punkalouver,
What you describe was very true for earlier Jet engines. With these engines, there was a pretty-much direct mechanical link between the Thrust Lever and the FCU. There's no reason why the mechanical response couldn't have been modified to provide a more linear response.
In more modern engines, where the Thrust Lever position is transmitted to an Engine computer, the response is much more linear. (Note that I said 'much more', it isn't quite linear, but much closer).
It's quite noticeable with trainees from earlier engines, that to achieve a little more break-away thrust, they advance the Thrust levers an inch or two, and give the terminal, other aircraft, containers etc. a good dusting off.
Regards,
Old Smokey