This might surprise you, but I remember a series of pulpy type fiction when I was a kid - “Bio of a Space Tyrant” by Piers Anthony.
In the first book “Refugee”, the main character was a teenage Hispanic space refugee and his refugee ship was boarded by pirates - who killed the men and did piratey things to the women, including his mother.
So the main character named “Hope Hubris” starts out in a Red world - violent, brutal, exploitative and uncaring.
The next books in the series describe the Rise and Fall of Hope Hubris - Mercenary, Politician, Executive, Statesman. The final book is from the point of view of his sister, “Spirit Hubris”. Through this we see the Space Tyrant through a different lens.
Piers Anthony wrote to an audience of predominantly Teenage Males, so his writing style appeals to that age group. What I find interesting looking back and why I think this work is integral is because it delivers very complex and even integral ideas in a narrative that is easy to digest. What would it be like to rise from refugee to the most powerful human in the galaxy - and then deeper how would his feminine side (sister) observe all this?
I think it’s also worth noting that he didn’t shy away from the plight of real life refugees - he threw it in the reader’s face full-force in book one in all it’s shocking brutality, nor did he pull punches as the main character rose in power.