 Ken MacLeod stated that "the political strand in [science fiction] can be described as a dialogue with Heinlein".Science fiction critic Darko Suvin wrote that "Starship Troopers" is the "ancestral text of U.S. science fiction militarism" and that it shaped the debate about the role of the military in society for many years.The novel has been credited with popularizing the idea of powered armor, which has since become a recurring feature in science fiction books and films, as well as an object of scientific research.