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Second Variety

Philip K. Dick

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Similar in characterization + relationships

These books are ranked using the characterization + relationships labels extracted for Second Variety. Books rank higher when they are close on every selected axis.

Characterization labels used: soldier, major, battle-hardened, suspicious, paranoid, battlefield survivor, robotic imposters, humanlike robots, battle-weary

Relationships labels used: trust issues, betrayal, enemy infiltration, military hierarchy, us vs them, ally suspicion, deception

This does not mean the books share the same plot, setting, quality, or difficulty. It means their characterization + relationships embeddings are close.

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Ice Station

Matthew Reilly · 2000 · Shane Schofield

A Marine team races to protect a mysterious Antarctic discovery as rival forces, treachery, and deadly wildlife close in.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: elite soldier · action hero · strategic thinker · scarred hero · recon commander · loyal team · traitor within ranks · scientists · special forces · survivor

Relationships labels: team loyalty · trust and betrayal · command hierarchy · military camaraderie · conflicted allies · enemy infiltration · protecting civilians · rival factions

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1569

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Halo: The Cole Protocol

Tobias S. Buckell · 2008 · Halo

A secret mission to protect Earth’s location collides with insurgents, Spartans, and Covenant forces in deep space.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: soldier protagonist · Spartan squad · elite warrior · ruthless commander · insurrectionist refugee · navy officer · AI companion · misfit team · honor-bound warrior

Relationships labels: enemy alliance · human-alien tension · military hierarchy · team loyalty · father-daughter · insurrectionist cooperation · rival factions · command conflict · trust and betrayal

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1754

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The Butcher of Anderson Station

James S.A. Corey · 2011 · The Expanse

A short Expanse prequel reveals how Fred Johnson earned the name “The Butcher of Anderson Station.”

Why this is here

Characterization labels: conflicted protagonist · war veteran · military officer · colonel · leader · disgraced officer · rational · steadfast · morally burdened · enigmatic · humanized

Relationships labels: interrogation · kidnapping · defection · loyalty conflict · betrayal · power imbalance · friendship · institutional conflict · factional alignment

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1820

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Legion

Dan Abnett · 2008 · The Horus Heresy

An Imperial campaign collides with the secretive Alpha Legion, exposing espionage, betrayal, and a galaxy-shaping choice.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: spymaster · soldier POV · secretive faction · reluctant agent · psyker · veteran officers · enigmatic leaders · ordinary humans

Relationships labels: loyalty vs betrayal · command hierarchy · human-marine divide · allies and pawns · factional mistrust · spy network

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1852

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Refugees

D.J. Molles · 2012 · The Remaining

A soldier-turned-leader fights to hold a growing refuge together as the infected evolve and human rivals close in.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: soldier protagonist · commander · flawed hero · indefatigable hero · resourceful leader · military survivors · political rival · scientist character · fanatic follower · strong women characters · side characters

Relationships labels: alliances and betrayal · camp factionalism · leadership conflict · mutiny · power struggle · survivor community · military camaraderie · trust issues · rival factions · family protection

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1859

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Armor

John Steakley · 1984

A traumatized soldier in powered armor survives an endless bug war, while a rogue’s later scheme uncovers his story.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: soldier protagonist · scout · loner · broken man · survivor · antihero · pirate · rogue · con man · sociopath · moral ambiguity · traumatized soldier · relentless survivor · split personality · alter ego · psychological fragmentation

Relationships labels: comradeship · chain of command · soldier unit · scientist collaboration · mentor authority · betrayal · uneasy alliance · romance subplot · power imbalance · dehumanized troops

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1885

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Fallen Star

Richard Turner · 2017 · Project Gauntlet

Two soldiers survive a deadly attack and are pulled into a secret UFO investigation that turns lethal in Alaska.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: soldiers · scientists · special forces · secret agents · sheriff · Ufologist · elite military professionals · civilian investigators · female characters · villains · good guys and bad guys · survivors · heroes and heroines

Relationships labels: military partnership · team dynamics · government authority · investigation team · civilians and soldiers · trust and betrayal · local authorities

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1994

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Monroe Doctrine: Volume I

James Rosone, Miranda Watson · 2021 · Monroe Doctrine

A near-future AI-driven U.S.-China war ignites global conflict as cyber deception and military strategy collide.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: Brilliant engineer · AI creator · Political leaders · Military officers · Soldiers · Spies · Civilians · Many characters · Disposable characters · Competent antagonists · Humanized enemies

Relationships labels: Nation-state rivalry · Adversarial blocs · Command hierarchy · Betrayal · Defection · Alliance politics · Military coordination · Civilian-military link

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1999

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Rubicon

J.S. Dewes · 2023

A traumatized soldier reborn 96 times is reassigned with a sentient AI into a war that may hide humanity’s true enemy.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: traumatized soldier · grizzled veteran · apathetic protagonist · PTSD · anxious lead · capable warrior · flawed but brave · sarcastic AI · enigmatic commander · special forces squad

Relationships labels: squad bonding · mentor-subordinate · human-AI bond · team dynamics · trust issues · friendship · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.2008

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The Departure

K.A. Applegate, Katherine Applegate · 1998 · Animorphs

A burned-out teen soldier quits a secret war, then gets stranded with an enemy who may force her to choose peace over survival.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: pacifist · moral compass · burned out · traumatized teen · child soldier · empathetic protagonist · self-sacrificing · idealistic · conflicted · moralizing · sympathetic antagonist · morally complex enemy · differing team reactions

Relationships labels: enemy alliance · temporary truce · forced partnership · team conflict · found trust · moral disagreement · betrayal risk · sympathy across enemy lines

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.2011

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Warrior

Nick Webb · 2015 · Legacy Fleet

A war-weary fleet captain takes the fight to ruthless aliens while politics, betrayals, and twists close in.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: captain hero · flawed hero · soldier leaders · politician characters · traitors · duplicitous officials · military commanders · alien antagonists · unlikely hero

Relationships labels: command hierarchy · political rivalry · betrayal · trust issues · alliance building · human-alien conflict · crew loyalty · president-vice president tension

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.2022

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Wayward Galaxy

Jason Anspach, J.N. Chaney · 2020 · Wayward Galaxy

A cryosleep colony mission reaches a hostile alien world and finds the old war waiting for them.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: Army Rangers · soldier archetype · civilian liaison · brilliant scientist · AI character · super soldier · enhanced human · stock characters · camaraderie · martial ethos

Relationships labels: military camaraderie · command hierarchy · civilian-military liaison · ally-enemy divide · team loyalty · rivalry

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.2022

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