Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear Is Haunting, But Also Very, Very Good
A spoiler-free The Mask of Fear review.
Star Wars has always been political. (If you disagree, you may not be the right audience for my work.) The franchise was built upon and still revolves around stories of war, the parties responsible, the innocent people impacted by the aftermath, and those genuinely trying to stop it. It has been this way for nearly 50 years, and it’s not stopping anytime soon.
Whether intentional or not, Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear is a devastatingly timely narrative about a rapidly shifting galaxy, the drastic takeover of a regime, and how everyone — from so-called ordinary people to those glued to the Senate floor — is attempting to survive it.
Very little time has passed since Order 66 and the immediate aftermath of Revenge of the Sith. Political figures like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa find themselves tiptoeing upon new ground, under the watchful eye of the Galactic Empire, reeling from what they have seen in the weeks, months, and years prior. The Jedi are gone — good riddance? The new Emperor hasn’t been seen since the rapid dismantling of the Republic. Separatist worlds are counting their losses. Some, such as Saw Garrera, are already attempting to ignite a fight against those deemed responsible for the worst of the war’s casualties.
And then there are those caught between two questionable choices — serving the Empire and saving those the Republic left to suffer no matter the cost. What does the average everyday citizen do when nothing happening above or around them makes sense? Who can be trusted? Is it time to fight again — or has there been enough fighting for one lifetime?
It’s hard to read this book without thinking of current events. That’s really all I can say to that effect. You don’t have to view it that way or read it with real-world context, but personally, I tried that and failed. This is not a criticism of the book. Far from it, actually. When I say Star Wars is political, I mean Star Wars is a web of stories inspired by the worst things humanity has ever done to itself.
Perhaps you’re not into stories about passing bills, hiding from Imperial spies (or being one), or trying to speak out against the wrongdoings of people more powerful than you. But perhaps you are, instead, a fan of tales surrounding the thrill of post-war conspiracies, or the dangers of partnering with those you can’t fully trust. The blurred lines that come with pretending you’re someone you aren’t, laced with just enough truth to keep you sane. As sane as anyone can be in a galaxy like this.
Alexander Freed has always been good at highlighting the traumas of conflict and how people recover (or don’t) from the horrors they’ve been forced to witness. He steps it up even further with Mask of Fear, except this time he gets to do it with familiar characters like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa. Freed is interested in the politics of the particular era he happens to be writing in, as always, but in this case, he’s even more focused on the people responding to those politics. Not just those impacted by them, but also those who might have the influence necessary to do something about them.
You’ll thoroughly enjoy this book if you’re already a Freed fan, if the Rise of the Empire is your favorite era in Star Wars, If you really liked Andor and want to know more about Mon Mothma’s earlier involvement in the movement that would eventually morph into a rebellion.
Some books, even without fully meaning to, just happen to line up so perfectly with the times that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t actually written yesterday or even a few months ago. Things just sometimes work out that way. It’s a good story if that’s all you’re looking for, but an even better one if you’re seeking a Star Wars story that is both captivating and relevant. It all happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. But history has a way of repeating itself a thousand generations over.
Star Wars Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed is available now wherever you get your Star Wars books.
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