| Ames, Steve | ||
| D | A nice person from Lubbock, Texas. Driver of the Ryder, works for Marinville. Survives. | |
| R | Long grey hair, wears rock T-shirt. Driver of the Ryder, doesn't work for Marinville. Survives. | |
| Billingsley, Tom | ||
| D | Retired veterinarian, alcoholic. Dies. | |
| R | Retired veterinarian, most people called "Old Doc." Survives. | |
| Carver, David | ||
| D | Eleven-year-old boy. Son of the Carver clan. Hero. Survives. | |
| R | Husband and father of the Carver clan. Postal worker. Dies. | |
| Carver, Ellen | ||
| D | Wife and mother of the Carver clan. Dies. | |
| R | Eleven-year-old daughter of the Carver clan. Survives. | |
| Carver, Kirsten | ||
| D | Seven-year-old daughter of the Carver clan. Dies. | |
| R | Wife and mother of the Carver clan. Dies. | |
| Carver, Ralph | ||
| D | Husband and father of the Carver clan. Dies. | |
| R | Snotty little son of the Carver clan. Survives. | |
| Entragian, Collier | ||
| D | The maniac cop. Dies. | |
| R | Ex-cop. Dies. | |
| Garin, Seth | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | Seven-year-old autistic nephew of Audrey Wyler. Dies. | |
| Geller, Frank | ||
| D | Chief Mining Engineer, Desperation Mining Corp. Dies. | |
| R | Kim Geller's husband, father of Susi. Not a player. Lives. | |
| Geller, Kim | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | other of Susi Geller. Dies. | |
| Geller, Susi | ||
| D | Not present | |
| R | Teenage daughter of Kim and Frank. Survives. | |
| Hannibal | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | The Reed's dog. German Sheperd. Dies. | |
| Jackson, Mary | ||
| D | Wife of Peter Jackson. Survives. | |
| R | Wife of Peter Jackson. Dies. | |
| Jackson, Peter | ||
| D | Husband of Mary, assistant professor of English. Dies. | |
| R | Husband of Mary, teacher. Dies. | |
| Josephson, Belinda | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | Wife of Brad. Survives. | |
| Josephson, Brad | ||
| D | Secretary at Deep Mining, Corp. Gorgeous chocolate skin, long, sloping gut. Dies. | |
| R | Husband of Belinda. Gorgeous chocolate skin, long, sloping gut. Survives. | |
| Marinville, Johnny | ||
| D | Writer, kind of a jerk. Long, greying hair. 56 years-old. Hero. Dies. | |
| R | Writer, nicer guy. Survives. | |
| Marinville, Terry | ||
| D | Johnny's ex-wife, voice in his head. | |
| R | Johnny's ex-wife, voice in his head. | |
| Martin, Reverend | ||
| D | David's advisor on things religious. Dies. | |
| R | Mary Jackson's illicit lover, although not a priest. | |
| Reed, Cammie | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | Mother of David and Jim Reed. Dies. | |
| Reed, Charlie | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | Husband of Cammie, not a player. Lives. | |
| Reed, David | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | One of Cammie's twin sons. Survives. | |
| Reed, Jim | ||
| D | Desperation Town Safety Officer. Fat. Dies. | |
| R | One of Cammie's twin sons. Dies. | |
| Ripton, Cary | ||
| D | Pit Foreman at the China Pit. Dies. | |
| R | Fourteen-year-old paperboy. Dies. | |
| Ross, Brian | ||
| D | David's best friend. Coma-boy. Survives. | |
| R | Not present. | |
| Ross, Debbie | ||
| D | Brian's mother. Not a player. Lives. | |
| R | The red-headed galpal of the Reed twins. Dies. | |
| Ross, Mark | ||
| D | Brian's father. Not a player. Lives. | |
| R | Not a player. | |
| Smith, Cynthia | ||
| D | Two-toned hair girl, skinny, hangs with Steve Ames. Survives. | |
| R | Two-toned hair girl, skinny, hangs with Steve Ames. Survives. | |
| Soderson, Gary | ||
| D | Husband of Marielle, friend of the Jacksons. Lives in Lake Tahoe. Not a player. | |
| R | Marielle's husband. Dies. | |
| Soderson, Marielle | ||
| D | Wife of Gary, friend of the Jacksons. Lives in Lake Tahoe. Not a player. | |
| R | Gary's wife. Dies. | |
| Symes, Allen | ||
| D | Desperation Mining Corp. comptroller. Dies. | |
| R | Geologist for Deep Earth Mining Co. Not a player. Lives. | |
| Tak | ||
| D | Can de lach. Buried in Rattlesnake Number One. | |
| R | Nasty evil presence in Seth. Escapes. | |
| Wyler, Audrey | ||
| D | Consulting geologist for Diablo Mining. Dies. | |
| R | Wife of Herb, Seth's aunt. Dies. | |
| Wyler, Herb | ||
| D | Not present. | |
| R | Husband of Audrey, Seth's uncle. Dies. | |