I’m looking for books that explore power imbalances or dehumanization between characters in fantasy/scifi environments, especially involving the emotional catharsis of oblivious outside characters realizing and reconciling with the situation.
The absolute best example would be the Murderbot Diaries, especially All Systems Red, specifically in the slow process of the human clients starting out by dehumanizing SecUnit, then realizing SecUnit is an actual person and reconciling thereafter with that power imbalance. Many bonuses for SecUnit’s narration (deeply resigned, rarely indignant, but still snarky and self-aware about its circumstances)
Gideon the Ninth also had some good elements of this, with Gideon going from indentured to serving as cavalier, although there wasn’t as much of a conclusion to that arc (so far)
Winter’s Orbit was also really fun in this regard.
Romance is fine, but any overlap between romantic tension and power imbalance is a big ick. Please no historical, or any narratives that accept or justify the power imbalance/dehumanization.
by desultorydenouement