For a while I’ve been compiling a list of similar characters in my fiction; for instance, why is Michelle Morgan, graduate student, philosopher, and Sunday supplement author in Akard Drearstone, so much like Moolka Waxtor, writer in residence and secret society initiate in The Soul Institute?

I made a table of similar characters from published and unpublished novels, novellas, and novelettes, inventing eight female and eight male categories:

Female 1. Chaotic, Alluring 2. Quiet Intrigue 3. Earth Goddess, Patience 4. Mature, Grounded 5. Ridiculous Goddesses Who Get their Way 6. Strong Leaders 7. Uptight Bad Leaders 8. Young with Erratic Power

Male 9. Dazed, Low Self-Esteem 10. Leaders, Mature or Mystic 11. Thrust into Leadership 12. Fools or Innocents 13. Naïve, Prone to Life Mistakes 14. Bullies or Tricksters 15. Comic or Tragic Authorities 16. Friends and Sidekicks

Have I just been repeating myself? Or developing themes across many works? The list isn’t complete, and I often shift its characters around. They can also appear in more than one category, even in the same novel. I don’t expect anyone to actually read through this list, or that the names would make sense to anyone but me, but the categories and the number of examples in each are illuminating.

The Characters Table is a PDF, then is translated into bullet points below.

1. Chaotic, Alluring

• Amav in The Martian Marauders and Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Jackie in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Suzette in The SolGrid Rebellion
• Barb or Jessica in Sortmind
• Jill in CommWealth
• Debbie in The Soul Institute
• Laurie 283 in The Wounded Frontier
• Reva in Asylum and Mirage

2. Quiet Intrigue

• Sairjin in “Perpetual Starlit Night”
• Dazzie in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Coerjen in The Martian Marauders
• Anna in Sortmind
• Lisa A. in CommWealth
• Lisa B. in The Soul Institute
• Caspra in Asylum and Mirage

3. Earth Goddess, Patience

• Sarka and Crystal in Akard Drearstone
• Diana in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Elise in Sortmind
• Sandra and Moolka in The Soul Institute
• Emala in Jump Grenade
• Jasmine in Asylum and Mirage

4. Mature, Grounded

• Katy in Akard Drearstone
• Mandy in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Amav in all seven Jack Commer, Supreme Commander novels
• Laurie in The Wounded Frontier, The SolGrid Rebellion, and Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Jill in CommWealth
• Felicia in The Soul Institute

5. Ridiculous Goddesses Who Get Their Way

• Naomi and Michelle in Akard Drearstone
• Joyce Commer in The Martian Marauders
• Laurie 283 in The Wounded Frontier
• Amy in Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Falpa in Sortmind
• Moolka and Boots in The Soul Institute
• Marina in Asylum and Mirage

6. Strong Leaders

• Janice in “Damage Patrol”
• Susan in The Psychobeauty
• Roberta in The First Twenty Steps
• Ranna in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Hedrona in Collapse and Delusion
• Amav and Laurie 283 in The SolGrid Rebellion
• Suzanne in Sortmind
• Erica in CommWealth
• Seveta in The Soul Institute
• Emala in Jump Grenade

7. Uptight Bad Leaders

• Melinda Blair in “Damage Patrol”
• Shi Idnin in “Perpetual Starlit Night”
• Mary in The Fifty-First State of Consciousness
• Catherine in Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Carla in The SolGrid Rebellion
• Jipo in The Soul Institute

8. Young with Erratic Power

• Lucy in “Damage Patrol”
• Laura in “Randy and Laura”
• Rix in The Psychobeauty
• Jan Pace in Akard Drearstone
• Karen in The University of Mars
• Cindy Vespertine in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Laurie in The Martian Marauders
• Alicia in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Elise in Sortmind
• Jill in CommWealth
• Rhea in The Soul Institute
• Uni in Jump Grenade
• Caspra in Asylum and Mirage

9. Dazed, Low Self-Esteem

• Randy in “Randy and Laura”
• Jim Piston in Akard Drearstone
• Jim Stunde in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Joe in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Jonathan James Commer in Collapse and Delusion and Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Will Connors in The Wounded Frontier
• Peter in Sortmind
• Himal in The Soul Institute
• Dave in Asylum and Mirage

10. Leaders, Mature or Mystic

• Garsniyyj in “Roadblock”
• C. in The Psychobeauty
• Mullein in The First Twenty Steps
• Akard, Dr. Norsen, and Dyson Annersnex in Akard Drearstone
• Oceanmouth, Pentacre, and Eric in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Dar and General Scott in The Martian Marauders
• Jack in Nonprofit Chronowar, Collapse and Delusion, The Wounded Frontier, The SolGrid Rebellion, and Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Z’B in The Wounded Frontier
• Steve in CommWealth
• Angent, Solis, Larson, Preston, Holcombe, and Tuttle in The Soul Institute
• Mongar Frederick in Jump Grenade
• Singletree in Asylum and Mirage

11. Thrust into Leadership

• Derek in The Psychobeauty
• Harry in The First Twenty Steps
• Akard in Akard Drearstone
• Jack in The Martian Marauders and Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Phil in Collapse and Delusion
• Kner and Z’B in The Wounded Frontier
• General Douglas in The SolGrid Rebellion
• Jonathan James Commer in Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Mitch in Sortmind
• Fannin in The Soul Institute
• Dan Ryder in Jump Grenade
• Dave in Asylum and Mirage

12. Fools or Innocents

• Gary Blair in “Damage Patrol”
• Al in The Psychobeauty
• The Porn King in “Perpetual Starlit Night”
• Fack in The First Twenty Steps
• Mike the wise freak in Nova Scotia
• Harley, Harray, and Kevin Stukia in Akard Drearstone
• Matthew and Dazzy in Zarreich / Galaxies
• John and Jonathan in The Martian Marauders
• John Root in Collapse and Delusion
• Ballard in The SolGrid Rebellion
• Jannes in Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Don Roseparker and Albert Snuck in Sortmind
• Allan in CommWealth
• Don Emerson in The Soul Institute
• Thomas in Asylum and Mirage

13. Naïve, Prone to Life Mistakes

• Jim in “Roadblock”
• Randy in The Psychobeauty
• in The Fifty-First State of Consciousness
• Bill in The University of Mars
• Jim Cathedral in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Joe in The Martian Marauders and Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Urside in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Patrick James in The SolGrid Rebellion
• Oliver and Godwin in Sortmind
• Richard in CommWealth
• Mitar and Dorrington in The Soul Institute
• Wally in Jump Grenade
• Dave in Asylum and Mirage

14. Bullies or Tricksters

• Mark in “Damage Patrol”
• The Gasoline Minister in “Randy and Laura”
• The Porn King in “Perpetual Starlit Night”
• Bill Punish, Pete, Al Stoker, Emory, and Ted Pace in Akard Drearstone
• Fred Diamond in The University of Mars
• Steve Dorch in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Walter in Notice and Dream Topology
• Douglas and Hergs in The Martian Marauders
• Lee Borman and Clopt in Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Carl Posttner in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Draka Sortie in The Wounded Frontier
• Jannes in Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Manfred in Sortmind
• Tom, Muscles, Leon, and Greg McKinnon in The Soul Institute
• Billy Bolamme in Jump Grenade
• Thomas and Leon in Asylum and Mirage

15. Comic or Tragic Authorities

• The Gasoline Minister in “Randy and Laura”
• Harper in The First Twenty Steps
• Mavory Deltrang and Ted Pace in Akard Drearstone
• Larry Cathedral in Zarreich / Galaxies
• Major West in The Martian Marauders
• The Crab Emperor in Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Waterfall Sequence in Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Duce, Perrine, and Toland in Sortmind
• Burlcron in The Soul Institute
• Coach Bolamme in Jump Grenade
• Singletree in Asylum and Mirage

16. Friends and Sidekicks

• Oceanmouth in “Roadblock”
• Ch’ing in The Psychobeauty
• Dan and Mike M. in Nova Scotia
• The Governor in The Fifty-First State of Consciousness
• Craig and Richard in Akard Drearstone
• Jim in The Martian Marauders
• Joe Commer in The Martian Marauders, Jack Commer, Collapse and Delusion, The Wounded Frontier, The SolGrid Rebellion, and Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Z’B in The Wounded Frontier
• Bobby Athens in Jack Commer, Supreme Commander
• Jack and Churchill in Nonprofit Chronowar
• Edward in The SolGrid Rebellion and Balloon Ship Armageddon
• Sam and Godwin in Sortmind
• Peter in CommWealth
• Mal in The Soul Institute
• Frank in Jump Grenade

 

I’m not yet including characters from Supreme Commander Laurie, as the novel isn’t finished.

 copyright 2023 by Michael D. Smith