Cover of Amped by Daniel H. Wilson

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Daniel H. Wilson

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Similar in characterization + relationships

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

Characterization labels used: teacher protagonist, epileptic protagonist, reluctant hero, bland protagonist, whiny protagonist, naive protagonist, morally conflicted, military veteran, charismatic politician, love interest, secondary cast, specialist scientist, antihero leader, child character, ordinary person, secretly enhanced

Relationships labels used: father son, romantic thread, mentor relationship, community bond, us vs them, protective group, betrayal, power imbalance, family secret

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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Cover of The Truth of the Aleke by Moses Ose Utomi

The Truth of the Aleke

Moses Ose Utomi · 2024 · Forever Desert

A young peacekeeper in a besieged desert city is sent after a feared enemy and discovers history may be a lie.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young protagonist · naive protagonist · flawed hero · complex protagonist · stubborn · impulsive · arrogant · idealistic · disillusioned · heroic aspiration · morally gray characters

Relationships labels: father-son relationship · betrayal · allegiance conflict · community defense · power imbalance · rival factions · us-vs-them · manipulation · trust

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1401

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Cover of Trumps of Doom by Roger Zelazny

Trumps of Doom

Roger Zelazny · 1995 · The Chronicles of Amber

A young computer designer and hidden prince faces yearly assassination attempts while a shadow-spanning conspiracy closes in.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: cerebral protagonist · naive protagonist · reserved protagonist · computer genius · sorcerer · warrior · artist · athlete · student · reactive protagonist · disinterested demeanor · less proactive protagonist · likeable ruffian

Relationships labels: father son · family conflict · romantic loss · friend betrayal · mentor rival · royal family · suspicious ally · absent parent

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1518

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Cover of Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Empire of Silence

Christopher Ruocchio · 2018 · The Sun Eater

An exiled nobleman recounts how he became a legendary outcast, gladiator, and future destroyer of suns.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: privileged heir · reluctant hero · scholar protagonist · melodramatic protagonist · impulsive protagonist · naive protagonist · brooding hero · flawed narrator · anti-conformist · bookish · gladiator · self-justifying

Relationships labels: father-son conflict · sibling rivalry · mentor-student · political marriage · unrequited romance · class hierarchy · power imbalance · found allies · romance subplot · family betrayal

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1540

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Cover of The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle

The Eighth Guardian

Meredith McCardle · 2014 · Annum Guard

A top student is recruited into a secret time-travel agency and must navigate conspiracies, rules, and a new identity.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teen operative · strong heroine · sassy heroine · rebellious protagonist · selfish protagonist · whiny protagonist · smart protagonist · resourceful protagonist · outsider · antagonistic side characters

Relationships labels: boyfriend · romantic tension · friendship arc · mentor relationship · rivalry · family conflict · father mystery · parent-child conflict · team dynamics · forced separation

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1549

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Cover of The Magic Engineer by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

The Magic Engineer

L.E. Modesitt Jr. · 1995 · The Saga of Recluce

An exiled young smith-engineer uses Order magic and inventive machines to survive, build, and resist Chaos.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young protagonist · misfit protagonist · rebellious youth · driven protagonist · brilliant protagonist · naive protagonist · humble protagonist · supportive protagonist · craftsperson protagonist · healer · smith · engineer · inventor · magician · order mage · white wizard antagonist · privileged background · everyman hero · competent protagonist

Relationships labels: father-son conflict · mentor figure · friends to allies · love interest · exile community · found family · war alignment · community support · rival magic factions

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1578

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Cover of The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes

The Nightmare Virus

Nadine Brandes · 2024

A virus traps sleepers in a deadly dreamscape, where one young man must find a cure before he loses reality forever.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: flawed hero · morally grey protagonist · snarky protagonist · angry protagonist · reluctant hero · college-aged protagonist · male lead · dynamic protagonist · relatable lead · innovative hero · supporting cast · love-to-hate villain · kids

Relationships labels: brother relationship · family bonds · found family · romantic tension · hinted romance · friendship · power dynamic · betrayal · allegiance shift · community care

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1600

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Cover of Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid

Superman: Birthright

Mark Waid · 2004 · Superman: Birthright

A modern Superman origin retelling that follows Clark Kent from Smallville to Metropolis as he becomes a symbol of hope.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: alienated hero · mild-mannered reporter · young adult protagonist · idealistic hero · flawed father · arrogant villain · disturbed genius · charismatic rival · stubborn reporter · supportive parents

Relationships labels: father-son · parental support · boyhood friendship · friend-to-enemy · romantic tension · mentor-like parents · rivalry · community mistrust · family bond

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1606

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Cover of A Gift of Time by Jerry Merritt

A Gift of Time

Jerry Merritt · 2016

An aging, suicidal man gets a chance to relive his life from age ten and tries to fix the mistake that haunts him.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: suicidal protagonist · older protagonist · child protagonist · physicist protagonist · engineer protagonist · likable characters · well-developed characters · morally conflicted protagonist · emotionally distant protagonist · precocious child

Relationships labels: family bonds · brother relationship · father-son tension · aunt-nephew bond · friendship · romance · sacrifice · community ties · dependency

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1607

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Cover of Sword Bearer by Teddy Jacobs

Sword Bearer

Teddy Jacobs · 2012 · Return of the Dragons

A sheltered teen prince is pulled from his tower into a portal-driven fantasy of magic, bloodlines, and looming evil.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: relatable teen · whiny protagonist · pimply teen · sheltered hero · chosen one · passive hero · inept learner · prophesied prince · young wizard · cardboard side characters · unreliable adults · dark lord figure

Relationships labels: father-son conflict · overprotective parents · romantic triangle · boyfriend rivalry · mentor-student · friend group · family secrets · parental secrecy · courtly loyalty

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1610

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Cover of The Stars, Like Dust by Isaac Asimov

The Stars, Like Dust

Isaac Asimov · 1991 · Galactic Empire

A hunted student races across a tyrannical galaxy to solve his father’s murder and uncover a rebellion.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: naïve protagonist · young hero · college student · physically strong hero · clever hero · wooden characters · stereotyped characters · passive heroine · scheming antagonist · hidden agent · noble family · powerful ruler

Relationships labels: father-son · romance · instalove · uneasy alliance · mentor-betrayal · power struggle · rebellion network · family vengeance · trust issues

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1611

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Cover of The Children of Men by P.D. James

The Children of Men

P.D. James · 2006

In a childless near-future England, a weary historian is drawn into resistance when a pregnancy changes everything.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: academic protagonist · historian protagonist · apathetic protagonist · cynical protagonist · unlikable protagonist · reluctant leader · female revolutionary · attractive outsider · tyrannical ruler · powerful cousin · dissident group · idealistic rebels · elderly population · amoral youth · cold character

Relationships labels: cousins · failed marriage · romantic attraction · resistance alliance · power imbalance · mentor-like access · lover's pregnancy · family loyalty · betrayal · community breakdown

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1626

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Cover of The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

The Compound

S.A. Bodeen · 2008 · The Compound

A teen trapped in a luxurious underground bunker starts uncovering lies that make him question his father, his family, and survival itself.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: selfish protagonist · whiny protagonist · sullen teen · antisocial teen · loner teen · suspicious father · controlling father · genius father · terrifying father · mentally unstable parent · develops maturity

Relationships labels: father son · family betrayal · family conflict · sibling rivalry · twin bond · parent child · fractured family · trust issues · family loyalty · dependency

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1631

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Cover of Зазирни у мої сни by Max Kidruk

Зазирни у мої сни

Max Kidruk, Макс Кідрук · 2016

After a child returns from clinical death changed, his father pursues a chilling link between dreams, science, and danger.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: infantile protagonist · passive protagonist · protective father · troubled parents · morally flawed adults · naive authorities · nonhuman antagonist

Relationships labels: father-son bond · marital conflict · parent-child tension · family crisis · romantic dependence · estrangement

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1642

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Cover of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The Goblin Emperor

Katherine Addison · 2014 · The Chronicles of Osreth

An exiled half-goblin heir is thrust onto an imperial throne and must survive court intrigue, grief, and succession politics.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: kindhearted protagonist · naive protagonist · socially awkward · shy protagonist · isolated upbringing · abused child · unprepared ruler · good ruler ideal · sensitive protagonist · compassionate protagonist · competent potential · outsider protagonist · reluctant leader · moral protagonist

Relationships labels: father-son conflict · mother-son bond · abusive guardian · court alliances · friendship seeking · arranged marriage · romance subplot · mentor-ward tension · found family · rival courtiers · class hierarchy · political dependency

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1645

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Cover of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 1 by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 1

Yoshiyuki Sadamoto · 2004 · 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン [Shin Seiki Evangelion]

A depressed teen is pulled into piloting a giant bio-mecha to fight mysterious angels and face his father.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: depressed protagonist · anxious teen · reluctant hero · estranged father · distant parent · supportive woman · traumatized cast · flawed characters · emotionally scarred · complex characters · coming-of-age · bratty rival · sensitive boy · cold leader · supporting cast · humanized characters · whiny protagonist · capable pilot

Relationships labels: father-son · parental abandonment · approval seeking · mentor-ward · rivalry · friendship · romantic tension · found family · workplace hierarchy · family drama · power imbalance · interpersonal conflict

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1659

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Cover of Variable Star by Robert A. Heinlein

Variable Star

Robert A. Heinlein, Spider Robinson · 2006

A broke would-be composer boards a relativistic colony ship after a love-and-family betrayal, only to face cosmic disaster.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young protagonist · musician protagonist · composer protagonist · socially awkward protagonist · gifted protagonist · flawed hero · headstrong hero · rich heiress · ruthless patriarch · competent characters · stock characters

Relationships labels: romance · engagement · failed romance · family pressure · power imbalance · mentor influence · community living · marriage

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1664

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Cover of The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

The House of the Scorpion

Nancy Farmer · 2002 · Matteo Alacran

A cloned boy raised as property in a drug lord’s future borderland must confront what makes him human.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: clone protagonist · child protagonist · coming of age · isolated child · sympathetic protagonist · morally complex characters · villainous ruler · caretaker figure · bodyguard mentor · love interest · antagonistic family

Relationships labels: found family · caretaker bond · mentor relationship · guardian relationship · romantic tension · power imbalance · loyalty conflict · betrayal · parent-child dynamic · friendship

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1687

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Cover of Superman: Earth One, Volume 2 by J. Michael Straczynski

Superman: Earth One, Volume 2

J. Michael Straczynski · 2012 · Superman: Earth One

A young Superman balances love, work, and public fear while facing a power-draining monster and global distrust.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young adult protagonist · alien outsider · reluctant hero · vulnerable hero · conflicted hero · idealistic hero · journalist protagonist · investigative reporter · dictator · serial killer · energy absorber · government officer · love interest · supporting cast · morally ambiguous villain · psychopathic villain

Relationships labels: romantic tension · neighbor romance · secret identity · workplace tension · mentor relationship · adoptive family · father son · public distrust · hero government conflict · hero villain rivalry · friendship · family loyalty

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1691

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Cover of The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

The Dark

Jeremy Robinson · 2021 · Infinite

A PTSD-stricken veteran faces three days of darkness, monstrous invaders, and a reality-shattering explanation for hell on Earth.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: PTSD protagonist · former soldier · veteran hero · unlikely hero · anti-hero · flawed protagonist · comic protagonist · young heroes · ragtag survivors · child characters · protective sibling

Relationships labels: sibling bond · family survival · neighborhood community · crush romance · parent-child separation · protective guardianship · team dynamics · friend group · mentorless kids · found family

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1697

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Cover of The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi

The Lies of the Ajungo

Moses Ose Utomi · 2023 · Forever Desert

A dying boy leaves a waterless city to hunt truth and survival across a brutal desert where lies shape every life.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young protagonist · child protagonist · brave · naive · inquisitive · determined · stubborn · outsider · archetypal characters · bullied · endearing characters · loss of innocence · growth arc · vengeful arc · heroic arc

Relationships labels: mother-son bond · found family · community survival · friendship · trust and mistrust · allies and enemies · power imbalance · us-versus-them · outsider bonds · unexpected relationships

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1698

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Cover of Shift by Hugh Howey

Shift

Hugh Howey · 2013 · Silo

A prequel unfolding the buried origins of the silo world through politics, memory loss, and interlocking timelines.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: bland protagonist · naive protagonist · workaholic · manipulated leader · rising politician · architect protagonist · revolutionary · isolated child · ambiguous villains · flat characters

Relationships labels: marriage · romantic triangle · best friends · mentor influence · power hierarchy · manipulation · community conflict · leader-subordinate

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1699

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Cover of Illusionarium by Heather Dixon Wallwork

Illusionarium

Heather Dixon Wallwork · 2015

A young scientist must use dangerous illusion-tech to save his plague-stricken family and uncover a parallel world’s secrets.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: ordinary hero · sarcastic protagonist · scientist protagonist · apprentice · prodigy · reckless · naive · loyal · brave · bookish · cocky rival · reformed rival · supportive father · feisty sister

Relationships labels: father-son · family bond · siblings · enemies-to-friends · rivalry · platonic bromance · friendship · mentor-mentee

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1704

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Cover of The Dig by Michael Siemsen

The Dig

Michael Siemsen · 2015 · Matt Turner

A psychometric young man is drawn to a Kenyan dig where an impossible artifact reveals a buried history.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: reluctant hero · young male protagonist · stubborn protagonist · socially awkward protagonist · gifted outsider · traumatized protagonist · corrupt antagonist · prickly ally · museum assistant · detective father

Relationships labels: mentor exploitation · father-son conflict · slow-burn romance · love interest · allyship · workplace manipulation · power imbalance · trust issues · family exploitation · partnership

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1708

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Cover of Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau

Independent Study

Joelle Charbonneau · 2014 · The Testing

A memory-haunted student navigates deadly university testing, political intrigue, and a growing resistance in a controlled future society.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: smart protagonist · overpowered protagonist · perfect heroine · resourceful heroine · stubborn heroine · analytical heroine · chosen one · student protagonist · young leader · moral protagonist

Relationships labels: romantic relationship · boyfriend · trust issues · friendship · betrayal · rebellion alliance · mentor relationship · government power dynamics · family memory

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1709

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