Heavenly Tyrant brings us back into the science fantasy world inspired by ancient China that Xiran Jay Zhao introduced us to in her 2021 debut, Iron Widow. It’s an understatement to say numerous revelations and major events happened in that book, and any discussion about its sequel can’t help but spoil some of them. Consider this your spoiler warning for Iron Widow, though I’ll keep major spoilers for Heavenly Tyrant out of this review.

The sequel picks up moments after the end of Iron Widow, where Wu Zetian’s relentless quest for revenge culminates with her destroying the Palace of Sages—the political body that ran her country’s oppressive patriarchal society—in the Yellow Dragon, a Chrysalis or mech she helms with the help of Qin Zheng, an emperor from over two hundred years ago who she unthawed from self-imposed stasis to help her bring the government down. When she destroyed the Palace, she also knowingly caused the death of her remaining family and other innocents in the building, an act that will unsurprisingly haunt her in the pages to come.

Heavenly Tyrant starts with Zeitan still in the Yellow Dragon with Zheng, who has stopped responding to her. Another Chrysalis, still loyal to the old order, attacks the Yellow Dragon; Zetian, exhausted after flying essentially solo, begs Zheng to help her. He wakes up and does so; Zetian passes out from exhaustion. When she wakes up a few days later, Zheng is the emperor of Huxaia and she’s betrothed to him, becoming his empress. But even though she’s now an empress, she’s still literally in shackles, as Zheng can control the spirit armor she wears and orders her to walk around masked so no one else may gaze on her face. In his mind, she is his personal property.

It’s here where Heavenly Tyrant becomes a differently paced book from Iron Widow. Where the first book was plot-driven and action-heavy, the majority of its sequel focuses on political commentary and intrigue more in line (though not in tone) with Katherine Addison’s The Goblin Emperor or the galactic trade routes plot line in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

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I really loved this second installment! I still love the main characters and I gasped out loud multiple times!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Iron Widow. This is not the same. It's still really good, but not the same. I think that is fair because the situation has changed, i.e. rebellion against the system versus ruling a country. I still really enjoyed it, but I also went into it thinking it was the end of a duology. It is not. I can't wait for the next one as I love the world and Xiran Jay Zhao's writing.

Rating: 4.25/5

Heavenly Tyrant delves deeper into the complexities of power, revolution, and personal sacrifice. Zhao expands the world-building, introducing intricate political dynamics and exploring themes of systemic oppression and the corrupting influence of power. Zetian's character development is compelling, as she grapples with the moral ambiguities of leadership and the cost of her decisions. The novel's exploration of feminist themes and its critique of patriarchal structures are thought-provoking and timely.

However, the narrative's ambition sometimes leads to pacing issues, with dense political exposition that may slow the momentum for some readers. While the novel offers a rich and immersive experience, certain plotlines and character arcs could benefit from more development. Nonetheless, Heavenly Tyrant is a bold and thought-provoking sequel that challenges readers to consider the complexities of justice, power, and societal change.

DNF @ 40%. Chapter 18.

I really enjoyed Iron Widow and Wu Zetian’s absolute path of destruction. I wanted to see the consequences of what had happened. But nope. It’s like we restarted. We start Heavenly Tyrant with Shimin poofed out of existence and Yizhi turning into a convenient plot device, oops new side character.

Then there’s the politics. After the third political manifesto speech, I just didn’t want to pick up the book again. I get what you’re going for but I don’t want to hear it again and again and then AGAIN.

Lastly, the romance. We had a good thing going with Yizhi and Shimin. Why did the author throw them out and put Zetian and our frozen emperor, Qin Zheng, together? Leave them as is. Why does there have to be romance at all. Keep them as mentor and student. The power dynamic is way off and was beginning to feel icky.

I won’t be picking up the sequel. I was disappointed considering how much I loved the first. I’d re-read Iron Widow but not this again.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Zhao's Heavenly Tyrant manages to largely balance a much more thorough exploration of the costs of political victory and the work and compromises involved in imposing one's values on a nation with Zetian's personal growth challenges. While the tone can tip too far into educational, disrupting the pace of the story, they've crafted compelling characters and a fascinating world that will keep readers engaged.

Heavenly Tyrant is a worthy sequel to Iron Widow, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first book. The author really leans into the chaos and complexity of what happens after the revolution, and it’s messy in all the best ways. Zhao goes bigger and deeper here, exploring complex themes around power, control and revolution. Zetian’s journey continues to be intense and emotionally layered, and the story leans into its moral gray areas.

While I would recommend this book and found it to be a strong sequel, I do think the author has big ideas that they sometimes struggle to execute. The story digs a lot deeper than the original, but at times it can run away with itself, which causes pacing issues. Zhao will continue to be an author I watch, as I feel they are constantly pushing boundaries and refining their craft as a writer.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book early.

A huge fan of the first book in the duology, I was so excited to see what kind of mayhem Zitian would cause. Exciting, action-packed with its signature polyamorous love triangle, this sequel was all I wanted it to be and more.

I’m so excited to see what Zhao does next.

Perhaps it gets a little too in the weeds on political systems, but overall, this is an excellent follow up to the first book.

The second book in the series and one that has me begging for the next one already! I loved the first book so much and this was such a fun way back into the world. I feel like I could devour this series over and over and never get tired. I was so engrossed in the story and the relationship between the characters! I highly HIGHLY recommend this series to anyone who loves an action packed, brutal and amazing read that just gripes you by the throat and never lets up!

I have a reluctant reader who is devouring this series. They were really happy when I was able to purchase and provide this title to them so they could keep reading. If you enjoyed the first one, the second doesn't disappoint, and has even more twists and turns.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I loved this story so much and I am beyond happy that there are going to be more books with these characters.

Heavenly Tyrant is the second installment in the Iron Widow series. After the events of book one, Zetian finds herself in a position of power in Huaxia. As she works towards creating a fair and equal nation, Zetian must also navigate what her new power means, who she can trust, and what she must do to change things.

As someone who does not have very much patience for books over 350 pages anymore, I have to say that I was engrossed in this book. I have not read a sci-fi/fantasy series this compelling in a LONG time. I love everything about this story, the sci-fi/fantasy elements, the morally grey characters, the complicated relationships, the politics! I also love that you never truly know what Zetian is going to do next. She is such a complicated and stubborn character. If any of these things intrigue you, I would recommend picking this series up asap.

I am looking forward to Iron Widow #3, which I have not been able to find very much information on. This book definitely ends with a cliffhanger, but with everything that happens in Heavenly Tyrant, I think it was a good place to stop and start setting up for the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao!

Really good follow up to the first book. I really loved the dynamic between the main character and the newbie (I miss the og boys rip they’re barely there for this one). It was much denser and political compared to the first entry with less action but the characters really shined in this. Qin Zheng was a fun and interesting edition to the cast. I did miss the two love interests as they were mostly background characters (one barely appears) but the story was focused on the main character so I get it.

Excellent follow up on the first novel! The pace never stops qnd the ending was incredible. The characters while known to us in the first book reveal more depth in this book.

Amazing selection of folklore and history based sci-fi, definitely something everyone needs to read.

I have to say, even though this book was very much not the same as Iron Widow, I don't altogether think that's a bad thing. I enjoyed a lot of it, but... There are a few things here that I'm still unpacking, and I'm not sure how I feel about a lot of this book. There's definitely a lot of heavy undertone here, to the point that it almost doesn't become undertone anymore, and I won't say I disliked it, but it was definitely a difficult book for me to get through. Zetian continues to be a very interesting character for me, and even though I was fully expecting a duology here I won't be disappointed for a third!

The sequel to Iron Widow, this time focusing more on the politics of the world and social commentary on the classes that parallels current issues . The relationships went a slightly different direction from the first book, but it seems it will change again in the next book. Overall, a solid follow up, if not a bit long-winded at times. Looking forward to the final book bringing everything together.