'A ferociously original fusion of Chinese history and mecha sci-fi, this is a fast-paced thrill-ride.' - Guardian 'Absolutely epic. The time has come to stop more girls from being sacrificed. But after miraculously surviving her first battle, Zetian sets her sights on a mightier goal. 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. It doesn't matter that their female co-pilots are expected to serve as concubines and often die from the mental strain.

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises - giant transforming robots that battle aliens beyond the Great Wall.

'This is the historical-inspired, futuristic sci-fi mash-up of my wildest dreams.' Chloe Gong 'Raging against the patriarchy in spectacular style.' Observer, best books of the year 'Think The Handmaid's Tale meets Pacific Rim and buckle up.' Shelley Parker-Chan 'Like its ferocious heroine, Iron Widow is brutal, bloodthirsty and full of rage.' Julie C. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way-and stop more girls from being sacrificed.Instant New York Times No.1 Bestseller Science fiction and East Asian myth combine in this dazzling retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected-she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.

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