One of the best sci-fi books no one knows of is Sam J Lundwall's "No Time for Heroes", a brilliant satirical dystopia in which a very reluctant army 'hero' Bernhard Rordin is shot off to a strange world accompanied by a commercially sponsored intelligent 'Robofriend'. In times of great stress, what Bernhard gets from the metal spider-like creature are brand jingles, upbeat marching music, a snitch on his behavior to his military superiors, and various product offers.
