Thank you Netgalley and Random House Worlds for allowing me to read this ARC! I feel very lucky to have been allowed to read this.

This book was fantastic! I was drawn in by the idea of getting to see more from a few personal favorite characters, Mon and Bail, and how things faired for them mere moments after the events of Revenge of the Sith. We get to see the more political side through this book (because yes, Star Wars IS political whether people seem to realize it or care to), but there is a fair amount of action as well. It has definitely prepared me for the next season of Andor and I cannot wait.

We follow along as Mon Mothma struggles to continue to keep any allies she once had before the Empire was established and hopes to ensure a bill that helps keep the Senate in control and makes sure that the Emperor doesn’t hold all the power. Between this and dealing with her own personal life, and with the knowing that the Empire is always watching ( and isn’t afraid to let her know that), we soon watch as she grows more and more into the leader we have come to know through the films and shows.

Meanwhile, Bail is also dealing with not only becoming a new father, but making sure that the Jedi’s name is wiped clean from all the lies and hatred that have been spread by the Emperor after the effects of Order Sixty-Six. We have always known that Bail is the biggest supporter of the Jedi, but seeing what lengths he would go to just to clear their name goes to show what a firm believer he was in them.

We also get introduced to new characters as well as see another familiar face (I’m looking at you, Saw), and the story flows well between each different point of view from all of these characters in a way that doesn’t seem too overwhelming. This book was very fulfilling and hit all of my marks, and I am truly excited to see where this story goes from between this moment and that of Andor. Once again I am thankful to have received this ARC!

Another Star Wars book has arrived with The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. This is the first book in a trilogy about the early days of the Empire from the perspective of Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Saw Garrera. I’ve been excited about this one for a while as Alexander Freed tends to write political espionage and intrigue very well and this novel did not disappoint on that front. While I was excited to see more of the three characters this book was advertised with, I’ll say that the three new characters were breakouts and the story of Soujen, Haki, and Chemish honestly kept me wanting to turn the page to find out what happened next. Getting to also see how shaky the foundations of resistance against the Empire was and setting up what we see in Andor also made me excited. Another tie in to Andor that I was happy to learn more about was the marriage of Perrin and Mon Mothma. I’ll also say that this book came out at the right moment and if you’re looking for something to get you through things going on and maybe even build you up, this is what you should read. Star Wars has always shared the message this book presents but I think Alexander’s writing really adds to that point. So, everyone should read Star Wars Reign of the Empire The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book!

This was a very interesting time period for a good Star Wars story! The founders of the rebellion, being in-between episodes 3-4 after the fall of the Jedi, this was intriguing. It does not shy away from heartbreak and serious issues. I loved getting to see Mon Mothma, Saw and Bail Organa and see the founders of the rebellion taking action. I thought they handled characters like Tarkin really well and made him a formidable opponent!

The only thing lacking in this book I believe was some pacing issues. There were times where things were very slow and relied a lot on exposition more than I would like. However, I don't think it was a major issue just a small nit pick. They squeaked in enough references and easter eggs that I believe made up for this small thing.

I think this could be great even as a standalone but knowing it's going to be a trilogy makes me very excited and eager to read more!

4.5 stars

I have to preface that, s a Star Wars fan, I really enjoyed this. Admittedly I have not read a ton of the Star Wars books (they are on my backlog), and I still felt like I was able to pick this up rather easily and did not feel like I was getting as lost in the details as I had expected. That being said, I can see how one might find the sometimes slower pacing something to contend with. I think I am going to try to do a re-read of this soon with my fandom hat off, to better gauge if I would recommend this to a non-fan. As of right now, I think this is a must-read for any Star Wars fan!

Thanks to Del Rey for giving me access to this book!

The Mask of Fear follows the story of the main leaders of the Rebellion during the early weeks of the Empire’s rise. We see Mon Mothma fighting to regain some semblance of the power and stability the Senate once held, Bail Organa struggling to protect the memory of those ghosts that still haunt him, and we get a POV that shows us how Saw Gerrera began his journey toward his own way of fighting the Empire. The narrative also includes additional POVs from new characters, offering a variety of perspectives on what is unfolding across the galaxy.

This book delves deeply into Star Wars politics, which, to be honest, can make it a slower read. However, that doesn't take away from it being one of the best Star Wars books I've read so far. I love Star Wars politics, and I'm especially fond of Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, so this book was perfect for me in that respect, particularly because we follow a bill being proposed in the Senate. But I also have to acknowledge that it expanded my understanding of how the events unfolding during these first weeks of the Empire's rise were impacting various groups of people. It truly explores the intricacies of the new world everyone was facing—not just the never-ending political maneuvering of the characters, but also the lived experience of those simply trying to survive after a war that had already caused so much damage.

The book is also heavily infused with grief and regret. You feel it in the main characters, you feel it in the galaxy at large, and you understand what has been sacrificed in the name of the peace and stability the Empire promises. These characters know this too. The ghosts of the fallen are ever-present, as are the ghosts of a lost past—of hopes and dreams crushed when the Empire seized control. There’s even a POV that mourns what was lost before the war even began, and that POV, while unexpected, struck me deeply. It’s not just the grief of others, but also a personal grief for lost purpose, lost beliefs, and the sacrifices made for something that can never come to fruition.

There are various moments of action along the story. However, the most exciting part of the story for me was, not so unexpectedly, a political one. I found myself rooting for something, even though I knew it wasn’t perfect—anything that would make the Emperor and his cronies angry. And of course, there were moments that scared me, but mostly, I felt an overwhelming sense of anger. There’s a specific scene that made me put the book down for a few days because of how sick it made me feel. It’s not explicit, but just the thought of something like that happening to anyone left me seething. We already know the Empire is ruthless, but it’s the humiliation and utter disregard for basic decency that had me truly enraged.

I highly recommend this book. You’ll be eager to see what these characters went through to become the people we know. Here, they’re not those characters yet—they still hold onto a different kind of hope. I can’t wait to see how that hope evolves into the determination that ultimately led to the fall of the Empire.

The newest book in the Star Wars galaxy is Alexander Fred’s Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear. It’s being billed as a thriller showing the rise of the Rebellion as a political entity, which it certainly delivers on.

The book is the first part of a trilogy from Freed, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Fran Wilde focusing on Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera in the early days of the Empire.

How does one build power from nothing for the Rebellion? Especially, when those people don’t like each other.

Fighting fascism makes for strange bedfellows, and despite Mon and Bail’s somewhat similar politics, they aren’t really anything more than cordial. Throw in the wild card that is Saw, and a three-pronged approach might just be best for business to grow the Rebellion.

I’m excited for the next two books to see how they build upon the foundation here along with the second season of Star Wars: Andor. I don’t know if we’ll see a time jump or not, but the possibility exists that we get into the time period of the show.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Worlds for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I was struggling to see how this would be a trilogy for ~75% of the book.

While reading this book, I was essentially checking off boxes in my head, and at the halfway point, I couldn’t for the life of me see where the story was going beyond this first book. It was pretty straightforward, and my thinking went, “This is going to be wrapped up by the end of this book, right?”

There were some plot points and character development toward the end that I wasn’t expecting, and that surprise excited me for the future. The path ahead was laid bare as the future focus came into view.

What does the burgeoning Rebellion do when it’s three defacto leaders have sometimes wildly different politics, personalities, and plans? That is our target.

Seeing Mom Mothma and Bail Organa struggle with finding their path to resistance was fun. Saw is a buzzsaw.

One of the most fascinating things from this book is learning that Mon and Bail don’t like each other all that much. Mon isn’t even a fan of Bail’s personality.

While Mon is focused on the language of the legislation being perfected to win over her fellow Senators, Bail is a schmoozer who is a “man of the people” and uses his gift of gab to influence voters and the public.

Of course, neither Mon nor Bail like Saw all that much either. In fact, it feels like the Onderonian freedom fighter/terrorist is not going to rely on either of their paths to building the anti-fascism movement.

We’ve seen the evolution of Saw from his appearances in The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Rebels, and Rogue One. Add in his work across various novels, and we know that there is nothing that Saw won’t do and no level of violence that’s “too far” for a better tomorrow.

I’ve seen enough: Alexander Freed and I don’t connect.

I don’t really want to admit it at this point, but I think I just have to accept reality. I don’t think Alexander Freed and I connect.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed the five books that I’ve read from him in Star Wars. I’ve read the Alphabet Squadron trilogy and the Rogue One novelization. I thought the stories were good; however, those books just didn’t hook me. The same thing happened here.

Now, I think it may just be that he hasn’t written anything involving The Force or Jedi which are, to be fair, the two things that I like the most in Star Wars.

Maybe it’s just that simple.

First off, a thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

With The Mask of Fear, Alexander Freed has started the Reign of the Empire series with a slow burning, political thriller that is not at all your typical Star Wars novel. If you found the Andor Disney+ series too slow and lacking in classic Star Wars adventure style, this book is definitely not for you. This books practically makes Andor look like Attack of the Clones. However, if you want a tightly written story of political intrigue concerning how the key politicians of Bail Organa and Mon Mothma deal with the first transitions from Republic Senate to Imperial Senate following the activation of Order 66, then you will love this book.

Essentially, the book follows five characters in the aftermath of Order 66, the declaration of the Empire, and the process to reintegrate the Separatist planets into the Imperial Senate:

- Bail Organa: the Senator from the planet Alderaan, friend of Padme Amidala and the Jedi, and adoptive father of Padme and Anakin Skywalker's daughter Leia. Bail is focused on bringing to light the lies the Empire has used to justify the execution of the entire Jedi Order, including Force-sensitive children.
-Mon Mothma: the Senator from Chandrila and eventual leader for the Rebellion to Restore the Republic. Mon is intent on finding a legislative way to curtail the excesses of the Empire and ensure the true power of the Empire rests in the hands of the Imperial Senate and not the newly proclaimed Emperor.
- Saw Gerrera: the freedom fighter from Onderon who, with the Republic's help, freed Onderon from the Separatists, only to have it fall to the new Empire. Saw's entire being is focused on freeing Onderon by gathering personnel and materiel to attack the Empire.
- Soujen Vak-Nhalis: an augmented being designed as a Separatist doomsday insurgent. Soujen's mission is to act as a weapon to be used to continue the Separatist threat after the leaders of the movement are gone or the defeat of the movement complete.
- Chemish: a young Coruscanti human being utilized (or maybe trained) by an agent of the newly re-christened Imperial Intelligence (formerly Republic Intelligence). Chemish is a true believer in the stability promised by Palpatine's Imperial New Order but questions some of the possible excesses he experiences.

The paths of these five cross continuously as we glimpse the first actions of the fledgling Empire and of those trying to understand the new power-structure in the galaxy. We are privy to the primary intentions of some of the people who will eventually form the core leadership of the Rebellion. The book does an excellent job setting the stage, but that is all that we really have so far: stage dressing. The motivations are set and the little victories and major upsets have been queued up. Unfortunately, the payoffs are not to be in this book -- which really should not be a surprise for the first book in a trilogy -- so keep your expectations moderate and (hopefully) prepare for the ride.

The Mask of Fear is everything Star Wars fans could hope for and more. Compulsively readable and hauntingly relevant, Alexander Freed has crafted a political thriller in the galaxy far, far away that rivals the sharp tension of Andor. Diving deep into the immediate fallout of Padmé Amidala’s death and the fall of the Jedi, Freed masterfully weaves an intricate, character-driven story that explores the fractured relationships among Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera. What makes this novel shine is how it examines grief, distrust, and the burden of leadership under the Empire's oppressive shadow. Mon and Bail’s partnership is marked by shared goals but stark differences in their approaches, while Saw’s radical extremism adds a layer of tension that feels heartbreakingly authentic. The friction among these iconic figures is palpable, their choices carrying the weight of an entire galaxy's hope—or despair.
Freed also introduces a compelling array of new characters, ensuring that the stakes remain intensely personal even as the story unfolds on a galactic scale. The Empire’s strength, as Freed so cleverly highlights, lies in isolating its opponents, breaking their spirits before they can unite. Watching these characters struggle to resist that isolation, all while unsure of where their paths will lead, creates an emotional resonance that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page..
Huge thanks to Penguin Random House for the ARC! This is an unmissable chapter in modern Star Wars storytelling, and I’m already counting down the days for the next instalment in the trilogy. If you’re a fan of politics, rebellion, and the emotional complexity that Star Wars can deliver at its best, The Mask of Fear is a must-read.

This book was incredibly good! This is a timely, slow-burn political thriller set in the early days of the Empire, focusing primarily on Mon Montha, Bail Organa, and Saw Guerra. We get some great insights into the experiences of these pillars of the Rebellion before the fight for the galaxy truly begins.

Along with the main trio, we are introduced to characters who show us just how complicated this time period has been in the Star Wars universe. From the Separatists to the ISB, from pro-empire extremists to Saw Guerra’s guerrilla fighters, from senators to civilians, the Clone Wars left its mark on everyone. The transition from wartime to peacetime is complicated when a dictator holds power and fear has everyone in its grasp.

In light of the current political environment in the US, this book feels incredibly realistic. Heartbreakingly so, a lot of the time. But through it all, is an undercurrent of hope. And as we remember, “rebellions are built on hope.”

I would like to begin by thanking Alexander Freed, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to preface this review with providing contextual information. I have loved Star Wars since I was a boy. My passions falls along the lines of winning most games of Star Wars trivia but is not yet at the level of owning a mancave full of stormtroopers. I admit to eagerly devouring any types of Star Wars media as soon as they are released. The majority of things (99%) released I love. BUT, I found this book to be dry in the beginning half.

I don't blame the dry writing on the author. In fact, the tone and character development were enjoyable and complex. However, many Star Wars fan often forget the political overtones that dominate the Star Wars universe. This book seeks to address them by describing concurrent stories that bring together three of the most important, yet underrated characters in the post-Clone Wars era.

Perhaps the driest parts of this book involve descriptions of the historical contexts and political factions operating simultaneously. In many cases even I, a massive Star Wars nerd, got confused and had to consult Wookiepedia (see, nerd!) to better understand the story. A helpful addition to this book would have been a 'Definitions' page that described characters, political factions, and perhaps even provide a short synopsis on their history.

Dry parts aside, the book overall provide helpful and complete context to the growth of the Resistance movement that dominated the Star Wars universe after episode 3. I would recommend this book to Star Wars fan, with the caveat that its a largely political story that requires moderate to above average levels of Star Wars intelligence to truly enjoy.

I was looking forward to this book and tying plot and characters from the new stories to the original. I was not disappointed. The author does a great job with the Star Wars story as always. The book took a little to get started but picked up after that.

The first instalment of the reign of the empire trilogy and so obviously the Author Alexander freed had some heavy lifting to do for all three books.

If you have followed Alexander freed's previous star wars book then you'll know you are in for a political book with a heavy dose of a main cast of characters with their personality nuances.

Now the book is a big slow burn but if you are someone who loves Rogue one/Andor then this book i would say is a must read with the three central characters being Mon mothma , Bail organa and Saw gerrera.

While trying to remain spoiler free as possible. in this books you will learn about the relationship between Bail and mon and it might not be what you expect , The relationship between Mon and perrins and purhaps gives some understanding why he is the way he is in Andor season 1.

What will be a lasting memory from this book? Again another star wars book that proves to me why Breha Organa is the Queen of my star wars head canon.

All in all 4 out 5 for me personally and when this comes out feb 25 ill be reading the audiobook too

I will always be a Mon Mothma stan! Thess perspectives were interesting, since I feel like it's one we're always so close to but not directly shown. I'm interested if any of this will be brought into the shows being made now that cannon around these times are being rewritten.

“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to a 4-star review.”

Star Wars: The Mask of Fear peels back the curtain on the galaxy’s dark days with Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera leading the charge—or at least figuring out what the heck they’re doing in the shadow of the Empire. Think of it as Andor: The Prequel to the Prequel, with all the moral dilemmas and political intrigue you could hope for.

The book doesn’t shy away from the heavy stuff—there’s betrayal, heartbreak, and enough oppression to make you want to punch Tarkin in the face. But fear not, because the characters’ journeys are gripping enough to keep you turning the pages faster than the Millennium Falcon making the Kessel Run. Mon Mothma is a queen of quiet defiance, Bail Organa’s optimism is practically glowing, and Saw Gerrera… well, let’s just say the paranoia is strong with this one.

What’s keeping it from a full 5 stars, you ask? The pacing occasionally felt slower than an astromech stuck in sand, and some moments leaned too hard on exposition. But the sheer depth of character exploration and the looming tension of the Empire’s rise make up for it. Plus, there are enough Easter eggs to make even a casual fan shout, “I understood that reference!”

Bottom line: The Mask of Fear is an engaging, brooding start to a trilogy that promises to show us how rebellion is born—one fear-filled choice at a time. Worth the read, even if it leaves you muttering, “This is how liberty dies…”

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to build a Rebel cell in my living room.

Thanks to Random House Worlds for the advanced digital copy of this book.

This dad read The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed, the first installment in the new Star Wars trilogy, Reign of the Empire. The Republic has faded, and an Empire has risen. Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Saw Guerrera—three future leaders of the Rebellion—must define their purpose and, more importantly, act amid political upheaval and galactic change.

I’ve been excited about The Mask of Fear since its announcement in 2024, as Alexander Freed is one of my all-time favorite Star Wars authors. A book about this specific period in galactic history sounded intriguing and ripe for exploration. I knew it wouldn’t be a Star Wars book filled with a breakneck plot and action scenes, and I’m all for having familiar faces ground a story. However, I found that The Mask of Fear struggled to keep my attention, mainly due to its strong political storyline. While Freed’s skills are exemplary, I often found myself yearning for a more exciting plot.

Being the first book in a trilogy, The Mask of Fear has to do some heavy lifting. It must establish an entirely new segment of the timeline and lay the groundwork for what readers can expect. Freed is more than competent in this task, but I found that the first half of the book was so focused on setting things up that I struggled to stay engaged. I’m not the most patient of readers, and this book didn’t hook me from the outset. Additionally, political stories aren’t really my thing, so I found the nitty-gritty details of the state of the galaxy during this time hard to get through.

Where Freed excels is in his characterizations. In his hands, established figures like Mothma, Organa, and Guerrera are handled with the utmost care, and Freed puts his own unique spin on their personalities at this point in time. I especially enjoyed seeing Mon and Perrin’s relationship (or lack thereof) during this period in their lives. Freed beautifully captures the complexities of these two characters and how, even without much love between them, they still need and care for each other. Freed also successfully introduces a brand-new character whose storyline I believe is the most exciting part of the novel. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that this character is introduced under a shroud of mystery, and his actions left me shocked and thrilled until the very end.

By the final third of the novel, I was hooked; the storylines converge, and the book ends on an explosive note that left me craving the next installment. I have a feeling that by the time the Reign of the Empire trilogy concludes, I’ll look back on The Mask of Fear differently than I do after my initial read. Fans of political slow burns will undoubtedly enjoy this book, but for me, it lands at 🧢🧢🧢/5. Freed’s writing and the solid ending make it worth the read, and Star Wars fans with a love for politics will eat it up.

This book was a great disappointment. I have read several of the Star Wars novels and this one is towards the bottom of the list. It takes place between the time that the Jedi are wiped out by Palpatine and A New Hope begins. The author portrays key characters to the rebellion as indecisive, self centered and non strategic thinkers. Instead of filling in the gap it leaves more questions in my mind as to how the rebellion grabbed hold and became a functioning organization.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

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.

Plot
This book starts right off with action. This is a very well known time in the Star Wars Universe, shortly after the fall of the republic and the start of Palpatine's reign. As the book continues there are moments of high action and more relaxed areas as well. This book is close to 500 pages, but it never felt long; Freed did a wonderful job with the pacing of this book. I loved how each chapter had a different character's point of view, but quite often the characters in the book will join others (some expected, some not) and see the meeting from a multiple character’s view. My only problem with the plot is at times it felt very sudden at times and jumped from one scene to the next, especially with action sequences. If you were also worried about this book being too political based, then do not worry. I found that it was very action filled with the senate politics throughout the book, but nothing that was too overwhelming.

Characters
The main characters include Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Soujen. Soujen chapters allowed us to see most of Saw Gerrera. I do think Freed did a great job with Soujen’s character and you never knew his true motives or feelings, which helped with the pacing of the book. My favorite was Bail Organa. He is naive in a way because of how strongly he believes in his cause. I loved how Bail was the only one that truly cared about what happened to the Jedi during Order 66. If he was not there, the Jedi would be a very small portion of concern. His close relationship with Padme really shined in this book and was one of my favorite parts. Now if you are a fan of Andor, then Mon Mothma’s sections of this book will definitely be your favorite. She is where you will find the most political aspect of the book. These parts were a little harder to get through personally, since political books do not interest me as much. However, she is such a strong character and I loved seeing how she is able to deal with everything that went wrong around her in an admirable way. My problem with the characters is sometimes that there are way more points of views in this book than needed. In a senate meeting when they switched to the point of view of a senator for only one chapter throughout the book, I thought that worked so nicely. But there were other characters that I felt the point of views were unneeded and ruined the flow of the current storyline.

The Present and Future
The book could easily be read as a stand-alone. However, I can see where the next two books in the trilogy will go due to this trilogy taking place over 19 years. I hope we do get more Saw Gerrera in the next book. This is a fantastic book for any Star Wars fan! I will definitely be adding this to my list of books any fan can pick up and easily understand, whether you only like the movies or everything.

I feel like this book tried to blance more narratives than it could handle, and because of that none of them were as compelling as I really wanted them to be. did appreciate the casual nonbinary representation, but as a whole this wasn't as good as I expected for a novel centering around some of my favorite star wars characters (guys i am a saw gerrera apologist sorry not sorry)

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for an advanced copy of this book set in the Star Wars Universe during the chaotic time of the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Empire and those caught in between, wondering their place in the new order, and how to stop it.

One of my biggest questions about Star Wars, and over the years there have been a lot, with the numerous retcons, and old universe stories, legacy stories, what if stories, was how the Empire became so powerful, so fast. In the original Star Wars, I had thought the Empire had been around for at least a century. Turns out it was only 18 years. The Jedi were besmirched, thought of as an old religion, not worth thinking about, but still in memory there had to have been people who had seen them. Served with them. And yet they were forgotten As I got older I could see how this happened. People don't like to remember, and many in power don't want to risk that loss of power that comes from standing out. Nor does it seem do they want to give up power at all. Many in American politics look about Yoda's age. With as firm an understanding of what is going on in the world as Yoda did hiding on Dagobah. I was not a fan of Episodes 1, 2 and 3, but the historian in me, did enjoy the political side of the story. The change from Republic to Empire. One that seems a little more real today. I think Alexander Freed enjoyed that also, and being a great writer has crafted a story set in the time of change between Republic and Empire. Where a rebellion was being conceived. Star Wars: The Mask of Fear is the first book in the Reign of the Empire series and tells the story of the end of the political war against the Empire, and the start of a Rebellion that would light up the stars.

The book takes place shortly after Episode 3, with a still ravaged Coruscant recovering from the siege that lead to the death of many, and the man known as Palpatine to secure his grip on the fledgling Empire. Astute eyes notice that humans are being hired for security forces, but who these security forces are looking for, or protecting is still in question. Mon Mothma is a secure Senator, save from election, whose last stand against the rise of the Emperor led to her arrest, and a bit of enhanced interrogation. Mon knows that there are other forces still in the Senate willing to fight the Emperor, but has no idea how to go about it. Soon it becomes apparent that Mon Mothma is considered a threat, as political groups friendly to the Empire begin to protest her, and much More. Bail Organa is also a Senator, a firebrand with friends, a powerful wife, and a plan. Bail does not believe the propaganda coming out about the Jedi, and has vowed to find out what the Jedi knew, and why the Emperor wanted them stopped. Bail's plans will take him all over the galaxy, meeting new people, and creating whole new problems for many. Saw Gerrera is a fighter, who has found the ultimate weapon, maybe. This might cause bigger problems for him, or help Saw find a purpose to his life. One that will lead to much destruction.

I really enjoyed this book, not just as a Star Wars novel, but as a parable for today's modern world. Freed is a very good author, able to balance a lot of storylines, characters, and write beloved characters in a uncharitable light. These are not the beacons of the Rebellion yet. These are politicians, willing to deal, trade, twist arms, bow down and beg, and do anything to keep their power. Also help people, but really keep power. The book has quite a lot going on, with plots mixing, twisting and ensnaring each other, but Freed is really good at keeping it all together. The examples of modern politics fill the book, adding to the story, and the reality of what is going on. One of the better Star Wars books I have read. Probably since the last Freed novel.

Star Wars fans will enjoy this new look at characters. Some will complain about politics being in Star Wars, one which makes me laugh all the time, as even a cursory look at George Lucas will let one know he was political. Even non-fans will find much to enjoy, though a familiarity with the characters would be helpful. Freed is a very good author, with a lot of good ideas, and a good eye for mixing what is happening today into a galaxy far, far away. I hope to share a cell with him in the Empire reeducation camps.