Iron Widow

I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance.The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises – giant transforming robots that battle aliens beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that their female co-pilots are expected to serve as concubines and often die from the mental strain.When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, her plan is to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But after miraculously surviving her first battle, Zetian sets her sights on a mightier goal. The time has come to stop more girls from being sacrificed.

"The action-packed plot, involving battles both physical and mental, is original and incorporates queer themes and Zetian’s unwavering, cathartic feminism." —Kirkus Reviews

"[This] duology opener will appeal to those seeking high-energy, feminist, queer narratives." —Publishers Weekly

"[An] incredible novel, fun and exciting, sometimes horrible to read, but in all the ways that make you fall in love with a character." —Tor Online

"Iron Widow is an exciting, action-packed sci-fi story and a scathing indictment of patriarchal culture." —Shelf Awareness

"This novel will shock readers with its mind-blowing denouement." —CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Iron Widow is a groundbreaking YA novel." —The Oxford Student

"Zhao has done an impeccable job at developing a totally shippable polyamorous relationship." —The Strand

"Like its ferocious heroine, Iron Widow is brutal, bloodthirsty, and full of rage. Zetian's fight to shatter patriarchal definitions of power makes for a truly thrilling read." —Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

"A primal scream of a book, Iron Widow delivers on all that fury and more, combining meticulous pacing and brilliant world building to make a truly epic read."—E.K. Johnston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Aetherbound

"Zetian is the take-no-prisoners heroine you’ll love to cheer on as she crushes everyone who tries to bring her down." —Rebecca Schaeffer, author of Not Even Bones

"A bold and brash story that will grab you by the throat from page one. Zhao expertly weaves a story that polishes off classic sci-fi themes and re-imagines them in a lush futuristic world inspired by Ancient China. With an unapologetic heroine who pushes so far beyond the boundaries of expectations, the reader will go on a journey of twists and turns that will make them gasp with each page turn. Thrilling, heart-wrenching, and epic!" —Kat Cho, internationally bestselling author of Vicious Spirits