_Fallen Dragon_ and _Survivor_

The last two books I read, Fallen Dragon, by Peter F. Hamilton and Survivor, by Chuck Palhaniuk have a few things in common.

I read both in one sitting. This seems to be the only way for me to apprach anything these days. If I can't finish it in one go, it gets put aside as soon as I seen another shiny thing.

The protaganists in each book are programmed to behave in ways that benefit their families, but each finds a way to break out. Lawrence Newton travels back in time to help himself run away from home; Tender Branson does not kill himself, and later his twin brother tries to break the rest of his programming.

Both get involved with evil corporations once they enter the real world: Newton becomes a corporate space pirate, and Branson becomes a TV evangelist.

And there's the theme of the transforming nature of sex. Both Newton's father and Branson's brother try to use sex to change them.

Coincidence, or special sauce?

I could turn this into a nice three paragraph essay, suitable for a 10th grade english class, but I won't.