Something like Speaker For The Dead, but without the male savior fetish writing

Okay, I didn’t know about Orson Scott Card’s political and religious beliefs when I started reading his work. I’ve been desperate to find a great series after devouring the Red Rising books. I didn’t really like Ender’s Game too much, but the prose final chapter really hooked me and I was excited to get into book 2.

I thought for the most part the general concepts for Speaker For The Dead were incredibly eloquent and beautiful. I loved the moral questions it posed, I loved having the perspectives of the xenologers and xenobiologists. I loved the different species, the world building, discovering the symbiotic relationships of all the species on the planet, and virology in the book. I loved that it was kind of a murder mystery, but not in a typical way at all. I also loved the concept of a Speaking, and like the uncovering truths to understand the desires, regrets, and the life story of those who have died. It just was such a beautiful blend of emotion and science in a way I’ve never read before.

HOWEVER. I can’t stand Orson Scott Card. How can he write so beautifully about the power of empathy and then have so much vitriol for anyone who is not white or straight. Also, I couldn’t stand OSC’s fetish for his little hero. Ender: the Ender of worlds, the savior of worlds, a peacemaker, unbelievably handsome, everyone is obsessed with him, and on top of that, the universe’s most celebrated author!? Puh-leeeaaase. And how all of the women are at one point or another referred to as his lover/wife — EVEN HIS SISTER. It’s cool that all the female characters are incredibly smart, but, the reader is constantly reminded that they’re not as smart as Ender!

Is there anything like it that’s not so god damn cringey?? The closest I can think of is Parable of the Sower, which I LOVED, but I’m hoping for a series with more than two books!