You ever read a book that makes you want to throw it across the room and then immediately go buy the sequel? That’s Seth Dickinson’s The Traitor Baru Cormorant. It isn’t your standard "farm boy finds a magic sword" fantasy. Honestly, it's barely fantasy in the way most people think of it. There are no dragons. No fireballs. No chosen ones fulfilling an ancient prophecy. Instead, you get a story about interest rates, naval blockades, and the kind of soul-crushing bureaucracy that can dismantle a culture more effectively than an invading army ever could.
Baru Cormorant is a prodigy. She’s a math genius from Taranoke, a small island nation that gets "annexed" by the Empire of Masks, also known as Falcrest. They don't just kill everyone; they do something worse. They introduce paper money, standardize the schools, and slowly erase Taranoke's identity through trade and hygiene laws. Baru watches her home disappear into the belly of the beast and decides she’s going to fix it from the inside. She’s going to become so essential to the Empire that she can eventually reach into its chest and rip its heart out.
It’s a revenge story. But it’s a revenge story written by someone who understands exactly how a central bank works.
The Empire of Masks and the Weaponization of Economics
Most fantasy villains want to cover the world in darkness. Falcrest is different. They want to cover the world in order. They’re obsessed with "Incandescence"—their version of social and biological purity. They use a philosophy called "social hygiene" to justify their expansion. If your culture doesn't fit their mold, they don't necessarily send the executioners first. They send the accountants.
They use debt.
Baru realizes early on that if she wants to beat them, she has to play their game better than they do. She climbs the ranks of the Falcrest civil service, eventually becoming the Imperial Accountant of Aurum. This is where the book gets really interesting. Instead of fighting battles with swords, Baru fights them by manipulating the value of the local currency. She triggers inflation. She ruins the credit of the local nobility. She uses the "invisible hand" of the market to strangle her enemies.
It’s brilliant. It’s also deeply uncomfortable to watch.
Seth Dickinson, the author, has a background in science and worked as a writer for Bungie on the Destiny lore (specifically the Books of Sorrow, which explains why this book feels so mythic and terrifying). He brings a level of systemic rigor to the world-building that you rarely see. When Baru makes a move, you see the ripple effects on the price of grain. You see how the poor suffer because of her "grand strategy."
Why Baru Isn't Your Average Protagonist
Baru is cold.
Well, she tries to be. The central tension of The Traitor Baru Cormorant is the war between Baru’s heart and her head. To stay undercover in the Empire, she has to hide her sexuality, her grief, and her heritage. Falcrest considers "non-procreative" acts to be a literal crime against the state. So, Baru lives in a constant state of performance.
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She is a "closeted" person in every sense of the word.
What makes her compelling is her competence. We love a genius protagonist, right? But Baru’s genius comes at a massive cost. She’s a tragic figure in the classical sense—her greatest strength (her ability to see the world as a series of mathematical systems) is exactly what destroys her humanity. She treats people like assets. She treats her own life like a long-term investment.
The prose reflects this. Dickinson writes with a sharp, almost clinical precision that can suddenly break into startlingly beautiful, poetic descriptions of the landscape or the way Baru feels about Tethys, the Duchess she finds herself falling for. That relationship is the emotional anchor of the book. It’s the thing that makes you care about the political maneuvering. Without it, the book might feel too dry, like a textbook on colonial economics. With it? It’s a tragedy that will keep you up until 3:00 AM.
Breaking Down the Rebellion
When Baru is sent to the rebellious province of Aurum, she's tasked with sniffing out the traitors. She finds them. And then she does something unexpected: she joins them. Or does she?
The middle of the book is a masterclass in "The Long Game." You’re never quite sure where Baru’s loyalties lie. Is she truly helping the rebels because she wants to weaken the Empire? Or is she setting them up to fail so she can rise even higher in the Imperial hierarchy?
The rebels are a motley crew of dukes and commoners, all with their own conflicting motives.
- Duchess Tethys, the charismatic leader who Baru can't help but admire.
- The various lords who just want their old power back.
- The common people caught in the crossfire.
Baru has to manage all of them while keeping the "Apparitors"—the Empire’s secret police—off her back. The stakes are massive. If she fails, her home island of Taranoke remains a puppet state forever. If she succeeds, she might just become the very thing she hates.
The "Ending" Everyone Talks About
We need to talk about the ending. Don't worry, I won't give away the specific "how," but we have to discuss the "why."
A lot of readers finish The Traitor Baru Cormorant and feel betrayed. That’s the point. The book is titled The Traitor, after all. The betrayal isn't just a plot twist; it’s the logical conclusion of Baru’s entire philosophy.
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In a world ruled by a hegemon like Falcrest, you cannot "win" without losing yourself. You can’t dismantle a system of total control using that system's own tools without becoming a part of the machinery. Baru’s choice at the end of the book is one of the most debated moments in modern fantasy. Some see it as the ultimate sacrifice. Others see it as the ultimate failure.
It’s messy. It’s painful. It’s why the book sticks with you.
Comparisons to Other Works
People often compare this book to A Song of Ice and Fire, but that’s not quite right. George R.R. Martin is interested in the messiness of feudal politics. Dickinson is interested in the cold efficiency of the modern state. If you liked the political intrigue of Andor or the systemic critique in The Wire, you’re the target audience for Baru Cormorant.
It also shares DNA with:
- The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (for the brutal look at the cost of war).
- Hild by Nicola Griffith (for the incredibly dense, grounded world-building).
- Machineries of Empire by Yoon Ha Lee (for the "math-as-magic" vibes and imperial critique).
How to Approach the Rest of the Series
If you finish the first book and need more (you will), there are currently three books in the Masquerade series:
- The Traitor Baru Cormorant
- The Monster Baru Cormorant
- The Tyrant Baru Cormorant
A fourth book, The Victor Baru Cormorant, is on the horizon.
Word of warning: the second book is very different. It’s denser, weirder, and deals heavily with Baru’s psychological breakdown following the events of the first novel. It’s a polarizing read. Some people love the deeper dive into the world’s lore and the biological "magic" systems; others miss the tight, focused political thriller aspect of the debut.
However, by the time you get through The Tyrant, the scope of the story expands in a way that is truly breathtaking. You realize that the "small" story of one girl trying to save her island is actually a story about the entire world’s struggle against a philosophy that wants to categorize and control every living thing.
Actionable Insights for New Readers
If you're about to jump into this for the first time, here is how to get the most out of it:
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Pay attention to the names.
Falcrest uses titles and names to signal status and function. The "Apparitors" aren't just spies; they are the manifestations of the state's will. Understanding the hierarchy helps you understand the trap Baru is in.
Don't skip the "boring" parts.
When Baru starts talking about the "specie" (gold/silver coins) or the way she’s manipulating taxes, pay attention. Those are the "sword fights" of this book. If you understand the economic leverage she’s building, the final act will hit ten times harder.
Prepare for a lack of "likable" characters.
Baru is a protagonist you respect, but you might not always "like" her. Most characters in this world are compromised by the system they live in. Accept that early on, and you’ll appreciate the nuance of their choices more.
Check the Content Warnings.
Seriously. This book deals with themes of colonialism, homophobia (as a systemic weapon), torture, and extreme emotional manipulation. It’s a heavy lift.
Read the sequels as one unit.
If you feel bogged down in book two, keep going. Book two and book three were originally intended to be one giant volume. They work much better when read back-to-back.
The Traitor Baru Cormorant is a rare bird. It’s a fantasy novel that respects your intelligence and assumes you care about how power actually works. It doesn't give you easy answers, and it certainly doesn't give you a happy ending on a silver platter. But it gives you something much more valuable: a story that makes you think about the systems we live in today and what we might be willing to sacrifice to change them.
Go find a copy. Just maybe keep a box of tissues and a stress ball nearby for those final fifty pages. You’re going to need them.
Next Steps for Readers:
- Audit your shelf: If you enjoy the "rationalist" or "system-heavy" fantasy style, look into the Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone.
- Check out the Author: Follow Seth Dickinson on social media or his blog; he often provides deep-dive context into the "science" of the Masquerade world that isn't always obvious in the text.
- Join the Community: The Baru Cormorant subreddit is incredibly active and is one of the few places where you can find genuine, high-level discussions about the economic theories presented in the books.