The 20 year period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope has become one of the most documented eras of the Star Wars timeline. We have multiple TV series, movies, books, comics, and games that have wrestled with just how the galaxy of the prequels gave way to the universe we met in the original Star Wars. But if one of those stories has stood out among the crowd recently, it’s Andor–and the next Star Wars novel series wants to carry its spirit back to the earliest days of the Galactic Empire.
Although we got to hear about a lot of the future of Star Wars publishing at San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend, io9 has your exclusive first look at a Star Wars story that was left untold there: Reign of the Empire, a new trilogy of novels that will chart the rise of resistance against the Imperial regime from the very first year after Revenge of the Sith, all the way throughout the two decades that saw the formation of the Rebel Alliance and the beginning of the Galactic Civil War.
As you can tell by the cover of the first novel in the series, The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed (writer of the absolutely incredible Alphabet Squadron series) Reign of the Empire will examine the struggle against the Empire through the eyes of some familiar faces. Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera–all with their own differing perspectives on what must be done to stop Palpatine–play key roles in the trilogy, alongside a new cast of original characters as the galaxy begins to reckon with the grip of the Empire. Here’s the official logline for The Mask of Fear:
Before the Rebellion, the Empire reigned.
“In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the
first Galactic Empire! For a safe and secure society!”With one speech, and thunderous applause, Chancellor Palpatine brought the era of the Republic crashing down. In its place rose the Galactic Empire. Across the galaxy, people rejoiced and celebrated the end to war—and the promises of tomorrow. But that tomorrow was a lie. Instead the galaxy became twisted by the cruelty and fear of the Emperor’s rule.
During that terrifying first year of tyranny, Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Bail Organa face the encroaching darkness. One day, they will be three architects of the Rebel Alliance. But first, each must find purpose and direction in a changing galaxy, while harboring their own secrets, fears, and hopes for a future that may never come, unless they act.
The Mask of Fear will be followed by two more novels: the first written by Resistance Reborn‘s Rebecca Roanhorse, and the second by Fran Wilde, marking her full Star Wars novel debut after writing for the From a Certain Point of View anthology celebrating Return of the Jedi‘s 40th anniversary. While the first novel will be set in the very first year of the Empire’s rule, Roanhorse and Wilde’s books will jump forward in the Star Wars timeline by several years to explore key turning points in the myriad growing movements of rebellion across the galaxy.
“I’m enormously excited to be a part of this project and explore an era of Star Wars especially rich with the 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 said in a statement provided to io9. “It’s a chance to write a political thriller and spy drama and sweeping historical epic all at once, as well as spotlight Mon Mothma–a character I’ve been passionate about for ages. I can only hope the end result does justice to the grand themes of the prequel films, and manages a similar blend of timelessness and relevance.”
The Mask of Fear will release February 25, 2025, and is available to pre-order now. Books two and three in the Reign of the Empire trilogy are scheduled to release in Spring 2026 and Spring 2027, respectively.
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