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    Heavenly Tyrant - Special Edition with Bonus Art (Iron Widow, Book 2)

    Part of Iron Widow

    Author Xiran Jay Zhao
    Paperback
    $14.99 US
    Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books
    5-1/2"W x 8-1/4"H
    On sale Nov 03, 2026 | 512 Pages | 9780735270008
    Grade 9 & Up
    Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

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    A stunning special collector's edition of the instant #1 New York Times bestseller, this paperback includes new cover effects and a full-color art print.

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

    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?

    This spectacular collector's paperback edition features a cover with luminscent effects and brand-new, never-before-seen art with characters from the book.
    XIRAN JAY ZHAO is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the Iron Widow series and Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Their books have been a finalist or winner of many awards, including the Nebula, British Science Fiction Association, Locus, and Astounding awards. A first-gen immigrant from small-town China to Vancouver, Canada, they were raised by the Internet and made the inexplicable decision to leave their biochem degree in the dust to write books and make educational content instead. You can find them @xiranjayzhao on Twitter for memes, on Instagram and TikTok for chaotic skits, and on YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture.

    View titles by Xiran Jay Zhao
    • WINNER | 2025
      Aurora Award - Best YA Novel
    • NOMINEE | 2025
      GoodReads Choice Award
    • NOMINEE | 2025
      Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
    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

    About

    A stunning special collector's edition of the instant #1 New York Times bestseller, this paperback includes new cover effects and a full-color art print.

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

    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?

    This spectacular collector's paperback edition features a cover with luminscent effects and brand-new, never-before-seen art with characters from the book.

    Author

    XIRAN JAY ZHAO is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the Iron Widow series and Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Their books have been a finalist or winner of many awards, including the Nebula, British Science Fiction Association, Locus, and Astounding awards. A first-gen immigrant from small-town China to Vancouver, Canada, they were raised by the Internet and made the inexplicable decision to leave their biochem degree in the dust to write books and make educational content instead. You can find them @xiranjayzhao on Twitter for memes, on Instagram and TikTok for chaotic skits, and on YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture.

    View titles by Xiran Jay Zhao

    Awards

    • WINNER | 2025
      Aurora Award - Best YA Novel
    • NOMINEE | 2025
      GoodReads Choice Award
    • NOMINEE | 2025
      Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

    Praise

    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

    Additional formats

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