The Mask of the Empire takes place in the early days of the Galatic Empire, when many of our heroes are still figuring out what it means to be ruled by Emperor Palpatine - we meet younger versions of Senator Mon Mothma, Senator Bail Organa and guerrilla fighter Saw Guererra. The book is being promoted as a tie in to the Andor series, but readers should know that the book takes place about 15 years before the events of Andor - instead of the weary elder statesmen who have watched the civil liberties and freedoms disappear over time, they are still feeling out how far Palpatine will go, with one character comparing Palpatine's men to "boys who have the keys to the store", arguing that Palpatine will calm down eventually. As someone who loves politics, I really enjoyed getting more of an insight into Mon Mothma and Bail Organa as senators - Freed clearly know some people who work in government, as he accurately depicts how much time officials have to dedicate to constituent services and fundraising, rather than actually legislating. We were also able to see a little more of the interactions between local governments and their representatives in the Galactic Senate - I would love a later book to show Mon Mothma working with local Chandrilan leaders. But we also see Mon Mothma worked with some senators who might seem very familiar to any American following our current Senate. "Is not my greatest duty to follow the wishes of the people?" one asks her, rebutting the ancient argument of Edmund Burke. It was also fascinating to get a more in depth look at Bail Organa. Most of his presence in the Star Wars universe has been as a side character, seen through the ideas of his Jedi friends or close colleague Padme, or his daughter dealing with his memory: all of these portrayals have less nuance than Bail has here, dealing with the trauma he experienced during the downfall of the Jedi. The book recognises that sometimes trying to deal with your own personal trauma can be a complex experience when also trying to work for your people. This book is incredibly topical and asks some difficult questions that many people are grappling with right now: how much do we owe to a public who is making decisions which may harm them? How does personal trauma interact with our duty to act for the sake of others? How much kindness and loyalty should we offer when the world seems to be changing around us? What duty do we owe to a dead cause? Star Wars historically asked some hard questions - I'm glad to see Freed continuing that legacy and recommend this book to any Star Wars fan. I see that the trilogy will be taken on by two other writers - they will have some big shoes to fill in Freed.

If you like deep political thrillers, this is the book you've been looking for. Freed is a master of delving deep into tactics- whether political, or battle related, he goes into granular-level detail on how it all works. This is no exception. Set after Order 66, Leia is a baby, and Bail is devastated after the loss of his Jedi friends. Mon Mothma is reeling from the shock and working quietly in the background to see how she can unseat The Emperor and stop him from becoming the tyrannical leader she knows he will be. This book takes you down the somewhat terrifying rabbit-hole of espionage, political treachery, and urban terrorism, and doesn't hold back. His view is from the ground- how the public is treated, how politicians are treated if suspected of being against the Empire, and the desperate fight for freedom that is carried out with words rather than weapons. For people who are looking for something light, fun or battle-packed, this might not be for you. This is a book that fights at a different, more considered and tactical way, and leaves you feeling like you understand the desperation of the Rebellion even more.

As a political scientist, I’ve always been interested in the depiction of politics in the Star Wars Galaxy. I enjoyed Chris Kempshall’s The History and Politics of Star Wars, and rate Claudia Grey’s Bloodline as one of the best Star Wars novels of the past decade. So, I was understandably excited when I heard about the upcoming Reign of the Empire trilogy, which would focus on politics between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Alexander Freed, author of the first book in the series, described it as “nuanced stories of ‘ordinary’ citizens—people living inside the machinery of the Empire, still figuring out what’s happened to their government and in violent disagreement over ideas of democracy, resistance, revolution, and complicity.” Freed’s The Mask of Fear fulfills that promise, and then some. True to the premise of this trilogy, Mask of Fear isn't a story about Jedi, blaster shootouts, or space battles, but rather about politicians and soldiers tying to find their way in the months following Palpatine's declaration of Empire. In this way, it's a spiritual prequel to Andor and Rogue One, although it doesn't feature any of those characters aside from Saw Gerrera. Most readers know Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma as leaders of the Rebel Alliance, but at this point in time they're not necessarily allies. Mask of Fear portrays them as very different politicians with very different goals. Bail investigates clues about the true nature of Order 66, while Mon introduces a bill to limit the Emperor's powers. Bail is more idealistic and wants to openly condemn the Empire's crimes, while Mon thinks they need to work within the system. Bail searches for the truth, while Mon searches for powerful allies. It's a nuanced reflection of the decisions and tradeoffs anyone working in politics faces on a daily basis. Saw Gerrera also has to decide if the end of the Clone Wars means his insurgency is over or has only just begun. Saw at this point is a hardened warrior, but not yet the fanatic we see in Rogue One. Perhaps more importantly, the book shows why his followers are so loyal. Saw isn’t just a warrior, he’s a leader who knows how to speak to – and manipulate – people. Mask of Fear isn’t a particularly violent book, but the way it describes the suffocating oppression of Palpatine’s Empire makes it one of the darkest Star Wars books I’ve ever read. The filth of the Imperial detention centers makes them all the more realistic and terrifying. The pervasiveness of surveillance and passivity of most citizens makes opposition to the Empire appear fruitless. Indeed, readers know that Bail, Mon, and Saw do not succeed and that the Empire survives another two decades. And, yet, how they fail says so much about this political moment in Star Wars. Mask of Fear doesn’t have much action or adventure, but kept my attention like few Star Wars books have. I highly recommend to readers looking for a political thriller set in the Star Wars Galaxy. Note: Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been looking forward to this book for a while as I'm a major Mon Mothma fan ( thanks to Andor and the amazing Genevieve O'Reilly). I'm also a fan of the gritty, grounded political side of star wars. Don't get me wrong I love a sith lightsaber swinging bouts as much as anyone. But there is so much more to the SW universe than lightsaber wielding and the force. I'd you want lighsabers and heavy action then this book is not for you. If you want a book that captures the fear and tension immediately after the declaration of empire, fear felt from the top of the social strata to the bottom. Then this is for you. You see some of the Rebellions founders vulnerable and traumatised in ways we didn't realise, you begin to see the battles they wage around what is right vs what needs to be done. Whilst it won't be for everyone I personally think this is one of the best books since catalyst and the Darth Bane trilogy.