According to Tom Merritt, tech expert, author, and co-host of the sci-fi and fantasy book club Sword & Laser, some of the best characters are often short-changed. Here’s his list of those he thinks deserve a bigger share of the limelight.

From the list:

Sci-fi and fantasy characters are almost always epic. Frodo, the brave Hobbit. Jean-Luc Picard, the cerebral and brave Captain for the Starship Enterprise. Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Dragons, and almost every other character in Game of Thrones. I say nothing against any of these science-fiction/fantasy characters.

But sometimes in the wings there are amazing characters I have felt closer to, and I’d like to give them a little shout out. You may know of these characters, and if so, I’m glad; if not, hopefully, this list of 25 sci-fi and fantasy characters I think deserve more love will help you get to know them.

Nobusuke Tagomi: The Man in the High Castle
Nobusuke Tagomi from the book and TV series The Man in the High Castle. Mr. Tagomi is a trade minister who, from his seemingly mundane position, works to solve the problems of his world for the betterment of humanity and with honor. We could all use a few more Tagomis in our lives.

Lovelace: The Wayfarers series
Lovelace from Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series of books. Lovelace is the ship’s AI in the first book, but that book ends with some pretty crazy and traumatic events. That makes Lovelace a lot different, and one of the main characters in the second book. An AI with character growth, people.