In this episode of Resistance Reads, we dive deep into Heavenly Tyrant, the highly anticipated sequel to Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. This is not just a book review. It is a critical conversation about power, resistance, feminism, and the political structures that shape both dystopian fiction and the real world.

We explore the novel’s political themes, pacing, and character dynamics, with particular attention to women-led resistance movements, the costs of revolution, and the myth of the benevolent dictator. Along the way, we connect Heavenly Tyrant to broader conversations in anthropology, intersectional feminism, and cultural critique, questioning popular narratives around power, violence, and social control.

This episode also tackles:

• Colonial feminism and Western intervention narratives

• Misconceptions in popular anthropology, including critiques of Jared Diamond and Steven Pinker

• Police, state violence, and the role of force in maintaining social order

• How contemporary science fiction and fantasy reflect real-world political anxieties

• Character consistency and ideological tension in modern speculative fiction

If you are interested in political science fiction, feminist literature, dystopian novels, cultural criticism, or leftist media analysis, this conversation goes beyond surface-level fandom and asks harder questions about what resistance really looks like and who pays the price.

In Episode 11 we discuss the powerful themes in R.F. Kuang’s Babel and share our critique of Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein. We explore Babel’s unique magic system rooted in language and translation, the complex relationships between its characters, and the book’s sharp examination of colonialism, resistance, and identity.

We also reflect on the novel’s portrayal of betrayal, moral dilemmas, and the costs of fighting oppressive systems—considering how privilege, dignity, and collective action shape the story’s impact. Finally, we talk about why Babel resonates so strongly with modern readers and why it has the potential to be remembered as a contemporary classic.

In their 10th epsiodes, Michael and Matt take a fresh look at Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (the 1818 edition) and why this classic story still matters today. They explore the novel’s powerful themes of creation, ambition, and isolation while connecting them to modern life, the industrial revolution, AI, the Tech industry, and capitalism. They also compare the 1818 edition to the 1831 edition and how Mary Shelly's life experiences changed some of the themes of freewill and destiny in the later version.

In Episode 9 we looked at power and resistance in the 2021 novel Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. The novel is a mecha reimagining of the rise of China’s first and only female Emperor Wu Zetian set in the nation of Huaxia, a futuristic reinterpretation of Medieval China. In this episode we looked at patriarchal systems and how the main character, Wu Zetian, smashes them with a giant Mecha vermillion bird.

In Episode 8 we cover the early Afrofuturist novel Black Empire. The plot is essentially, what would it be like to have Marvel's Killmonger/A James Bond Supervillain as your boss. The book is a collection of two major serials stories from the 1930s compiled in the 1990s into novel format. It follows newspaper man Carl Slater, who, is kidnapped by Dr. Belsidus in the very first chapter after witnessing a murder. Dr. Belsidus then enlists him in his plot for the destruction of white empires like Italy, Brittan, and France, and the conquest of Africa to build a Black Empire.

Episode 7 covers Sinclair Lewis's 1935 Dystopian political novel, It Can't Happen Here. The book is about the rise of a fascist dictator in America and an allusion to the rise of Adolf Hitler, in a time when many American's didn't even know who Hitler was. In many ways, this book was a prescient warning about what was already unfolding in Europe, and, a book that echoes elements of our own time ninety years later. So, join us for a discussion of the book and the past and present American political climate.

Episode 6 swashbuckles its way into the 2005 novel Zorro written by the legendary Isabel Allende. This book is a kind of Zorro origin story and covers his journey to become a champion of the common people and his fight against corrupt officials before the Spanish American War, when California was still a part of Mexico. We learn about Zorro's parents, his adventures in Spain, and what drives him to take on the mantle of the masked vigilante. If you grew up watching the reruns of Zorro on the Disney channel like I did, this episode might just be for you. If you like masked heroes who defend the innocent from the powerful, this may also be for you.

In our 5th Episode we will discuss the novel, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Published in 1939 The Grapes of Wrath is a novel about life during the Great Depression and in the midst of the Dust bowl. The book follows the Joad family as they are forced to leave their farm in Oklahoma and travel west to California in the hopes of finding work and a better life.