Heavenly Tyrant (Iron Widow, Book 2)

De: Xiran Jay Zhao

Narrado por: 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 readers.

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?

Reseñas de la Crítica

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller
Indie #1 Bestseller
A CBC Books Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller
Nominated for the 2025 GoodReads Choice Awards
A 2025 Indigo Best of the Year (So Far)
One of the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens, Spring 2025
An Amazon Editor's Pick for Best Teen and Young Adult Books of December

PRAISE FOR Heavenly Tyrant:

"[S]trong worldbuilding lays a foundation for a story that explores social issues, contains a steamy romance, and delves into Zetian’s internal battles . . . A roller coaster of entertainment, emotions, and political machination." —Kirkus Reviews

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

"Full of action and intrigue . . . Whatever happens, Zetian remains in the center of it all. She is relentless, and she is sometimes a mess. But she is determined to bring down the gods—and anyone else—who control her and her country by any means necessary." —Reactor Magazine

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.

The power vacuum of political upheaval

There is a lot going on in this sequel to Iron Widow. I was astonished by the direction of the government reform that was occurring.

It shows what I feel is an accurate representation of what happens when someone with out any actual political savvy or understanding creates a massive power vacuum.

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next one.

It was an epic level sci fi story.

Another stand out hit

While there were some moments my heart ached for Wu Zetian to find some flicker of peace, this book delivered and THEN SOME. I can’t wait for the next book, this is truly an epic for the ages.

I blew through this

I love this story so much it was such a page turner I could not put it down! I love that the heroine isn’t some damsel in distress and she even struggles with the societal shame she grew up with as a woman. Even the cliffhanger on this one was killer! I need the next book asap. I love this author. Immediately on the must read list

Such a unique world!

Important note:
As the intro of the book warns there is an unflinching depiction of an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. At time it was an incredibly difficult listen in the way any accurate portrayal would be. This does not diminish the book but I think it's important to stress just how much of the book is dominated by this theme and it's repercussions.

This book is phenomenal. The world is unuiqe and engaging while the story does a great job pulling you along and keeping invested with the characters. It is rare to feel a sci-fi fantasy world is truly a new experience and the author is able to do just that. An excellent read!