The mask of fear is the book “Star Wars” for the political moment

Alexander Fried has written some of the most captivating books to Interstellar“The modern era, but I don’t think it makes it mental. It would be easy to prescribe a sinister sense of clairvoyance of a book like its most, its The mask of fearReleaseing at the moment in the time it is doing in the first months of Trump’s second administration – even if no one in its creation predicted the way in which the study of the early weeks of the establishment of the galactic empire can become news stories and titles We see every day.

But it would not be exactly true – I’m sure that many of us have not seen half the things we have heard about in the last few weeks, in the most specific senses. It would not be fair MaskThe first in a planned trilogy of novels in the authors trilogy, which must be released within the next few years to do so. In fact, Fried just does what Interstellar He has always done, Mapping a cycle in policy This speaks and reflects in countless ways the American Empire in various states of decline.

This is the goal of the series from the beginning, from Lucas Parallels provided Between the Vietnam Party War and the Vietnam War – Flaming the Empire itself to American Interests – the ways in which the background trilogy examined a corrupted government, usurped and transformed, albeit by other means, into the fascist state of observation in the midst of the war of the war of the war of the war Terror. It was a goal beyond it overflowing in the manner Interstellar It is now, with contemporary stories like Ace., Andorand Mandalian which all reflect in some small ways recurring political nature In its world and how it can relate to America’s own alternation between liberal and conservative forces.

Somehow would not be entirely fair or true to compare Mask to Interstellar Text with which it has been the most embodied since it was first announced, the aforementioned AndorS Yes, it certainly focuses on characters who received a spotlight in this excellent series (in the form of Mont Motma and saw GEORA, who together with the Bale organ are the three main pillars Mask It is built around) and certainly causes such a more darker and grounded tone of a political thriller.

But it would be more honest to say that Andor and Mask Deal with a similar idea from the point of view of two very different contexts. Andor begins his tale only 5 years before the events of Rogue one and New hope: The Empire is well established as the actual governing force of the galaxy, its grip tightened and the structures of resistance, which we see are ignited under this grip, are factions that we do not find in the most congratulating forms. They are not entirely organized resistance that would still face a galactic civil war, but they are fighting the empire in some form or another for a long time.

The mask of fear Sitting at the almost exactly opposite end of this chronological spectrum. Set only weeks after the end of RevengeThe empire itself is still only more than a name and an extensive array of Palpatine executive actions, the book is interested in a study of two specific ideas: what seems to have an authoritarian regime, suddenly accelerates in power from the back of populism and how all kinds may look like A unified discount on this power at its most prootypical, as people are slowly but surely starting to realize exactly what they really do.

There are natural elements of espionage and heating, intertwined in the three main arches of the Motma Book-Motma, unifying political support in the now property senate for a bill that is trying to muzzle the executive power of Palpatine, a guarantee that desperately seeks to reveal the truth about the truth about The destruction of the destruction of the executive branch of the Jedi Order and saw that he came across a former separatist sleeping agent who complied with his place in a new resistance to the former republic. But Mask is basically an intensive political book.

What does it mean not necessarily Mask He trades scenes from hidden actions for a strict debate about politics. But instead, no matter which pillar of the story we focus – or a handful of new characters that are woven through these storylines to offer their own insights and prospects in this fascinating period of Interstellar‘time line –Mask It is deeply interested in the policy of people, in the construction of a coalition, by morality has been changed or left aside by the perceived needs of making a coherent movement.

All three pillars of Mask In the end, it intersects, but even though we know that at some point, the Mon, and I saw everyone known but still wildly different goals and beliefs. However, Fried finds maturity in his writing and characteristic that is not afraid to dig these sections, and to push or gather these characters in unexpected ways.

These basic prospects in the book represent different aspects of rebellion as we will get to know it. The MES still has faith in political systems and actions, regardless of their corruption in the declining days of the republic or the usurpation of Palpatine from them. The guarantee is seen by others and occasionally by yourself as so blinded when exposing the truth about order 66 so that it can be stupid enough to believe that just cracked the case will leave a palpin forever (released never press a guarantee quite far in a direct parallel of how some people looked at Robert Müller’s investigation into the 2016 presidential election intervention, but certainly there is echo From this there, just as there is an echo for modern American policy throughout the book). SAW, though perhaps the least exposed to the trio in this particular part of the trilogy, is already in the process of its radicalization to extremist actions, the only possible counterpoint to extreme authoritarianism, regardless of costs.

Mask is best when it comes to exploring these different views and reaches a point where they can be synthesized in a resistance coalition. Palpatine may be a ghost that lingers over the whole book, but it is not a gift to stand up and beat the group to stand up and win. Instead, the conflict is either internal, since these political views and beliefs are mastered, or for much smaller battles, actions that ultimately reduce to the simple choice whether or not to comply with a regime that has risen in The corridors of power, tearing, tearing up the UP settled on the road.

This is the last feeling that may resonate most from the audience, especially for those who worry about Current Status of the United StatesS Although the parallels may feel particularly directed, reading this here and now, Fried again does not write from a point of prior knowledge – and neither writing is unsuccessful enough when circumstances would require MES Motma to proverbly to the reader and say “Voting vote Blue, no matter who ”to knock a point at home. The mask of fear It is so much for America in 2025 a future, grab with the threat of authority and oligarchs.

A smaller story may have just pointed to the current state of the world that played the proverbial video “So this is how freedom dies” from Revengeand left it there, but Mask is far more smart than this. What Fried explores in this book through the frame of Interstellar“Own established history and political infrastructure are ideas that have resonated throughout the franchise from the beginning. In this world outside our windows, but the one who is still deeply enriched by them.

The most interesting and most appropriate for this book then, both as the first in the trilogy and for its wider perspective of Interstellar“A battle against fascism, Mask It’s not really a book that has a certain end. The topics conclude, for sure, but we and history know that this is only the beginning of the decades in the creation. There is no clear villain to be defeated in this book, but instead of this confession to be accepted: this resistance takes time, takes the construction of alliances, it takes courage to stand for what you really believe in the world, Sold into the dangerous baits of populist, an authoritarian call and that none of it is easy.

Interstellar Of course, from time to time it allows itself to the luxurious fantasy of a single and open evil to stand down and win, and there is joy. But The mask of fear He enjoys a world that is currently lacking this – and for all his dark shadows he finds great light, thinking that the battle should be fought anyway.

Star Wars: the reign of the empire – the mask of fear Hit the shelves on February 25th. An advanced copy was provided for review.

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