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Twilight Imperium #3
The Veiled Masters: A Twilight Imperium Novel
The galaxy stands on the brink of war, yet hope remains that the vast web of schemes can be exposed before it’s too late, in this astounding space opera from the acclaimed game, Twilight Imperium
The balance of power is shifting, with bold new alliances, unknown invaders, and the rumored return of the galaxy’s ancient masters. When black-ops spy Amina Azad saves a Hacan ambassador from assassination, she draws him into her investigation of a vast unseen forces are destabilizing the whole galaxy, at the worst possible time. Pursued by agents from dozens of other factions, they can only make progress by allying with their apparent enemies. But even they might be compromised – duped into action by a secret puppet-master. How can they trust an alliance when they can’t trust themselves?
The balance of power is shifting, with bold new alliances, unknown invaders, and the rumored return of the galaxy’s ancient masters. When black-ops spy Amina Azad saves a Hacan ambassador from assassination, she draws him into her investigation of a vast unseen forces are destabilizing the whole galaxy, at the worst possible time. Pursued by agents from dozens of other factions, they can only make progress by allying with their apparent enemies. But even they might be compromised – duped into action by a secret puppet-master. How can they trust an alliance when they can’t trust themselves?
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2022
13 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 10, 2022
This was the book I was waiting for. Tim Pratt is a great writer, smooth and elegant. His earlier books in this series were, for me, a bit too casual and tongue-in-cheek. But this book has a really menacing conspiracy and still lets the three series’ protagonists swagger and amuse. This felt like a concluding volume but I hope there is more to come. If not, delightful capstone volume.
July 14, 2023
The Veiled Masters by Tim Pratt is the third book set in the "Twilight Imperium" universe. As with the first two books, this one can easily be read as a stand-alone. There is some overlap between the books but never the less the story is complete without having previously having read any of the other books.
In this one, someone has framed a Hacan diplomat for murdering his good friend. He is broken out of jail by a human operative and the story takes off from there. This story is a mix of political machinations and investigative spy sci-fi intrigue. The story will take many twists and turns and in my opinion, it is the best book in the series yet. If you enjoyed the first two books in this series, you will find this one even more satisfying.
In this one, someone has framed a Hacan diplomat for murdering his good friend. He is broken out of jail by a human operative and the story takes off from there. This story is a mix of political machinations and investigative spy sci-fi intrigue. The story will take many twists and turns and in my opinion, it is the best book in the series yet. If you enjoyed the first two books in this series, you will find this one even more satisfying.
May 9, 2022
A delightful adventuresome space opera! As the third book in Tim Pratt's Twilight Imperium series it was nice to reencounter major characters and settings from the earlier books. The danger and risks this time were more serious than ever and the story quite entertaining. There was no shortage of spaceships, wormholes, interesting technology, aliens, espionage, shady diplomats, and a satisfyingly set of story arcs.
Many thanks to Tim Pratt and Aconyte books for kindly providing an advanced electronic review copy of this wonderful story.
Many thanks to Tim Pratt and Aconyte books for kindly providing an advanced electronic review copy of this wonderful story.
March 15, 2022
Thanks, Netgalley and Publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
Very intriguing sci-fi space novel! It's part of a series, which I still have to check the other installments, but the conspiracy plot and mystery in this one keeps you on edge from beginning to end. I loved it!
Very intriguing sci-fi space novel! It's part of a series, which I still have to check the other installments, but the conspiracy plot and mystery in this one keeps you on edge from beginning to end. I loved it!
February 25, 2025
A shadowy set of actors taking over the minds and puppeting political and military leaders around the galaxy is the plot of this third story in the "Twilight Imperium" stories. Old friends/foes must reunite, pretty grudgingly, after they learn of some insidious faction hijacking people for unknown ends.
From book one, Felix and his crew and the ever wisecracking and slippery Amina Azad, and the ruthless Severyne all discover that something is wrong across the galaxy after an inciting incident: a diplomat is framed for murder then escapes from the authorities.
Felix is tasked with apprehending the diplomat; but Azad saved him, with the two racing across the galaxy in search of answers, with Felix and Severyne in pursuit.
Once everyone discovers the source of the unbelievable problem, they all decide they will work together to stop the threat.
There is much humour from Azad’s irreverence, and from the straightforward narration of the diplomat (who chronicles his and Amina’s flight and hijinks). I liked Felix's frustration at having to deal with Azad and Severyne again.
I also liked that no one knew who was trustworthy, and the baddies are suitably scary. I appreciated the swift plot, and the mention and/or return of characters from the earlier books in the series. At the same time, it was not critical that I had read the earlier instalments, but it certainly deepened my enjoyment of this story.
I was entertained by the characters and their interactions, and liked all the twists that had characters running around the galaxy putting pieces of the puzzle together, while trying to figure out how to neutralize the threat to all the sentient beings in the galaxy.
Definitely a lot of fun, and recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Aconyte Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
From book one, Felix and his crew and the ever wisecracking and slippery Amina Azad, and the ruthless Severyne all discover that something is wrong across the galaxy after an inciting incident: a diplomat is framed for murder then escapes from the authorities.
Felix is tasked with apprehending the diplomat; but Azad saved him, with the two racing across the galaxy in search of answers, with Felix and Severyne in pursuit.
Once everyone discovers the source of the unbelievable problem, they all decide they will work together to stop the threat.
There is much humour from Azad’s irreverence, and from the straightforward narration of the diplomat (who chronicles his and Amina’s flight and hijinks). I liked Felix's frustration at having to deal with Azad and Severyne again.
I also liked that no one knew who was trustworthy, and the baddies are suitably scary. I appreciated the swift plot, and the mention and/or return of characters from the earlier books in the series. At the same time, it was not critical that I had read the earlier instalments, but it certainly deepened my enjoyment of this story.
I was entertained by the characters and their interactions, and liked all the twists that had characters running around the galaxy putting pieces of the puzzle together, while trying to figure out how to neutralize the threat to all the sentient beings in the galaxy.
Definitely a lot of fun, and recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Aconyte Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
June 13, 2023
So, I just went through these three books without having played the game, and found all three to be quite enjoyable. Of the three this one was probably my favorite just because the stakes felt higher. Going between the written memoir of one character to 3rd person narration was an interesting choice, but I thought it worked. This was another good space opera book, just like the two before it in the series, and has probably convinced me to spend some time learning the game. I thought the romance between Sev and Amina was cute too.
November 27, 2023
I really like the characters and I'm sorry to see this series end.
May 2, 2025
Love these books. Tim Pratt always keeps me hooked on these stories. I greatly appreciate the characters from previous books. Their development was some of jr best I've ever read and enjoyed. Wonderful read!
July 3, 2022
Aconyte has overseen publishing tie-in material to various Fantasy Flight Games properties. Most of the time, they have been good-not-great. My biggest complaints have been the constant winking at the reading. The nudging in my side indicates “yeah, you recognize this, it’s from that thing you love, and that’s why we put it here. Just. For. You.” And I’ve always found too much of that annoying to the point of pandering. It’s why I don’t watch that hack show Big Bang Theory. I’m a nerd. I know it.
The Veiled Masters: A Twilight Imperium Novel finally finds the right amount of winking, tells a great story and is easily the best of the Aconyte/FFG partnership thus far. Veiled Masters benefits from a multitude of factors. It’s the third in a loose trilogy of novels all by the same author. Being familiar with the two previous novels, it is much easier to sink into the world. The majority of POV characters were established in the two previous novels. The new POV is entertaining and immediately has a distinctive voice. I recently read Wrath of N’kai, and one of my complaints about the book was the use of three or four chapters to fill us in from a boring, rushed, and generic perspective. As this book features a conspiracy, the author effectively reveals layers of the conspiracy through interstitial chapters called “The Faithful”. These chapters feature either totally new or very minor side characters. Once the second Faithful chapter comes around, and it is understood that the Faithful chapters will be bouncing around, I immediately know that these are plot devices, which is fine, as they never overstay their welcome. Across the board chapter lengths are short, and the pace is up-tempo the entire time.
I do not think there was a gratuitous mention of a race/empire/faction in this novel. Previous books mentioned the Nekro Virus or the L1Z1X and did nothing with it. Veiled Masters, if I recall correctly mentions the Nekro Virus, and that is the only throwaway mention in my opinion. Every other faction gets representation, or at least a logical call out that is established either due to characters’ personal past experiences in previous novels or within a logical manner within the narrative.
The Veiled Masters exists in a post-Prophecy of Kings world. For the first time in years, new factions were introduced to the Twilight Imperium universe, and I’ll admit, I expected more of them in this book. The name, Veiled Masters, even sounds like a specific faction introduced in that expansions. I was blindsided when the actual conspirators were unveiled, and I absolutely loved the bait and switch.
The Veiled Masters is probably the best tonal match to the board game. Twilight Imperium is not space Risk. While big space battles can and do, occur, it is not how you win. A lot of it is above-the-table talking, dealing, and compromise. With the occasional backstabbing, with a twist of the knife for a flourish. Above-the-table table talk thematically translates into backroom dealings, covert ops, and political machinations, all of which appear in this book.
The biggest flaw of this novel is the same flaw as The Fractured Void, Necropolis Empire, and Wraith of N’kai. Just like 1980s television, in the end, the status quo must be restored. However, our attachment to the characters means we are now invested more in them, than the world, so while it is disappointing that there aren’t huge new status quo shattering outcomes, the characters all have great payoffs.
Before I wrap up, let’s talk factions:
• The Arborec gets a glow up. The author had previously talked about how difficult it would be to write from a plant’s point of view, and he found a wonderful way to do so.
• The Argent Flight, they hardly get a mention.
• The Barony of Letnev probably gets the best treatment in this book, as well as the entire trilogy, as one of the main POVs is from the Barony.
• The Clan of Saar hardly gets a mention. I think a Saar is mentioned as a background character.
• The Embers of Muaat have a great cameo and an actual speaking character which is awesome. I am still unsure why they are never referred to as the Gashlai, but that quibble aside, they were a great inclusion.
• The Emirates of Hacan also get some great texture through the inclusion of a new POV character. I am unsure how I feel about the Emirates being so based on various Middle Eastern cultures, however. The choice to make the faction based on trade desert dwellers, while also emulating some stereotypical speech patterns is a little questionable in my book. Your mileage may vary, but I think a little tweaking could have been done. So much is being done to get away from implicit racism in board gaming, but it is clear that there is still work left to be done.
• If the Empyrean were mentioned, or alluded to, it went over my head.
• The Federation of Sol is mentioned, but not delved into. This is fine, because we, as readers, are human. The least interesting faction is inherently the one closest to us.
• The Ghosts of Creuss are mentioned only. They had their time in the sun in the first novel, so not much of a loss here.
• The L1Z1X get a cameo on par with the Embers of Muaat. It’s a little odd that this Borg-analogous faction appears in the context that it does, but it still fits the established lore of the faction, and the situation presented in the novel.
• The Mahact Gene-Sorcerers get an allusion or two, but their time to shine was the second novel.
• The Mentak Coalition is also represented by a POV character. He returns from the first novel. The Mentak gets more texture, adding on to what was given to us from the first novel, but not as much as the Barony.
• The Naalu Collective has a surprise part in this novel that I truly did not see coming and truly enjoyed.
• The Naaz-Rokha Alliance does not make an appearance as a faction, but a Naaz and a Rokha make a quick appearance.
• The Nekro Virus is mentioned. That is literally all that can be said about it.
• The Nomad makes a cool cameo.
• The Sardakk N’orr, like the Muaat and the L1Z1X, get a cool, texture adding cameo.
• The Titans of Ul get mentioned, though they had more to do in book two.
• The Universities of Jol-Nar are mentioned, and a Hylar is a secondary character, but we had more of the actual Universities in the first novel.
• The Vuil’Raith Cabal gets an allusion.
• The Winnu are not even mentioned as far as I can recall. If they were, it was so fleeting I did not register it. A Winnu did appear as a minor character in the second novel.
• The Xxcha Kingdom gets a cool new character, that adds a bit more to their lore. Yeah, they are the diplomatic peace turtles, but sometimes even peace-loving diplomats must get their hands dirty, and the Veiled Masters shows us one of those down and dirty fighting turtles.
• The Yin Brotherhood gets an offhand mention. A Yin appeared in the second book, which had a great connection to the first book.
• Finally, the Yssaril Tribes get a mention as an organization, but we learn almost nothing about them. There are at least two named Yssaril characters, but I guess it is thematically resonant that the faction based on black ops and spies remains in the shadows.
Overall, I loved my time with this book. Tie-in fiction, especially of the medium-crossing kind should take note. This is how it should be done. Sure, it gets some benefits from two previous entries that make this volume better, but those were good as well. It is by no means a slog to get through the first two, and that journey leads to The Veiled Masters, which is great from first to last. 5/5
The Veiled Masters: A Twilight Imperium Novel finally finds the right amount of winking, tells a great story and is easily the best of the Aconyte/FFG partnership thus far. Veiled Masters benefits from a multitude of factors. It’s the third in a loose trilogy of novels all by the same author. Being familiar with the two previous novels, it is much easier to sink into the world. The majority of POV characters were established in the two previous novels. The new POV is entertaining and immediately has a distinctive voice. I recently read Wrath of N’kai, and one of my complaints about the book was the use of three or four chapters to fill us in from a boring, rushed, and generic perspective. As this book features a conspiracy, the author effectively reveals layers of the conspiracy through interstitial chapters called “The Faithful”. These chapters feature either totally new or very minor side characters. Once the second Faithful chapter comes around, and it is understood that the Faithful chapters will be bouncing around, I immediately know that these are plot devices, which is fine, as they never overstay their welcome. Across the board chapter lengths are short, and the pace is up-tempo the entire time.
I do not think there was a gratuitous mention of a race/empire/faction in this novel. Previous books mentioned the Nekro Virus or the L1Z1X and did nothing with it. Veiled Masters, if I recall correctly mentions the Nekro Virus, and that is the only throwaway mention in my opinion. Every other faction gets representation, or at least a logical call out that is established either due to characters’ personal past experiences in previous novels or within a logical manner within the narrative.
The Veiled Masters exists in a post-Prophecy of Kings world. For the first time in years, new factions were introduced to the Twilight Imperium universe, and I’ll admit, I expected more of them in this book. The name, Veiled Masters, even sounds like a specific faction introduced in that expansions. I was blindsided when the actual conspirators were unveiled, and I absolutely loved the bait and switch.
The Veiled Masters is probably the best tonal match to the board game. Twilight Imperium is not space Risk. While big space battles can and do, occur, it is not how you win. A lot of it is above-the-table talking, dealing, and compromise. With the occasional backstabbing, with a twist of the knife for a flourish. Above-the-table table talk thematically translates into backroom dealings, covert ops, and political machinations, all of which appear in this book.
The biggest flaw of this novel is the same flaw as The Fractured Void, Necropolis Empire, and Wraith of N’kai. Just like 1980s television, in the end, the status quo must be restored. However, our attachment to the characters means we are now invested more in them, than the world, so while it is disappointing that there aren’t huge new status quo shattering outcomes, the characters all have great payoffs.
Before I wrap up, let’s talk factions:
• The Arborec gets a glow up. The author had previously talked about how difficult it would be to write from a plant’s point of view, and he found a wonderful way to do so.
• The Argent Flight, they hardly get a mention.
• The Barony of Letnev probably gets the best treatment in this book, as well as the entire trilogy, as one of the main POVs is from the Barony.
• The Clan of Saar hardly gets a mention. I think a Saar is mentioned as a background character.
• The Embers of Muaat have a great cameo and an actual speaking character which is awesome. I am still unsure why they are never referred to as the Gashlai, but that quibble aside, they were a great inclusion.
• The Emirates of Hacan also get some great texture through the inclusion of a new POV character. I am unsure how I feel about the Emirates being so based on various Middle Eastern cultures, however. The choice to make the faction based on trade desert dwellers, while also emulating some stereotypical speech patterns is a little questionable in my book. Your mileage may vary, but I think a little tweaking could have been done. So much is being done to get away from implicit racism in board gaming, but it is clear that there is still work left to be done.
• If the Empyrean were mentioned, or alluded to, it went over my head.
• The Federation of Sol is mentioned, but not delved into. This is fine, because we, as readers, are human. The least interesting faction is inherently the one closest to us.
• The Ghosts of Creuss are mentioned only. They had their time in the sun in the first novel, so not much of a loss here.
• The L1Z1X get a cameo on par with the Embers of Muaat. It’s a little odd that this Borg-analogous faction appears in the context that it does, but it still fits the established lore of the faction, and the situation presented in the novel.
• The Mahact Gene-Sorcerers get an allusion or two, but their time to shine was the second novel.
• The Mentak Coalition is also represented by a POV character. He returns from the first novel. The Mentak gets more texture, adding on to what was given to us from the first novel, but not as much as the Barony.
• The Naalu Collective has a surprise part in this novel that I truly did not see coming and truly enjoyed.
• The Naaz-Rokha Alliance does not make an appearance as a faction, but a Naaz and a Rokha make a quick appearance.
• The Nekro Virus is mentioned. That is literally all that can be said about it.
• The Nomad makes a cool cameo.
• The Sardakk N’orr, like the Muaat and the L1Z1X, get a cool, texture adding cameo.
• The Titans of Ul get mentioned, though they had more to do in book two.
• The Universities of Jol-Nar are mentioned, and a Hylar is a secondary character, but we had more of the actual Universities in the first novel.
• The Vuil’Raith Cabal gets an allusion.
• The Winnu are not even mentioned as far as I can recall. If they were, it was so fleeting I did not register it. A Winnu did appear as a minor character in the second novel.
• The Xxcha Kingdom gets a cool new character, that adds a bit more to their lore. Yeah, they are the diplomatic peace turtles, but sometimes even peace-loving diplomats must get their hands dirty, and the Veiled Masters shows us one of those down and dirty fighting turtles.
• The Yin Brotherhood gets an offhand mention. A Yin appeared in the second book, which had a great connection to the first book.
• Finally, the Yssaril Tribes get a mention as an organization, but we learn almost nothing about them. There are at least two named Yssaril characters, but I guess it is thematically resonant that the faction based on black ops and spies remains in the shadows.
Overall, I loved my time with this book. Tie-in fiction, especially of the medium-crossing kind should take note. This is how it should be done. Sure, it gets some benefits from two previous entries that make this volume better, but those were good as well. It is by no means a slog to get through the first two, and that journey leads to The Veiled Masters, which is great from first to last. 5/5
June 21, 2022
The first thing to get out of the way is the Twilight Imperium aspect. Apparently, this entertaining series of space opera adventure books is a spin-off from a popular board game, Twilight Imperium. I mention this in case some fans of the game are prompted to pick up the books. However, if you are a reader who generally avoids reading books connected to TV series, films and games (like me!) you can ignore this nugget of information. If I hadn’t told you the origin of the novel, there’s nothing in the storytelling, characterisation or worldbuilding that would give it away.
One of the aspects that I really like is that although this book is set within the same world as The Necropolis Empire, it is essentially a standalone, even though there are characters from previous adventures that pop up, giving us further insights into their motivations and vulnerabilities. This time, the conspiracy our plucky black-ops heroine is scrambling to head off is truly horrific. Space opera is difficult to write well, as the storyline is often pan-galactic in scope and requires frequent changes of scene and character in order to fully explore all aspects and consequences of the narrative arc. Pratt’s upbeat, energetic style skilfully avoids all the pitfalls, instead giving us intriguing, layered characters, despite the necessary scene changes; and a clear plotline that emerges from the twisty conspiring which held me from the beginning.
I very much like that fact that Pratt’s characters are morally ambiguous. Our protagonists are often self-serving and a bit dodgy. While the ultimate antagonists are not necessarily evil monsters – even though the fate they have in mind is a terrible one for millions of unsuspecting sentient beings. One of the big attractions of Pratt’s writing is that while he is often dealing with dark deeds, the tone of his books tends not to get overly grim, as there are some nice touches of humour throughout to leaven the enormity of the threat. I understand that this is the last of his Twilight Imperium novels – which I very much regret. As ever, tucking into this adventure was a blast and I look forward to reading more from this skilful, entertaining author. While I obtained an arc of The Veiled Masters from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
One of the aspects that I really like is that although this book is set within the same world as The Necropolis Empire, it is essentially a standalone, even though there are characters from previous adventures that pop up, giving us further insights into their motivations and vulnerabilities. This time, the conspiracy our plucky black-ops heroine is scrambling to head off is truly horrific. Space opera is difficult to write well, as the storyline is often pan-galactic in scope and requires frequent changes of scene and character in order to fully explore all aspects and consequences of the narrative arc. Pratt’s upbeat, energetic style skilfully avoids all the pitfalls, instead giving us intriguing, layered characters, despite the necessary scene changes; and a clear plotline that emerges from the twisty conspiring which held me from the beginning.
I very much like that fact that Pratt’s characters are morally ambiguous. Our protagonists are often self-serving and a bit dodgy. While the ultimate antagonists are not necessarily evil monsters – even though the fate they have in mind is a terrible one for millions of unsuspecting sentient beings. One of the big attractions of Pratt’s writing is that while he is often dealing with dark deeds, the tone of his books tends not to get overly grim, as there are some nice touches of humour throughout to leaven the enormity of the threat. I understand that this is the last of his Twilight Imperium novels – which I very much regret. As ever, tucking into this adventure was a blast and I look forward to reading more from this skilful, entertaining author. While I obtained an arc of The Veiled Masters from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
January 29, 2023
I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Twilight Imperium book The Veiled Masters by Tim Pratt, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What is Twilight Imperium
Twilight Imperium is a much beloved strategy board game published by Fantasy Flight Games that’s currently in its 4th Edition.
First thing to know, it’s very long, my pal Drew, one of the owners of the amazing Meeple Perk, tells me it’s an 8 hour game as a minimum!
Secondly it’s an epic space opera, set in the power vacuum left behind by the decline and collapse of the Lazax Empire, as various races and factions vie for dominance and to become the new galactic superpower.
The Story
In this story we return to much of the recurring cast that Tim has developed over his previous two books, The Fractured Void, and Necropolis Empire, starting with Federation of Sol agent Amina Azad as she rescues a Hacan diplomat being held on suspicion of the murder of a close friend of his.
Very quickly other factions are drawn into the investigation specifically Captain Dampierre of the Barony of Letnev and Felix Duval of the Mentak Coalition.
Soon a vast galaxy wide conspiracy is unveiled, with secret unknown forces seeking to destabilise the major factions and plunge them into war.
Conclusion
I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disapoint, Tim Pratt writes a wonderful space opera and makes the world feel so full and alive, taking snippets from the game and building them into deep and meaningful lore that feels so fantastically well estabalished.
This book isn’t dependent on reading the previous two entries, but you are missing out if you haven’t.
This story is really good and the story is extremely intriguing a real page turner and the morally ambiguous characters add so much realism to the story, with there being no straight up good guys, with everyone having their own agenda.
This book is one I would highly recommend for sci-fi fans, and is so much more than simple tie-in fiction, but is really the kind of thing, I could see nominated for a Hugo award.
To be honest, if Aconyte don’t win a Hugo in the next decade, I would be very surprised!
I have to give this amazing book, 5 out of 5 stars!
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What is Twilight Imperium
Twilight Imperium is a much beloved strategy board game published by Fantasy Flight Games that’s currently in its 4th Edition.
First thing to know, it’s very long, my pal Drew, one of the owners of the amazing Meeple Perk, tells me it’s an 8 hour game as a minimum!
Secondly it’s an epic space opera, set in the power vacuum left behind by the decline and collapse of the Lazax Empire, as various races and factions vie for dominance and to become the new galactic superpower.
The Story
In this story we return to much of the recurring cast that Tim has developed over his previous two books, The Fractured Void, and Necropolis Empire, starting with Federation of Sol agent Amina Azad as she rescues a Hacan diplomat being held on suspicion of the murder of a close friend of his.
Very quickly other factions are drawn into the investigation specifically Captain Dampierre of the Barony of Letnev and Felix Duval of the Mentak Coalition.
Soon a vast galaxy wide conspiracy is unveiled, with secret unknown forces seeking to destabilise the major factions and plunge them into war.
Conclusion
I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disapoint, Tim Pratt writes a wonderful space opera and makes the world feel so full and alive, taking snippets from the game and building them into deep and meaningful lore that feels so fantastically well estabalished.
This book isn’t dependent on reading the previous two entries, but you are missing out if you haven’t.
This story is really good and the story is extremely intriguing a real page turner and the morally ambiguous characters add so much realism to the story, with there being no straight up good guys, with everyone having their own agenda.
This book is one I would highly recommend for sci-fi fans, and is so much more than simple tie-in fiction, but is really the kind of thing, I could see nominated for a Hugo award.
To be honest, if Aconyte don’t win a Hugo in the next decade, I would be very surprised!
I have to give this amazing book, 5 out of 5 stars!
June 2, 2022
The Veiled Masters is the final installment in Tim Pratt’s wonderful Twilight Imperium trilogy. With elements of a space opera combined with intrigue, espionage, the occasional laugh and a whole galaxy this series has been one of my favourites. While you do not necessary need to read the other two titles in this series to understand this final installment if you love Sci-Fi and any of the things I just mentioned you really should do! Also if you love Twilight Imperium but I thought that would be obvious. Pratt really brings the worlds of the game to life and I defy anyone not to enjoy these!
First of all lets address why I am slightly biased to this being my favourite in the series one of the main characters caught up in the shifting balance of power is a Hacan, a humanoid lion-like alien race which happens to be one of my favourite in the game. On top of this the novel is full of tension from the start. Unseen forces are destablising the whole galaxy. Controlling or replacing those who can help them again power. With it being almost impossible to know who you can trust or who is just a puppet on a string the tension and suspense does not let up.
On top of this tight plot we have a series of memorable and enjoyable characters some of which thankfully break up the tension and worry of this galaxy wide conspiracy with much needed sarcasm or tongue-in-cheek moments. I have to say I think all characters left an impression. Pratt’s writing is brilliantly smooth and he manages to bring something to each character that makes them get stuck in your head (in the best possible sense).
I am sad this series is over but I am incredibly happy we got to read and experience it. I also adored the ending which does leave the door open for us to return to the worlds of Twilight Imperium in the future!
First of all lets address why I am slightly biased to this being my favourite in the series one of the main characters caught up in the shifting balance of power is a Hacan, a humanoid lion-like alien race which happens to be one of my favourite in the game. On top of this the novel is full of tension from the start. Unseen forces are destablising the whole galaxy. Controlling or replacing those who can help them again power. With it being almost impossible to know who you can trust or who is just a puppet on a string the tension and suspense does not let up.
On top of this tight plot we have a series of memorable and enjoyable characters some of which thankfully break up the tension and worry of this galaxy wide conspiracy with much needed sarcasm or tongue-in-cheek moments. I have to say I think all characters left an impression. Pratt’s writing is brilliantly smooth and he manages to bring something to each character that makes them get stuck in your head (in the best possible sense).
I am sad this series is over but I am incredibly happy we got to read and experience it. I also adored the ending which does leave the door open for us to return to the worlds of Twilight Imperium in the future!
August 6, 2025
i'm bending my rating because I can.
it doesnt deserve 5 stars when compared to some of the Sci-FI greats I gave 5 stars (Hyperion, Dune, The Dark Forest, Children of Time), but i'm bending my rating because this is the equivalent of a popcorn flick that is great fun, enjoyable throughout, and actually is smart. by far the best of the 3 Tim Pratt Twilight Imperium novels (and leagues better than the comic books). My biggest gripe is that it needed to be darker. the threat is palpable, the phantom menace real, but it needed to be darker, bleaker, more suffocating. The characters are great, but the humour and quirkiness would work best if the grimdark-setting had been dialed in.
8.5/10
it doesnt deserve 5 stars when compared to some of the Sci-FI greats I gave 5 stars (Hyperion, Dune, The Dark Forest, Children of Time), but i'm bending my rating because this is the equivalent of a popcorn flick that is great fun, enjoyable throughout, and actually is smart. by far the best of the 3 Tim Pratt Twilight Imperium novels (and leagues better than the comic books). My biggest gripe is that it needed to be darker. the threat is palpable, the phantom menace real, but it needed to be darker, bleaker, more suffocating. The characters are great, but the humour and quirkiness would work best if the grimdark-setting had been dialed in.
8.5/10
May 12, 2022
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝟰/𝟱⭐️
So good! Tim Pratt is an amazing story teller, and this book sucked me in!
The balance of power is shifting, with bold new alliances, unknown invaders, and the rumored return of the galaxy’s ancient masters. When black-ops spy Amina Azad saves a Hacan ambassador from assassination, she draws him into her investigation of a vast conspiracy: unseen forces are destabilizing the whole galaxy, at the worst possible time. Pursued by agents from dozens of other factions, they can only make progress by allying with their apparent enemies. But even they might be compromised – duped into action by a secret puppet-master. How can they trust an alliance when they can’t trust themselves?
The world building was amazing, and it was very easy to follow! I was worried in the beginning that I would be hopelessly lost. However, even though a lot of places and characters are introduced, it wasn’t hard for me to keep everything straight. This book is definitely beginner (sci-fi) friendly and I would highly recommend!
The only hiccup I had with it, and this could definitely be a sci-fi genre issue rather than a book one, is that the names are hard to read and don’t roll of the tongue. Also, there were so many new characters being introduced it seemed a tad much at times.
Other than that this book was very entertaining! I was really routing for them to succeed and I was so entranced by the conspiracy! I didn’t know who to trust! If you are a fan of sci-fi books I would definitely recommend!
So good! Tim Pratt is an amazing story teller, and this book sucked me in!
The balance of power is shifting, with bold new alliances, unknown invaders, and the rumored return of the galaxy’s ancient masters. When black-ops spy Amina Azad saves a Hacan ambassador from assassination, she draws him into her investigation of a vast conspiracy: unseen forces are destabilizing the whole galaxy, at the worst possible time. Pursued by agents from dozens of other factions, they can only make progress by allying with their apparent enemies. But even they might be compromised – duped into action by a secret puppet-master. How can they trust an alliance when they can’t trust themselves?
The world building was amazing, and it was very easy to follow! I was worried in the beginning that I would be hopelessly lost. However, even though a lot of places and characters are introduced, it wasn’t hard for me to keep everything straight. This book is definitely beginner (sci-fi) friendly and I would highly recommend!
The only hiccup I had with it, and this could definitely be a sci-fi genre issue rather than a book one, is that the names are hard to read and don’t roll of the tongue. Also, there were so many new characters being introduced it seemed a tad much at times.
Other than that this book was very entertaining! I was really routing for them to succeed and I was so entranced by the conspiracy! I didn’t know who to trust! If you are a fan of sci-fi books I would definitely recommend!
May 26, 2022
*I received an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
4.5
Wow this was so much fun! Delightful and memorable characters take on a sinister and menacing conspiracy but with so much humor and action that really kept me on my toes.
I went into this a little concerned because I had not realized it was part of a series nor do I have any experience with the game it's based on, but I thought it worked really well as a standalone. There are mentions of times that these characters have interacted before, which I assume would have taken place in the earlier books but it certainly didn't hinder my enjoyment.
I thought the mystery was really interesting and loved the conspiracy/who can you trust feel of the story and really loved some of the characters, Amina Azad in particular was the best.
I think the only thing holding this back from being a full 5 stars for me is the ending. After all that work building up tension, I thought the conflict resolved just a little too quickly for my preferences. That being said, I had a great time reading this and look forward to going back into this series/world and to future works by Tim Pratt.
4.5
Wow this was so much fun! Delightful and memorable characters take on a sinister and menacing conspiracy but with so much humor and action that really kept me on my toes.
I went into this a little concerned because I had not realized it was part of a series nor do I have any experience with the game it's based on, but I thought it worked really well as a standalone. There are mentions of times that these characters have interacted before, which I assume would have taken place in the earlier books but it certainly didn't hinder my enjoyment.
I thought the mystery was really interesting and loved the conspiracy/who can you trust feel of the story and really loved some of the characters, Amina Azad in particular was the best.
I think the only thing holding this back from being a full 5 stars for me is the ending. After all that work building up tension, I thought the conflict resolved just a little too quickly for my preferences. That being said, I had a great time reading this and look forward to going back into this series/world and to future works by Tim Pratt.
June 15, 2025
Just finished this trilogy.
Don’t bother reading these books unless you’ve played Twilight Imperium — the greatest space opera board game ever made. The only actual entertainment here is spotting familiar factions and a handful of borrowed events from the game.
Now, when you adapt a game like Twilight Imperium — a 4.33/5 complexity monster (according to BGG), played by geeks who dedicate entire days to one match — you might assume the books would aim for some serious, intricate sci-fi. Well… think again.
The plot is ridiculous, the events absurd, and the logic nonexistent — like something scribbled by a teenager who just discovered fanfiction.
But the most grating part? The relentless overlady-bossing. Every single female character is flawless, brilliant, and dominant. Every male character is a fool, a prop, or a submissive puppet — mocked, belittled, and inevitably crushed by arrogant, abrasive, infallible feminist avatars. It’s like the author was more focused on checking ideological boxes than writing a coherent story.
In the end, this isn’t Twilight Imperium — it’s Woke Imperium. A shallow, preachy power fantasy that misses its actual fanbase by a light-year.
Don’t bother reading these books unless you’ve played Twilight Imperium — the greatest space opera board game ever made. The only actual entertainment here is spotting familiar factions and a handful of borrowed events from the game.
Now, when you adapt a game like Twilight Imperium — a 4.33/5 complexity monster (according to BGG), played by geeks who dedicate entire days to one match — you might assume the books would aim for some serious, intricate sci-fi. Well… think again.
The plot is ridiculous, the events absurd, and the logic nonexistent — like something scribbled by a teenager who just discovered fanfiction.
But the most grating part? The relentless overlady-bossing. Every single female character is flawless, brilliant, and dominant. Every male character is a fool, a prop, or a submissive puppet — mocked, belittled, and inevitably crushed by arrogant, abrasive, infallible feminist avatars. It’s like the author was more focused on checking ideological boxes than writing a coherent story.
In the end, this isn’t Twilight Imperium — it’s Woke Imperium. A shallow, preachy power fantasy that misses its actual fanbase by a light-year.
January 4, 2023
Another fun book in the TI universe. My complaints are similar to those in the first. word count felt restrictive, even for a fun, fast paced read, which made all of the climaxes feel far too short, almost unsatisfying. However, of the three so far, this was my favorite. Would get a 4.5 if I could.
Excited for the next installment!
Excited for the next installment!
May 20, 2025
The return of several characters was a welcome suprise! This cloak and dagger entry into the Twilight Imperium universe was a stellar blast! Sinister plots and daring actions keep you listening long after bedtime. A solid tale for science fiction fans.
October 22, 2022
Fun read
July 25, 2023
A lot of fun, definitely recommend if you like twilight imperium
August 24, 2023
This was definitely the best one in the series so far. not sure there will be more of course, but I've enjoyed this novel based off a board game. ha. Great job GA!
February 15, 2025
Another great tale from Tim Pratt!
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