Buford Early

Buford Early is a recurring character from the "Man-Kzin Wars" series of books. Along with Chuut-Riit and Ulf Reichstein-Markham, Early is both one of the few major recurring characters, and one of the few characters to have a large role in stories written by more than one author.

Early was born on Earth in the early 23rd century. He was a minor official in the United Nations Amalgamated Regional Militia and taught military history, which gave him access to the remaining vestiges of human military technology and personnel, as well as those who might be quickly converted to the task. When the First Man-Kzin War broke out, Early was promoted to general and given command of the Wild Talents Program, which in charge of using exotic technology and unconventional ideas (such as telepaths, Protector virus, and Slaver stasis field weapons) against the Kzinti. He smuggled himself aboard a ship en route to Wunderland, against orders, to direct joint UN-Wunderlander combat operations there in the retaking of the world from the Kzin. By the end of the war, Early was one of the central figures in the human military hierarchy.