The Masquerade
#3304.03 in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 3 books Status Ongoing 2015–present Reading commitment Medium Seth Dickinson Last reviewed 2026-08-24
Overview
The Masquerade is an in-progress geopolitical epic fantasy series by Seth Dickinson, following Baru Cormorant, a brilliant accountant and mathematician from the colonized island of Taranoke, as she rises within the Imperial Republic of Falcrest, known as the Masquerade, in order to destroy it from the inside. Beginning in the empire's newly conquered province of Aurdwynn and its thirteen duchies, Baru uses financial expertise to manipulate currency systems and crush rebellions, climbing higher within the imperial hierarchy while concealing her true intentions of revenge for what the Masquerade did to her home. The series, published between 2015 and 2020 with a fourth novel planned, is known for its focus on economics, administration, and cultural erasure as instruments of imperial power, and drew strongly positive reviews on its 2015 debut for its unflinching, "seductively complex" treatment of empire.
Epic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (3 works) counts toward ranking
The Masquerade Seth Dickinson
| Work | Year | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Traitor Baru Cormorant | 2015 | core | 4.04 (27,174 ratings) |
 | The Monster Baru Cormorant | 2018 | core | 3.89 (8,152 ratings) |
 | The Tyrant Baru Cormorant | 2020 | core | 4.30 (3,794 ratings) |
Geopolitical/economic epic fantasy following Baru Cormorant's infiltration of the Empire of Masks. A fourth and concluding novel has been discussed by the author since 2018 but remains unwritten and unannounced as of this research (2026); correctly excluded as unpublished.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Masquerade? The Masquerade's Core Canon is 3 books.
- What is the reading order for The Masquerade? Publication order, starting with The Traitor Baru Cormorant. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Masquerade finished? Ongoing (2015–present).
- How much reading does The Masquerade take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 3 Core Canon books · ~1,513 pages).
- How is The Masquerade ranked? #330 in this site's official ranking, based on 39,120 reader ratings across 3 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #330?
Ranked #330 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 4.03 across 3 core books.
- A smaller readership (39,120 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Uneven reception: its books range from 3.89 to 4.30.
- 0.02 behind #329, Tamsin.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Well rated · 3 books · Ongoing · 39k ratings · Ranks #330 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length epic fantasy universe that's still ongoing, with new books still coming.
Reading order
Publication order (3 Core Canon books)
- The Traitor Baru Cormorant (2015)
- The Monster Baru Cormorant (2018)
- The Tyrant Baru Cormorant (2020)
Awards (verified)
- No confirmed award wins found for this universe.
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Suggestions computed from what The Masquerade and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- The Roots of Chaos Epic fantasy / Romantasy · Ongoing · Medium commitment · 4.18
- The Greatcoats Epic fantasy / Sword & sorcery · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.18
- Rook & Rose Epic fantasy / Fantasy of manners · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.16
- The Jasmine Throne / Burning Kingdoms Epic fantasy / Romantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.16
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.03 across 39,120 ratings on 3 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: The Masquerade admitted (Seth Dickinson) accepted 2026-08-24
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Traitor_Baru_Cormorant
- https://www.sethdickinson.com/the-traitor-baru-cormorant/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-24
Rule: Core = the three published novels (The Traitor Baru Cormorant, The Monster Baru Cormorant, The Tyrant Baru Cormorant). A fourth and concluding novel has been discussed by the author since 2018 but has no title, release date, or finished manuscript as of this research; it is excluded as unpublished, not as a rejection of its eventual existence.