A history of the dark timesSo this is how liberty dieswith thunderous applause.Senator Padm AmidalaWhen Palpatine declared the birth of his new Empire he expected it would stand for millennia. Instead it lasted only 24 years. This is the story of how a tyrannical regime rose from the ashes of democracy ruled the galaxy with an iron fist and then collapsed into dust.It is a story of war and heroes of the power of propaganda and the dangers of complacency. But most of all it is a story of normal people trying to live their lives in the face of a brutal dictatorship.From the ruthlessness of Darth Vaders campaigns to the horrors of the Tarkin Initiative this book offers fresh new insights into the dark entity at the core of Star Wars. AND 2024 LUCASFILM LTD.