Once this got a little further along, Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli was very helpful with advice and in allowing me to use her character Anna, from the Red Desert series, for the quote of the first person on Mars (even if in this novel it happened before her character was born). She took the time to listen to my crazy ideas about why yaks made sense, and checked me on using alfalfa to remove toxic metals from the soil.
The last member of my science advisory team was Dr. Boaz Karni-Harel. He made me rethink some of the physics of the book. Between him and Ramit, my idea of a floating ball of water for the pool (as mistakenly done in the movie Passengers) was deemed unrealistic.
In an effort to avoid the problems of machine translation I enlisted friends (or their wives) to help correct Google’s amusing translation mistakes. For the restaurant waiter AI the language assistance was given by:
Japanese text corrected by Reiko Fishelberg.
Korean text corrected by Su Gautier.
Spanish text corrected by Monica Zlotogorski.
I would like to give special thanks to Boris Peterbarg, who read the first three chapters on Inkshares and provided me with seven pages of edits, corrections, and suggestions – almost all of which made it into the book. Additional reviewing and editing was done by Asaf Flatto, Jonathan Maas, and my parents Hank and Judi Klein.
Additionally, I would like to thank my cousin Danny. He joined our household after I started writing this novel, but quickly became one of my sounding boards and guinea pigs for various ideas. Watching his face as he read something (like the parts about the Star Wars dinner theater on Mimas), helped clarify and validate my ideas.
Appendix 2: Cast of Characters
As many of the characters are taken from the various releases and sequels to the movie King Kong (but not the 2017 version), I’m not just referencing their role here but also their original role, if any, in the movies.
Character
Role
Notes
Main Characters
Robert “BJ” Armstrong
Protagonist
Played original Carl Denham
Captain David (Dave) Englehorn
Captain of the L.S.S. Venture, hero of Ceres blowout of 2130
Originally played by Frank Reicher
Fay Englehorn
Captain Englehorn’s daughter
Played original Ann Darrow
Shelel Englehorn
Fay Englehorn’s mother - does not appear
-
Reginald Barlow
2nd Pilot
Played Ship’s Engineer (uncredited) in 1933 original
Barney Capehart
1st Pilot
Played Pilot (uncredited) in 1933 original
James Flavin
Second Mate
Played Second Mate in 1933 original
Robert Galloway
Ship’s Engineer
Played Pilot (uncredited) in 1933 original
Ethan Laidlaw
First Mate
Played First Mate (uncredited) in 1933 original
Mike Lally
(not seen) Original first officer for the L.S.S. Venture.
Dotha Hippe
Ship’s primary doctor
Symposium
Bobbie Williams
Wife Accompanying Frank
Bob Williams was a stunt double: Robert Armstrong (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Luanne Gordon
Scientist
Luanne Gordon played Theatre Actor in 2005 remake
Gertrude Sutton
Scientist
Played New York Theatergoer (uncredited) in 1933 original
Van Alder
Scientist
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Etta Mae Allen
Scientist
Played Native (uncredited) in 1933 original
Jack Best
Scientist
Played Warrior (uncredited) in 1933 original
Geraldine Brophy
Scientist
Played Maude in 2005 remake
Scientist
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Fanny Donahue
Scientist
Played Native (uncredited) in 1933 original
Betty Gale
Scientist
Played New Yorker (uncredited) in 1933 original
Harold Garrison
Scientist Husband of Evelyn
Played Native Child (uncredited) in 1933 original
Frank Gerritty
Scientist
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
June Gittelson
Scientist
Played Fat Woman (uncredited) in 1933 original
Donald F. Glut
Scientist
Played Guy in Amphitheater (uncredited) in the 1976 remake
Katie Jackson
Scientist
Played NY Child in 2005 remake
Lillian Jones
Scientist
Stunt double: Fay Wray (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Walter Kirby
Scientist
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Rena Marlowe
Scientist
Played Native Child (uncredited) in 1933 original
Frank Mills
Scientist
Played Reporter (uncredited) in 1933 original
Frances Mills
Scientist
Double (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
G. Raymond Nye
Scientist (In this book she is female and the G is for Gail.)
Played Police Captain (uncredited) in 1933 original
Felicia O’Brien
Scientist
Played Vaudeville Actress in 2005 remake
Tania Rodger
Scientist
Played Hooverville Mot
her in 2005 remake
Ernest B. Schoedsack
Scientist
Played Machine Gunner on plane that kills Kong (uncredited) in 1933 original
Harry Strang
Scientist
Played Policeman at Headquarters (uncredited) in 1933 original
Tobias Tally
Scientist
Played Warrior (uncredited) in 1933 original
Charles Washington
Scientist
Played Warrior (uncredited) in 1933 original
Blackie Whiteford
Scientist
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Frank D. Williams
Co-Lead Organizer Scientist
Special effects technician (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
Ed Allen
Accompanying Etta Mae
Played Native (uncredited) in 1933 original
Billy Jones
Accompanying Lillian
Double (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
Sam Marlowe
Husband Accompanying Rena
Played Warrior (uncredited) in 1933 original
Willis H. O’Brien
Accompanying Felicia
Chief technician crew in 1933 original
Roy Brent
Ph.D. Student
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Jennifer Gertler
Ph.D. student
Played NY Stander in 2005 remake
Julia Harris
Ph.D. student
Played Boan in 1976 remake
Wayne Heffley
Ph.D. student
Played Air Force General in 1976 remake
Alexander Kahle
Ph.D. student
Still photographer (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Kid Wagner
Ph.D. student (female)
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Kristephan Warren-Stevens
Ph.D. Student
Played Kid with Afro on Bleachers (uncredited) in 1976 remake
C. Dodge Dunning
Astro-engineer (daughter of Carroll)
Dunning process supervisor (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Carroll H. Dunning
Co-lead astro- engineer
Dunning process supervisor (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
James Adamson
Astro-engineer
Played Native Child (uncredited) in 1933 original
Frank Angel
Astro-engineer
Played Reporter (uncredited) in 1933 original
Steve Clemente
Astro-engineer
Played Witch King (as Steve Clemento) in 1933 original
Chick Collins
Astro-engineer
Double (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
S.C. Dacy
Astro-engineer
Played Newspaper Photographer (uncredited) in 1976 remake
Walter Downing
Astro-engineer
Played New York Theatergoer (uncredited) in 1933 original
Evelyn Garrison
Astro-engineer wife of Harold
Played Native (uncredited) in 1933 original
Arnold Gray
Astro-engineer
Played Reporter (uncredited) in 1933 original
Charles Haefeli
Astro-engineer
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Earl ‘Hap’ Hogan
Astro-engineer
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Annie L. Johnson
Astro-engineer
Played Native (uncredited) in 1933 original
Walter Knox
Astro-engineer
Played Native (uncredited) in 1933 original
Bert O’Malley
Astro-engineer
Played Member of Ship’s Crew (uncredited) in 1933 original
Joe Piscopo
Astro-engineer
Played Bit Part (uncredited) in 1976 remake
Roy Stewart
Astro-engineer
Played Reporter (uncredited) in 1933 original
Clifford Stitch
Astro-engineer Father of Pete
Second assistant camera: “b” camera (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
Peter Stitch
Astro-engineer son of Clifford
Painting technician (uncredited) crew in 933 original
Ivory Williams
Astro-engineer wife of Bill Williams
Played Warrior (uncredited) in 1933 original
Billy Zoom
Astro-engineer
Played Man Running from Monkey (uncredited) in 1976 remake
Harry Redmond Jr.
Astro-engineer
Special effects (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Harry Redmond Sr.
Astro-engineer
Special effects (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Harry Wagner
Astro-engineer
Stunts (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
Pauline Wagner
Astro-engineer
Stunt double: for Fay Wray on edge of Empire State Building (uncredited) crew in 1933 original
Betty Collins
Accompanying Chick Collins
Double (uncredited) crew in the 1933 original
Charlie O’Malley
Wife accompanying Bert O’Malley
Played Reporter (uncredited) in 1933 original
Bill Williams
Husband Accompanying Ivory Williams
Played New York Theatergoer (uncredited) in 1933 original
Almóinn O’Malley
~3-year-old son of Bert and Charlie O’Malley
--
Pageant
Belindalee Hope
Sister accompanying Hazel Hope
Played Burlesque Dancer in 2005 remake
Blue Washington
Sister accompanying Hannah Washington
Played Warrior (uncredited) in 1933 original
Caron Dallas
Mother accompanying Katherine Sparks
Played Vaudeville Actress in 2005 remake
Crushanin Dixor-McIvor
Cousin accompanying Helen Worthington
Played Burlesque Dancer in 2005 remake