Heavenly Tyrant: 2 (Iron Widow)

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Li Shimin: the "Iron Demon", Wu Zetian's half- Rongdi co-pilot for the Vermilion Bird, a former death row inmate who was spared for having the strongest qi in the history of modern Huaxia. He is an alcoholic and has a tendency to lash out to express his anger, however he has a gentler and sensitive side underneath. Zhao, Xiran Jay (10 May 2022). Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781665900706 . Retrieved 24 October 2021.

Dugu Qieluo& Yang Jian: The female and male pilots, respectively, of the White Tiger Chrysalis. Qieluo is cold and hostile toward Zetian's attempts at friendship. People from my publisher, if you're reading this: this is not a personal dig at you, it's industry critique. I don't think you get paid enough either and you should unionize. You know you have my full support.) Universe, Greg (9 September 2020). "Chinese Writer Hilariously Breaks Down Disney's Live-Action Mulan". GeekFeed . Retrieved 24 October 2021.skye (2021-10-19). "Our Friend is Here! An Interview with Xiran Jay Zhao, Author of Iron Widow – On Their Author Journey So Far, Reimagining Historical Characters, & Upcoming Project Hype". The Quiet Pond . Retrieved 2021-11-03. Nawotka, Ed (24 September 2021). "Publishing in Canada 2021: Novelist Xiran Jay Zhao on Blending SciFi and Chinese History". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 24 March 2021. Zhao initially announced that the sequel, titled Heavenly Tyrant, would be released in Spring 2023, [36] however, they later announced that the release would be delayed to April 30, 2024. [37] [38] They earlier hinted on their Tumblr blog that the novel "will be a partial Three Kingdoms retelling". [39] Adaptations [ edit ] Our Friend is Here! Asian Heritage Month Edition – An Interview with Xiran Jay Zhao, Author of Iron Widow; On Feminist Fantasy, Giant Robots, & Diaspora Worldbuilding". The Quiet Pond. 7 May 2020 . Retrieved 24 October 2021.

After a heavily televised battle where Yizhi gives his qi to help them defeat a massive Hundun, Yizhi joins them in the Chrysalis. The three suspect that the Chrysalis system is biased toward the survival of the male pilots. Shimin and Zetian torture a high-ranking official, who confesses that girls are just as likely to have strong spirit pressure as boys, but the system is rigged to ensure the survival of the male pilot. Brooke, David (2022-04-07). "2022 Hugo Awards finalists, including in comics, announced". AIPT . Retrieved 2022-05-12. Wu Zetian: a peasant girl who becomes the titular "Iron Widow" and co-pilot for the Vermilion Bird Chrysalis. She seeks to topple the sexist society of Huaxia after her sister is sacrificed as a pilot. An Lushan: Chief strategist for the Sui-Tang frontier. He treacherously seeks to remove Zetian and Shimin from battle by sending them on suicide missions and is later interrogated by the two for his knowledge of the Chrysalis pilot system. No for real, spy thrillers set in the Republic of China era are a staple in c-dramas, and here Miss Chloe is, finally bringing it to Western YA! The era is famous for the amount of spying and information warfare that went on as the Nationalist [image]Emperor Qin Zheng: A legendary ruler of Huaxia and pilot of the Emperor-class Chrysalis the Yellow Dragon. Qin Zheng's spirit pressure is unmatched beyond any pilot in existence. He contracted a disease called flower pox and used the natural qi of the Kunlun Mountains to suspend himself in stasis until a cure could be found. Rumors say he remains there still, but the territory surrounding him has been lost to the Hunduns for over 200 years. Ulatowski, Rachel (17 March 2023). "Publishing's Unlivable Wages Delayed a Highly Anticipated Sequel From a Bestselling Author". The Mary Sue . Retrieved 17 March 2023.

In September 2022, Picturestart optioned the film rights to Iron Widow. It was announced that J.C. Lee was hired to write the screenplay and that the film will be produced by Erik Feig, Jessica Switch and Julia Hammer. [40] [41] Koehler, Mimi (20 September 2021). "Q&A: Xiran Jay Zhao, Author of 'Iron Widow' ". The Nerd Daily . Retrieved 24 October 2021.To keep her under control, the army pairs her with their strongest male pilot: the conscripted criminal Li Shimin. She and Shimin are a Balanced Match, and their mental bond causes them to learn more about each other. Zetian discovers that Shimin is actually a gentle artist who murdered his family for gang raping a young woman and that the army forced his alcohol addiction to control him. Though their relationship starts as a show for the public, the two fall in love. When they are relocated to the capitol, Yizhi pulls strings to be able to assist their training, in an effort to keep Zetian alive. Yizhi helps Shimin break his addiction, and Zetian and Yizhi secretly rekindle their love. Yizhi, Shimin, and Zetian secretly enter a polyamorous relationship. The Mary Sue Book Club, September 2021: Romance, Magical Realism, and More". The Mary Sue. 2021-09-15 . Retrieved 2022-05-12. Chrysalises are piloted by young men with high levels of spirit pressure who can release their qi, following the five classical Asian elements. Treated like celebrities by the media and adoring public, male pilots rely on "concubines", female pilots who supply them with additional qi at the cost of their own lives. Male-female pairings that don't risk the concubine's death are called Balanced Matches, but are rare and treated as celebrity marriages. The strongest male pilot in history was the legendary emperor Qin Zheng, rumored to be frozen in stasis within his Chrysalis, the Yellow Dragon, to stave off an illness until a cure could be found. This location was lost to Hunduns centuries ago. Brooks, Rachel (1 May 2022). "Children's Book Review: Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor (Zachary Ying #1) by Xiran Jay Zhao". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 14 May 2022.