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there was a point during the first boss fight (no spoilers) where I walked away for like 2 weeks b/c I was irritated, but I picked it back up & as the book went on I felt like I could see which parts were deliberate and the point they were trying to make more clearly. I enjoyed enough to get book 2!

The first book feels like a critique/parody of reality TV to me. Although I might have a different perspective if I re-read it now that I'm up-to-date in the series. The entire series is about imperialism, appropriation, and resource exploitation.

honestly, I feel like all of those themes are pretty strongly there in the first book too! (or maybe I just think too much lol)

Very possible. It's been a hot minute since I read it and he starts hitting you over the head with them more and there's less of the reality tv aspect as time goes on.

Oh yeah there's a lot more going on in the background than is obvious in the first book. I think it's book three that has the railroad level and that's when some of the bigger picture starts becoming more obvious.