Heavenly Tyrant

Iron Widow, Book 2

By: Xiran Jay Zhao

Narrated by: Rong Fu

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller
CBC bestseller
USA Today bestseller

Zetian must balance dangerous politics with a new quest for vengeance in the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Iron Widow.

Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA listeners.

After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself on the seat of power in Huaxia, but she has also learned that her world is not as it seems. Revelations about an enemy who dangles one of her loved ones as a hostage force Zetian to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite their mutual dislike and distrust, the two must work together to take down their common enemy and stoke a revolution against the systems of exploitation that plague their world.

However, power is not so easy to wield once seized, and a revolution is not so easy to control once unleashed. As Huaxia’s former elites strike back and the common people’s fervor for justice turns bloody and paranoid, can Zetian remain a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance and liberation?

©2023 Xiran Jay Zhao (P)2023 Tundra Books

Critic reviews

"Returning fans will find many things to love in this cathartic power fantasy." —School Library Journal

Incredible

Excellent, no notes.
Slay queen.
The is an excellent continuation of the story and I can’t wait for the next book!

The hype deserved and the anger that follows

This was a long wait that was definitely worth it with the twists catching me off guard, the decisions the characters make causing laughter and annoyance, the length of this second entry making me weary then angering me for feeling too short. All the negatives feeling like positives at the end adds up to me loving listening to this. I will be lying in anguish waiting for the next book but making up for it with more and more listenings.

This was too good

I'm so happy to know there will be atleast one more book and maybe screen adaptation.
This series are that good

loved it and can't wait for more

fantastic narrator, and the story kept me engaged all the way through. I eagerly await the next in the series

Imaginative and exciting. I would recommend it to everyone.

I want more. I want the next book. Give me more. When does the next book come out?

Awesome book!

A fantastic book!
The characters, the dialog. There are several lines of dialogue and character reactions that made me laugh out loud.
I can't wait for the next addition.

Masterpiece of Modern Storytelling

This series has become my new favorite immediately. The author crafted a masterful story that is thrilling and always left me surprised by each turn. The tension between characters and the story arcs are satisfying and left me at the edge of my seat excited to learn what’s next. Beautiful. The book is political in nature, so it is for a specific audience and that audience is me to a tee. It tackles issues of ruling elites vs common people, social power, economic disparity and exploitation, and intersectionality. I am so so so excited for the next book.

Mechs of liberation!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fantastic sequel and I can't wiat to see where it goes next. I have very few problems with the book twoards the end but they don't even take away from the overall story. This series is a must read.

Incredible story

It was slow to get going, but is a masterful work with a wonderful narrator.

amazing

this story was amazing and was preformed perfectly. I highly recommend this to everyone