What the title says, I’m tired of the trope where humans are the least advanced in the universe.
I’d like to read something different where we’re the more advanced ones (not necessarily the most advanced). As an example I quite enjoyed the Ender’s Game sequels and the angle of us being the more advanced ones was quite interesting.
Do you have any recommendations?
To me, the alien tech was abandoned and only really significant as fuel for what the true story is. There is no humans versus aliens as a main story best until the very end, and even then humans have the upper hand. The main story beat throughout is human versus human, even in the epilogue we find out that the conflicts continued.
Yeah, but that doesn’t really make it humans are the most powerful species. Just that they’re a kid that found a loaded gun and decided to shoot themselves in the face with it.
I don’t necessarily agree with you since I interpret OP’s request differently, but ultimately that’s up to them to decide if it fits the bill. That said “…kid that found a loaded gun and decided to shoot themselves in the face with it” is glorious and a perfect encapsulation of the premise. It’s like what happened in The Gods Must Be Crazy when they find the coke bottle. Before long, humans start bashing others upside the head with it. It’s what we do.