The Mask of Fear

The reason that I enjoy the Star Wars Universe so much is that it vast and can be explored in new and interesting ways. The Skywalker stories will always be there, but there are shady towns and abandoned Sith temples spotted all over the Universe. You can follow an eccentric archaeologist hunting for forbidden treasures or read about the development of a new settlement at the Galaxy’s Edge. These are smaller stories that focus on a few, but Star Wars can also be big. It can be about system wide politics and, yes, even trade negotiations. Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed is the start of a new series that takes the widest possible look at the Star Wars Universe. 

The likes of Senators Mon Mothma and Bail Organa managed to survive the rise of Emperor Palpatine by the skin of their teeth. Having signed a decree against his rise, they were arrested and put on a watch list. They return to the Senate with fewer allies and less power. How can they fight against the rise of the insidious Galactic Empire? Organa sets out on a quest to prove the Jedi were innocent, whilst Mothma seeks to fight the system from within. These uneasy allies will meet other likeminded citizens across the galaxy and begin the building blocks of what one day will become known as the Rebellion. 

Mask is a Star Wars novel on the most epic of scales, not in terms of space battles and planets being destroyed, but in terms of scope. This is a book about politics that will affect billions of denizens across space. If that sounds a little dry, it can be in places, but not as much as you may think. Freed has taken a leaf out of the excellent Andor playbook and mixes the world of politics with the gritty world of early rebellion. Indeed, this series is set a decade or so before Andor and very much feels like a prequel series in terms of style. 

It is only really Mothma who stays in the realm of true politics in the book, but even she is not safe. Organa may be a Senator, but he sets off on a mission that would not look out of place for a Luke or Rey. Organa meets new allies and enemies, including the sparky Saw Gerrera. The book is an ensemble; several characters get their own chapters, the stories interweaving. Politics may dominate one chapter, the next could be full of action. 

I was happy to read both types of stories. Freed has developed their ensemble skills from the Alphabet Squad and has the balance much better here. The ebb and flow feel right, both the intellectual and the explosive catered for. Not all Star Wars fans enjoy the politics of the universe, but I even liked the trade elements in The Phantom Menace, and Mask is the closest I have read to this so far. Comparing some of the elements of rise of the Empire and are own real-world politics is a fascinating exercise. I am not sure if Freed was conscious of the links, but students of politics and Star Wars will see a few parallels. 

I genuinely enjoyed the political elements of Mask, but action fans need not fear as there are plenty of set pieces to enjoy including an epic fight in the ruins of an ancient city. There is a classic feeling character who has their moment in the book, the type of enigmatic antihero that comes and goes that Star Wars is famed for. Mask is one of the most complete Star Wars novels I have read, excellent for a rounded fan like me, but it may be too chunky for those that just like the action.