I'm talking more about the usual tropes found in this kind of literature: big, bad corporations; war = bad; non entities saving the world; boy is friends with girl growing up but doesn't realise he loves her till it's nearly too late; big soldiery type is friends with little weeny fella; little weeny fella finds strength through martial arts; etc.

They're all the same. The only change is that the main character wasn't real when most of the stuff happened.

He makes a friend. A boy (of course) his own agae. Smaller. As alone as he is. ... Cautious, as Marcus urged Gonzo to be from time to time, in curious contradiction of his own bold (careless?) fate. Someone to watch Gonzo's back. We settle down to play and it emerges that I am not quite as good at this as he is but good enough to keep him on his toes. In fact, this is almost definitive of me: in all those areas where Gonzo wishes to excel, I am just close enough behind to push him harder. In those he chooses to ignore, I am often quite talented. I am his foil. (450)