her mother Siwann’s throne. Carradee is unexpectedly thrust into this role early when the Federacy attacks and occupies Netaia in response to Netaia’s attempt to invade an outlying Federate system. Siwann chooses suicide for her failure as Netaia’s monarch, and so the responsibility for leading Netaia through its transition period into Federate governance falls on Carradee.

In contrast to her ruthless younger sister Phoena, Carradee is kind-hearted. Because Carradee often tries to mitigate the tensions between the traditional Netaian culture and the newly arrived Federacy, she often finds herself at odds with her ruling Electoral Council.

Carradee undergoes a great deal of growth in the first three FIREBIRD novels (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE) due to her growing disillusionment with Netaia’s merciless culture. Drawn to the compassionate Eternal Speaker despite her loyalty to Netaia, she leads her nation toward healthy compromise with Federate ways.

Lady Firebird (“Mari”) Elsbeth Angelo Caldwell – Protagonist for the first three Firebird novels (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE) and a minor character in the concluding novel, DAYSTAR. Third daughter to Queen Siwann of Netaia, Firebird is a “wastling” child doomed to seek a noble death once her older sister, Carradee, secures the royal succession. She has had a lifelong rivalry with her middle sister, Phoena.

Firebird undergoes several transformations, both personal and spiritual, over the course of the first three books. The primary transformation is her journey from the graceless religion of Netaia’s Nine Holy Powers to faith in the Eternal Speaker, the omnipotent, loving God who sang all of creation into being. Key in this transformation is her marriage to Master Sentinel Brennen Caldwell, a genetically altered telepath who descends from a small family bearing a secret and holy promise within the race of the Thyrian-Ehretan Sentinels.

In the first three books, Firebird is often described as having auburn hair and “delicate” features. She is a determined individual who often wrestles against her own pride. Firebird is fiercely devoted to whatever she believes in, and she strives for excellence in all things.

Master Sentinel Brennen Caldwell – A protagonist for the first three Firebird novels (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE) and a significant character in DAYSTAR, Brennen is one of the Thyrian-Ehretan Sentinels, who are genetically altered telepaths. He was born the second son of the present Caldwell family, which carries a unique spiritual promise to eventually produce the Messianic Boh-Dabar (“Word to Come”). Because of this inheritance, the Shuhr, renegade telepaths sharing a common ancestry with Sentinels, have killed numerous descendants of the Caldwell line. In the course of the first trilogy, Brennen is left the only surviving male heir of the Caldwell line after his brother is murdered.

Brennen’s character development centers on the tempering of his character. Though already compassionate and upright, his beliefs and integrity are consistently challenged by difficult circumstances. He faces both political intrigue and assassination attempts due to his marriage to Lady Firebird Angelo of Netaia, as well as physical and psychic harm from the renegade Shuhr. The debilitating loss of telepathic abilities while imprisoned and tortured on the Shuhr home world of Three Zed forces Brennen into total dependence on the Eternal Speaker.

Brennen is described as “middle-sized” and has piercing blue eyes. He is the highest ranking Master Sentinel in his generation and becomes the only Sentinel in history to serve on the Federate High Command. His consistent displays of integrity and compassion throughout the Firebird series make him distinctive from other characters.

Field General Governor Ellet Kinsman – Secondary character throughout the FIREBIRD series, although she features more prominently in the first four books (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE, WIND AND SHADOW). Ellet is a military colleague of Brennen Caldwell, and she shows an overt interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with him. This is thwarted when military prisoner Firebird Angelo draws Brennen’s attraction instead. Under the guise of cultural and religious concerns for the Caldwell lineage, Ellet tries in the first two books to discredit and prevent Firebird and Brennen’s relationship. However, Firebird and Ellet eventually reconcile in CROWN OF FIRE after Ellet marries fellow Sentinel Damalcon Dardy.

Count Tel Tellai (later Prince Tel Tellai-Angelo) – Secondary character in the first three FIREBIRD novels (FIREBIRD, FUSION FIRE, CROWN OF FIRE), with a brief cameo in DAYSTAR. Part of the Netaian elite, Tel is the classic example of an aristocratic dandy, raised to pursue only his own desires and the glory of Netaia. He loves and eventually marries Princess Phoena Angelo, though the events of FUSION FIRE show how little Phoena regards Tel or his affections.

Tel is another character who undergoes a great deal of growth during the course of the series. Though Tel was raised among the wealthy and privileged Netaian elite, adversity reveals his true character to be one of nobility, loyalty, and compassion. Tel begins as an ignorant member of the Netaian Electorate but becomes a close and trusted friend for Firebird and Brennen. He also shows sensitivity and openness to the Sentinel faith in the Eternal Speaker.