We're looking at people who have ideologically convinced themselves of their superiority on the basis of blood. They combine THAT with a rigidly hierarchical oligarchy for most of society with slavery reserved for some. Their cultural value system is predicated almost entirely on complex ideas of who should kowtow to whom and when, with extremely dire consequences.

Basically, it's racism that's not being called racism combined with slavery that IS being called slavery, laced into a colonization scheme that justifies itself with a providential sense of mission. AND they're basically looking to dominate the societies of every character other than Tuon we've ever liked. (I also don't like Tuon, to be honest.)

On a deep level, I seriously don't get how anyone could be a fan of them, but, oh well, it's just fiction... right?