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Star Wars Disney Canon Novel
Low Red Moon
Win a free print copy of this book!
20 days and 15:38:12
10 copies available
U.S. only
Brought to you by Penguin.
ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax embark on their descent into the galaxy’s underworld in search of answers and opportunity, in this essential prequel to Star Wars Outlaws.
Jaylen Barsha, heir to his family’s immense power and wealth, had his life charted out for him neatly and meticulously by his parents, even though he suspected his neglected half-brother Sliro would be a better fit for the bright corporate future his parents envisioned. Then the Empire stripped it all away on trumped-up charges of conspiracy against his family. Before he can reach Sliro for help redeeming the Barsha name, a battle droid arrives at the family compound with a mission to kill every last member of the Barsha clan. Jaylen manages to fend off the attack as the sole survivor, but realizes the droid, who he reprograms, is his only chance to stay alive. But he can no longer be Jaylen Barsha – he’ll have to live now as Jaylen Vrax.
Former Separatist battle droid ND-5 knows he should be scrap metal, all things considered. He was a proficient contributor to the Separatist cause, but what is a soldier without a war? A trigger without aim? Loyalty is in his programming, and Jaylen, who treats him as more than just a weapon, has earned it. Perhaps, the droid thinks, with a partner he can be more. ND-5 just has to earn Jaylen’s trust.
With the threat against the Barsha clan still shrouded in mystery, the pair has no choice but to leverage the chaos and disappear. They find sanctuary in the anonymity of the underworld, building their reputation among scoundrels, bounty hunters, and crime syndicates. But when their latest score gives the first real clue in years to who sent ND-5 after Jaylen’s family, their biggest opportunity presents a new kind of risk. Do they give up this chance at the wealth and power Jaylen was denied to pursue answers? Or will ambition and the weight of the past shatter their unlikely partnership?
© Mike Chen 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax embark on their descent into the galaxy’s underworld in search of answers and opportunity, in this essential prequel to Star Wars Outlaws.
Jaylen Barsha, heir to his family’s immense power and wealth, had his life charted out for him neatly and meticulously by his parents, even though he suspected his neglected half-brother Sliro would be a better fit for the bright corporate future his parents envisioned. Then the Empire stripped it all away on trumped-up charges of conspiracy against his family. Before he can reach Sliro for help redeeming the Barsha name, a battle droid arrives at the family compound with a mission to kill every last member of the Barsha clan. Jaylen manages to fend off the attack as the sole survivor, but realizes the droid, who he reprograms, is his only chance to stay alive. But he can no longer be Jaylen Barsha – he’ll have to live now as Jaylen Vrax.
Former Separatist battle droid ND-5 knows he should be scrap metal, all things considered. He was a proficient contributor to the Separatist cause, but what is a soldier without a war? A trigger without aim? Loyalty is in his programming, and Jaylen, who treats him as more than just a weapon, has earned it. Perhaps, the droid thinks, with a partner he can be more. ND-5 just has to earn Jaylen’s trust.
With the threat against the Barsha clan still shrouded in mystery, the pair has no choice but to leverage the chaos and disappear. They find sanctuary in the anonymity of the underworld, building their reputation among scoundrels, bounty hunters, and crime syndicates. But when their latest score gives the first real clue in years to who sent ND-5 after Jaylen’s family, their biggest opportunity presents a new kind of risk. Do they give up this chance at the wealth and power Jaylen was denied to pursue answers? Or will ambition and the weight of the past shatter their unlikely partnership?
© Mike Chen 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
15 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 3, 2026
102 people are currently reading
3382 people want to read
About the author
Mike Chen
64 books1,066 followersMike Chen is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Brotherhood, Here and Now and Then, Light Years From Home, and other novels, in addition to Star Trek comics. He has covered geek culture for sites such as Nerdist, Tor.com, and StarTrek.com, and in a different life, covered the NHL. A member of SFWA, Mike lives in the Bay Area with his wife, daughter, and many rescue animals. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @mikechenwriter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 8, 2026
After Mike Chen wrote the superb "Brotherhood" in 2022, I've been hoping he would return to Star Wars. This time, he writes a tie-in for the video-game Star Wars Outlaws. I did not play the video game at all, but I am pleased to report that you can still read and understand and enjoy the book without that.
The first 100 pages are quite a bit shocking and heartwrenching. Every time I thought I knew where Chen was going he went in another direction. He also just wrote a really tragic scene, probably one of the most difficult scenes to read in Star Wars since Beth Revis' "Rebel Rising".
Chen writes the book from both a human perspective (Jaylen Barsha/Vrax) and a droid perspective (ND-5). Writing from a first person droid perspective I will say is gutsy, and I really liked what Chen did with ND-5. He only has about 1/4 of the POVs in the book (maybe a 1/3 at most), but it works really well.
Unfortunately, I thought the middle of the book meandered a bit, and while there were individual scenes that I enjoyed (ie rooftop meeting), I thought it lacked the special ingredients that Chen's "Brotherhood" had.
That said, I thought the twist at the end of the book absolutely raises the story's standing. Mike Chen completely shocked me (and made me feel like I'd read an Agatha Christie book: "Of course this person was behind it").
Mike Chen also incorporates some other characters from the movies and shows, as well as 1 character from his own book (Brotherhood) which I was really happy to see.
Overall, while I definitely liked this book less than Brotherhood, it's still a generally fun book, elevated by it's droid POV and the shocking moments in the first and third acts. Overall, I"ll give the book a 7 out of 10.
The first 100 pages are quite a bit shocking and heartwrenching. Every time I thought I knew where Chen was going he went in another direction. He also just wrote a really tragic scene, probably one of the most difficult scenes to read in Star Wars since Beth Revis' "Rebel Rising".
Chen writes the book from both a human perspective (Jaylen Barsha/Vrax) and a droid perspective (ND-5). Writing from a first person droid perspective I will say is gutsy, and I really liked what Chen did with ND-5. He only has about 1/4 of the POVs in the book (maybe a 1/3 at most), but it works really well.
Unfortunately, I thought the middle of the book meandered a bit, and while there were individual scenes that I enjoyed (ie rooftop meeting), I thought it lacked the special ingredients that Chen's "Brotherhood" had.
That said, I thought the twist at the end of the book absolutely raises the story's standing. Mike Chen completely shocked me (and made me feel like I'd read an Agatha Christie book: "Of course this person was behind it").
Mike Chen also incorporates some other characters from the movies and shows, as well as 1 character from his own book (Brotherhood) which I was really happy to see.
Overall, while I definitely liked this book less than Brotherhood, it's still a generally fun book, elevated by it's droid POV and the shocking moments in the first and third acts. Overall, I"ll give the book a 7 out of 10.
February 8, 2026
A thrilling Star Wars story about memory, trauma, trust, and what it means to be a team.
From my review on Space Wizards Book Club/Substack:
There’s something special about how Star Wars can take a single line in a movie or TV show and run with it — exploring a years-long war that toppled a centuries-old government or showcasing the glory days of the Jedi before their light dimmed. In the case of the newest Star Wars book to hit shelves, the story largely stems from a cutscene in a video game.
In Star Wars Outlaws, crime lord Jaylen Vrax confronts his estranged half-brother Sliro — an ISB agent who had been masquerading as the leader of the crime syndicate Zerek Besh. With victory and pain on his face, Jaylen exclaims that he may have been the heir to the Barsha family business on Corellia, but he and Sliro were family. Everything Jaylen had been doing for nearly a decade led to getting revenge on Sliro, who Jaylen learned had sent BX droid commando ND-5 to kill the entire Barsha family.
Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon by Mike Chen unravels the messy history between the two brothers as well as the origins of ND-5 in a thrilling novel about memory, trauma, trust, and what it means to be on a team.
I’m not a gamer. The extent of my gaming prowess mostly includes cozy sims like Disney Dreamlight Valley, Animal Crossing, and Tiny Bookshop. But, boy, do I love a good story, and games are where so many incredible stories live. That’s why I get so excited when Star Wars announces a new game tie-in book. I finally get to experience a slice of the story and characters that make a Star Wars game so great? Yes, please.
I didn’t really have expectations going into Low Red Moon, primarily because I had little information about the novel’s main characters — ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax (née Barsha). I waffled between watching a game movie or a compilation of cut scenes so I would get the gist of the world of Outlaws. But because of the nature of the open-world game, I decided to just dive right in (okay, I did read a few character synopses).
Doing this allowed me to get to know Jaylen and ND-5 with no preconceptions about who they would become by the time of Outlaws. I was able to empathize with Jaylen and especially Sliro after learning about their virtually loveless childhoods. I love stories that dig into the psyches and motivations of villains and anti-heroes. More often than not, good people do bad things out of want for revenge, justice, or simply survival. Neither Jaylen nor Sliro is a hero by any means, but their dastardly deeds make a lot more sense when put into the context of Low Red Moon. Their traumas shaped them, making them into the cold, resentful (Sliro) and charming and cunning (Jaylen) men we met in the Outlaws timeline — several years after the Battle of Yavin.
It should come as no surprise that the brightest parts of Low Red Moon were the ND-5 chapters. It’s rare we get a droid’s perspective, especially in such a nuanced manner. Reading ND-5’s inner thoughts (artificially intelligence processes) is something only a book could do and be successful at. Chen excels at presenting a droid in such a thoughtful, engaging way that I often forgot I wasn’t reading a human character. Despite being made of mechanical parts, ND-5 grows and evolves in his intelligence and emotions through the novel’s four parts. Honestly, ND-5 “matures” and learns from his experiences better than Jaylen ever has — or likely ever will.
The excellent character work is made possible by the book’s time jumps — starting during the tail end of the Clone Wars and formation of the Empire through the early Imperial years and the beginning of the Galactic Civil War. On the cusp of inheriting his family’s empire of starship engine manufacturing, betrayal and murder take it all from him. Through the years, he struggles to reconcile his former life with his new one — that of a scoundrel trying to make his way around the galaxy. Luckily for him, he quickly learns to use his traumas as tools. That includes ND-5, who was the assassin programmed to kill the Barshas.
Through ND-5, we get to explore ideas of how memory and a lack thereof inform our perspectives and behavior. We also learn more about the depth of malleable intelligence contained within droids and the lengths organics go to control them. ND-5 may be just a sidekick or highly intelligent tool for Jaylen, but the book’s intimate exploration of the former Separatist droid’s inner thoughts makes him relatably multi-dimensional.
Interested in cameos? Low Red Moon has plenty. That includes big names that are predictable but still fun to see on the page, and several that made me pause and think, “wait, I know them from somewhere.” There are likely more quick cameos and Easter eggs that I missed, but will be easily spotted by Outlaws players.
Wondering if you need to play Outlaws to enjoy this book? Well, if you read this far, you’ll know that I didn’t, but still thoroughly enjoyed Low Red Moon. It’s perfectly paced and entertaining with all the deadpan droid humor and witty banter I’ve come to expect from Chen’s Star Wars stories. Though the third part of the novel wasn’t as much of a page turner as the first two-thirds, I found myself eager to find out how the characters get to the events of Outlaws. The ending and epilogue were a bit abrupt, but I have a feeling game fans will be satisfied.
Besides ND-5, my other favorite part of Low Red Moon was the audiobook. Star Wars has set a high bar for its audiobooks, and I was so pleased to see that Jay Rincon and Eric Johnson reprised their roles voicing ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax in the audiobook of Low Red Moon. I switched off reading my ARC and listening to the audio files, and it’s incredibly immersive and engaging.
With compelling character work and an intriguing setting, Low Red Moon is an excellent prequel to Outlaws that can still stand on its own, offering fresh takes and perspectives on classic Star Wars story traits.
From my review on Space Wizards Book Club/Substack:
There’s something special about how Star Wars can take a single line in a movie or TV show and run with it — exploring a years-long war that toppled a centuries-old government or showcasing the glory days of the Jedi before their light dimmed. In the case of the newest Star Wars book to hit shelves, the story largely stems from a cutscene in a video game.
In Star Wars Outlaws, crime lord Jaylen Vrax confronts his estranged half-brother Sliro — an ISB agent who had been masquerading as the leader of the crime syndicate Zerek Besh. With victory and pain on his face, Jaylen exclaims that he may have been the heir to the Barsha family business on Corellia, but he and Sliro were family. Everything Jaylen had been doing for nearly a decade led to getting revenge on Sliro, who Jaylen learned had sent BX droid commando ND-5 to kill the entire Barsha family.
Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon by Mike Chen unravels the messy history between the two brothers as well as the origins of ND-5 in a thrilling novel about memory, trauma, trust, and what it means to be on a team.
I’m not a gamer. The extent of my gaming prowess mostly includes cozy sims like Disney Dreamlight Valley, Animal Crossing, and Tiny Bookshop. But, boy, do I love a good story, and games are where so many incredible stories live. That’s why I get so excited when Star Wars announces a new game tie-in book. I finally get to experience a slice of the story and characters that make a Star Wars game so great? Yes, please.
I didn’t really have expectations going into Low Red Moon, primarily because I had little information about the novel’s main characters — ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax (née Barsha). I waffled between watching a game movie or a compilation of cut scenes so I would get the gist of the world of Outlaws. But because of the nature of the open-world game, I decided to just dive right in (okay, I did read a few character synopses).
Doing this allowed me to get to know Jaylen and ND-5 with no preconceptions about who they would become by the time of Outlaws. I was able to empathize with Jaylen and especially Sliro after learning about their virtually loveless childhoods. I love stories that dig into the psyches and motivations of villains and anti-heroes. More often than not, good people do bad things out of want for revenge, justice, or simply survival. Neither Jaylen nor Sliro is a hero by any means, but their dastardly deeds make a lot more sense when put into the context of Low Red Moon. Their traumas shaped them, making them into the cold, resentful (Sliro) and charming and cunning (Jaylen) men we met in the Outlaws timeline — several years after the Battle of Yavin.
It should come as no surprise that the brightest parts of Low Red Moon were the ND-5 chapters. It’s rare we get a droid’s perspective, especially in such a nuanced manner. Reading ND-5’s inner thoughts (artificially intelligence processes) is something only a book could do and be successful at. Chen excels at presenting a droid in such a thoughtful, engaging way that I often forgot I wasn’t reading a human character. Despite being made of mechanical parts, ND-5 grows and evolves in his intelligence and emotions through the novel’s four parts. Honestly, ND-5 “matures” and learns from his experiences better than Jaylen ever has — or likely ever will.
The excellent character work is made possible by the book’s time jumps — starting during the tail end of the Clone Wars and formation of the Empire through the early Imperial years and the beginning of the Galactic Civil War. On the cusp of inheriting his family’s empire of starship engine manufacturing, betrayal and murder take it all from him. Through the years, he struggles to reconcile his former life with his new one — that of a scoundrel trying to make his way around the galaxy. Luckily for him, he quickly learns to use his traumas as tools. That includes ND-5, who was the assassin programmed to kill the Barshas.
Through ND-5, we get to explore ideas of how memory and a lack thereof inform our perspectives and behavior. We also learn more about the depth of malleable intelligence contained within droids and the lengths organics go to control them. ND-5 may be just a sidekick or highly intelligent tool for Jaylen, but the book’s intimate exploration of the former Separatist droid’s inner thoughts makes him relatably multi-dimensional.
Interested in cameos? Low Red Moon has plenty. That includes big names that are predictable but still fun to see on the page, and several that made me pause and think, “wait, I know them from somewhere.” There are likely more quick cameos and Easter eggs that I missed, but will be easily spotted by Outlaws players.
Wondering if you need to play Outlaws to enjoy this book? Well, if you read this far, you’ll know that I didn’t, but still thoroughly enjoyed Low Red Moon. It’s perfectly paced and entertaining with all the deadpan droid humor and witty banter I’ve come to expect from Chen’s Star Wars stories. Though the third part of the novel wasn’t as much of a page turner as the first two-thirds, I found myself eager to find out how the characters get to the events of Outlaws. The ending and epilogue were a bit abrupt, but I have a feeling game fans will be satisfied.
Besides ND-5, my other favorite part of Low Red Moon was the audiobook. Star Wars has set a high bar for its audiobooks, and I was so pleased to see that Jay Rincon and Eric Johnson reprised their roles voicing ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax in the audiobook of Low Red Moon. I switched off reading my ARC and listening to the audio files, and it’s incredibly immersive and engaging.
With compelling character work and an intriguing setting, Low Red Moon is an excellent prequel to Outlaws that can still stand on its own, offering fresh takes and perspectives on classic Star Wars story traits.
February 12, 2026
As is the case with most modern Star Wars games, I have not played “Outlaws”. Yet I still picked up “Low Red Moon” because it is written by Mike Chen, who wrote “Brotherhood” which I enjoyed a lot. Also the cover featuring a Commando Droid wearing a badass trenchcoat just spoke to me you know? The story is a prequel to Outlaws and deals with Jaylen Barsha (later called Jaylen Vrax) going from being scion of a powerful corporation to a player in the Galaxy’s criminal underworld. Partnering up with him is the aforementioned droid, ND-5, who is feeling lost after being on the losing side of The Clone Wars and is now Jaylen’s muscle in criminal dealings. It’s an interesting partnership to say the least because ND-5 slaughtered all but one other member of Jaylen’s family so frankly it doesn’t make too much sense that Jaylen wants to keep him around besides the plot of the book needing to happen (and because both are important characters in the game).
Of the two POV characters, I found Jaylen to be the weaker of the two, or at least the “just okay” one. He’s not a heroic Han Solo-esque rogue with a heart of gold, he’s a fairly ruthless individual that while he had a tragic origin, just becoming more of a jerk the more he commits heinous actions to survive. The issue I had is that Chen struggles a bit with this descent into villainy, showing that Jaylen always had questionable or selfish motivations since before becoming a criminal, which is a fine writing decision. It just felt like there was a repetitive pattern of showing Jaylen wrestling with his morality/treatment of ND-5 throughout the book to the point where it felt like he was already a self-centered crime lord long before the climax when he makes the final plunge in the final chapters. The plotline is not explicitly bad and does demonstrate Jaylen is multi-dimensional but his story does feel too drawn out.
ND-5 meanwhile I found to be a much more interesting protagonist in Low Red Moon. I’ve been reading a lot of “Murderbot” lately so I’m in the mood for robotic characters trying to come to terms with new found freedom and figuring out how much of their actions are driven by programming and how much by life experience. ND-5 is a very engaging variation on that character archetype. His ability to show fondness for the various criminals he works alongside and even Jaylen shows that he’s more than a killing machine and even when not bound by programming controls to serve Jaylen he develops true loyalty for these people. It makes how Jaylen removes ND-5’s agency at key moments of the book all the more tragic. Beyond that though, Chen doesn’t shy away from showing that ND-5 is still a badass soldier and a scary one at that. The sequence of ND-5 murdering his way through a mansion of party goers like something from the Hitman games is particularly chilling (comparable to K2SO’s rampages in "Andor"). Taken all together it made the ND-5 chapters the best of the book and another great addition to the grand Star Wars tradition of the droid characters being among the best of the franchise.
The other cast members of Low Red Moon are pretty good aspects of the book as well. One reason I’m always interested in Chen’s Star Wars work is that in Brotherhood he was good at weaving in old characters from elsewhere in the Star Wars Canon and Legends timeline which is true for Low Red Moon. From Canon he utilizes Fennec Shand (a favorite of mine) and Qi’ra, both of whom were fine, nothing too interesting about what they were doing alongside the main characters nor was anything major revealed about their own characterizations and backstories, they were more to fill out the ensemble with some familiar fan favorites. But still, it was enjoyable seeing Chen make use of them. From Legends, Prince Xizor gets name dropped once more in Canon which I am a little more excited about at this point after reading some more of Xizor’s/Black Sun’s Legends stories. I’d say my favorite returning character was one of Chen’s original characters from Brotherhood which I really appreciated considering how Brotherhood left the character’s post-Brotherhood fate up in the air and who I was hoping to see more of anyway and continue to after this book.
As for Low Red Moon’s story, Chen delivers an entertaining tale that’s one part crime heist and another part espionage thriller. There’s fun/funny sequences (mostly due to ND-5 being the straight man to others’ antics, as well as one scene where he convinces another CIS veteran to help him navigate bureaucracy hellholes by saying its a secret mission from General Grievous) as well as some much more serious moments (the aforementioned slaughter of party guests). There isn’t anything too surprising with the text though (the final twist I did see coming as far back as the first few chapters) nor it perhaps doesn’t have too many big ramifications for the broader Star Wars Canon lore. Low Red Moon is just meant to set up the events of the Outlaws. All the same though even though I have no connection to Outlaws, I found the book to be a very entertaining romp through the Star Wars criminal underworld. I can’t say whether those who played and are fans of Outlaws will love the book or hate it for its approach to this character but I for one did enjoy myself.
Regardless of whether you have played Star Wars Outlaws, this spin-off makes for a very solid Star Wars adventure about the Galaxy’s scum and villainy. “Low Red Moon” is another Star Wars literary win for Mike Chen.
Of the two POV characters, I found Jaylen to be the weaker of the two, or at least the “just okay” one. He’s not a heroic Han Solo-esque rogue with a heart of gold, he’s a fairly ruthless individual that while he had a tragic origin, just becoming more of a jerk the more he commits heinous actions to survive. The issue I had is that Chen struggles a bit with this descent into villainy, showing that Jaylen always had questionable or selfish motivations since before becoming a criminal, which is a fine writing decision. It just felt like there was a repetitive pattern of showing Jaylen wrestling with his morality/treatment of ND-5 throughout the book to the point where it felt like he was already a self-centered crime lord long before the climax when he makes the final plunge in the final chapters. The plotline is not explicitly bad and does demonstrate Jaylen is multi-dimensional but his story does feel too drawn out.
ND-5 meanwhile I found to be a much more interesting protagonist in Low Red Moon. I’ve been reading a lot of “Murderbot” lately so I’m in the mood for robotic characters trying to come to terms with new found freedom and figuring out how much of their actions are driven by programming and how much by life experience. ND-5 is a very engaging variation on that character archetype. His ability to show fondness for the various criminals he works alongside and even Jaylen shows that he’s more than a killing machine and even when not bound by programming controls to serve Jaylen he develops true loyalty for these people. It makes how Jaylen removes ND-5’s agency at key moments of the book all the more tragic. Beyond that though, Chen doesn’t shy away from showing that ND-5 is still a badass soldier and a scary one at that. The sequence of ND-5 murdering his way through a mansion of party goers like something from the Hitman games is particularly chilling (comparable to K2SO’s rampages in "Andor"). Taken all together it made the ND-5 chapters the best of the book and another great addition to the grand Star Wars tradition of the droid characters being among the best of the franchise.
The other cast members of Low Red Moon are pretty good aspects of the book as well. One reason I’m always interested in Chen’s Star Wars work is that in Brotherhood he was good at weaving in old characters from elsewhere in the Star Wars Canon and Legends timeline which is true for Low Red Moon. From Canon he utilizes Fennec Shand (a favorite of mine) and Qi’ra, both of whom were fine, nothing too interesting about what they were doing alongside the main characters nor was anything major revealed about their own characterizations and backstories, they were more to fill out the ensemble with some familiar fan favorites. But still, it was enjoyable seeing Chen make use of them. From Legends, Prince Xizor gets name dropped once more in Canon which I am a little more excited about at this point after reading some more of Xizor’s/Black Sun’s Legends stories. I’d say my favorite returning character was one of Chen’s original characters from Brotherhood which I really appreciated considering how Brotherhood left the character’s post-Brotherhood fate up in the air and who I was hoping to see more of anyway and continue to after this book.
As for Low Red Moon’s story, Chen delivers an entertaining tale that’s one part crime heist and another part espionage thriller. There’s fun/funny sequences (mostly due to ND-5 being the straight man to others’ antics, as well as one scene where he convinces another CIS veteran to help him navigate bureaucracy hellholes by saying its a secret mission from General Grievous) as well as some much more serious moments (the aforementioned slaughter of party guests). There isn’t anything too surprising with the text though (the final twist I did see coming as far back as the first few chapters) nor it perhaps doesn’t have too many big ramifications for the broader Star Wars Canon lore. Low Red Moon is just meant to set up the events of the Outlaws. All the same though even though I have no connection to Outlaws, I found the book to be a very entertaining romp through the Star Wars criminal underworld. I can’t say whether those who played and are fans of Outlaws will love the book or hate it for its approach to this character but I for one did enjoy myself.
Regardless of whether you have played Star Wars Outlaws, this spin-off makes for a very solid Star Wars adventure about the Galaxy’s scum and villainy. “Low Red Moon” is another Star Wars literary win for Mike Chen.
February 3, 2026
Mike Chen gives us a story about two fantastic characters we met in Star Wars Outlaws. Jaylen Vrax… who I didn’t like very much, and ND-5… who I liked too much. The story starts off strong and throws our characters immediately into the deep end of a chaotic galaxy where the only thing they can depend on is each other. I came away with a much better appreciation for Jaylen, a begrudging one, as I spent all of my Star Wars Outlaws gaming experience mad at him. And ND-5 could never do anything wrong. I loved the first-person style of ND-5’s parts of the book. Much like Justina Ireland’s The Acolyte: Wayseeker, the first-person narrative style really gets you into ND-5’s mindset. The story is personal and also very much matches some of the themes and tone of Star Wars Outlaws. Jaylen Vrax is surviving under the radar, building his reputation and connections, all while trying to solve the mystery of his family’s downfall. The audiobook is voiced by both Jay Rincon and Eric Johnson, who are the voices of ND-5 and Jaylen Vrax, respectively, in Star Wars Outlaws! This was a wonderful casting decision that gave each character an added layer of authenticity for those of us who played the video game. Throughout their travels, we get to see a few familiar faces, not only from the underworld but also from Chen's own stories! All in all, a solid Star Wars underworld story packed with action, shady dealings, family drama, and mystery!
This is a must-read for Star Wars Outlaws fans looking for an underworld mystery and LOTS more ND-5!
This is a must-read for Star Wars Outlaws fans looking for an underworld mystery and LOTS more ND-5!
March 2, 2026
To be honest I struggled through Low red moon .
That's not a reflection on Mike Chen part as his work with ND-5 and Jaylen giving them their origin back story ,motivations was superb and getting two different points of view for the whole book was a nice surprise.
Personally for me I struggled to care or feel connected to these characters in a novel format & wondered would it have worked better in a 8-10 issue comic series, The first act and first 100 pages were quite heart wrenching and just when I thought I'd figured out where the story would dissect Mike would take it in another direction .
Now if you have played the Outlaws video game I feel the twist and surprise in act 3 you will see coming but if you haven't it could come as a shock . Also with the story taking place before the video game( starting at the end of republic and mainly set in the early days of the empire) i do think if you haven't played Outlaws then I do think you could read this book without the knowledge of the game!
3 out of 5 stars for me
That's not a reflection on Mike Chen part as his work with ND-5 and Jaylen giving them their origin back story ,motivations was superb and getting two different points of view for the whole book was a nice surprise.
Personally for me I struggled to care or feel connected to these characters in a novel format & wondered would it have worked better in a 8-10 issue comic series, The first act and first 100 pages were quite heart wrenching and just when I thought I'd figured out where the story would dissect Mike would take it in another direction .
Now if you have played the Outlaws video game I feel the twist and surprise in act 3 you will see coming but if you haven't it could come as a shock . Also with the story taking place before the video game( starting at the end of republic and mainly set in the early days of the empire) i do think if you haven't played Outlaws then I do think you could read this book without the knowledge of the game!
3 out of 5 stars for me
February 3, 2026
Overall, this book accomplished the goal of making me want to re-download Outlaws and get lost in the world. I personally believe this story could work best if you haven't played the game. As someone who played the game there were elements that weren't surprising or just felt flat.
There are incredible moments of tension and a specific chapter that is thrilling. The further exploration of ND-5 was some of the highlights.
There is fun to be had exploring more of the underworld and the numerous players involved in the shady business of the galaxy was awesome.
Ultimately it's not bad a story just a story that fell short for me personally despite it making me want to revisit the game. I still love Mike Chen's writing and I would love for him to explore new characters without it being a media tie in.
There are incredible moments of tension and a specific chapter that is thrilling. The further exploration of ND-5 was some of the highlights.
There is fun to be had exploring more of the underworld and the numerous players involved in the shady business of the galaxy was awesome.
Ultimately it's not bad a story just a story that fell short for me personally despite it making me want to revisit the game. I still love Mike Chen's writing and I would love for him to explore new characters without it being a media tie in.
February 21, 2026
One of the most frustrating books I've read. It's extremely well-written...but it's almost entirely full of either (a) characters I thought were too preposterous to believe (a similar feeling to my reaction to the Canto Bight segment of The Last Jedi) and who didn't seem to possess an ounce of reality, and (b) a sudden shift to a cast of hundreds after a pleasant focus on the core duo of this novel. The only things that holds it all together is ND-5, a droid worthy of his own book and one where his first person focus could flower...so naturally I loved the epilogue.
February 5, 2026
It was slow in the beginning for me. But, I loved overall the story. My favorite part about this amazing book is that Fennec Shand showed up😩😩😍😍😍. Mami is back. The badass assassin from Boba Fett. I love her so much. I fucking loved when the Crimson Dawn showed up as well because Q’ira is a big part of that group and she’s the best🥵😍. I was like holy fucking shit🙈👀😳😱. ND-5 droid is a fucking badass. I love that droid a lot and I was so worried about him. I’m glad he’s not dead.
February 22, 2026
Went in not knowing it would by from ND’s point of view. This was surprisingly sweet and sad. It’s sad knowing who he’d like to be versus who he is forced to be.
January 20, 2026
Spanning over a decade, Outlaws: Low Red Moon by Mike Chen explores the life of Jaylen Barsha as he searches for the truth behind the downfall of Barsha Corporation, his parent's secret dealings, and the disappearance of his half brother, Sliro. A sort of prequel to the video game Star Wars: Outlaws, Low Red Moon presents a different view of the fall of the Republic and the emergence of the Empire. Not from the Jedi or Rebels point for view, but from the underworld and the crime syndicates who saw the chaos of the transition as the perfect opportunity to expand their control. Although this plays a part in the story, it is not the driving force. That falls on the relationship between Jaylen and ND-5, a former BX commando droid of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. After an eventful meeting during a party at the Corellian moon of Gus Treta, Jaylen and ND-5 search the galaxy for Sliro as they cement their position as players in the crime world.
Although mainly focused on Jaylen’s and ND-5 introduction to the smugglers and scoundrels in the galaxy, the known crime syndicates and players we are familiar with, are few and far between and when they finally come into play, it might be too late to ground the story in the known Star Wars underworld.
Commando droid ND-5 stole the book for me and the chapters written from his point of view were my favorites. Since his introduction wearing a tight-fitting coat in a screenshot from the game, ND-5 has been a fan favorite and Mike Chen makes sure he will stay in good standing with the audience. Outlaws: Low Red Moon delivers thrills as Jaylen Vrax transitions from a life of luxury as heir to Barsha Corporation to a smuggler in the Underworld alongside assassin droid ND-5 in search of a truth he can't escape and a secret he can't reveal. If only the Syndicates played a bigger role earlier on.
Although mainly focused on Jaylen’s and ND-5 introduction to the smugglers and scoundrels in the galaxy, the known crime syndicates and players we are familiar with, are few and far between and when they finally come into play, it might be too late to ground the story in the known Star Wars underworld.
Commando droid ND-5 stole the book for me and the chapters written from his point of view were my favorites. Since his introduction wearing a tight-fitting coat in a screenshot from the game, ND-5 has been a fan favorite and Mike Chen makes sure he will stay in good standing with the audience. Outlaws: Low Red Moon delivers thrills as Jaylen Vrax transitions from a life of luxury as heir to Barsha Corporation to a smuggler in the Underworld alongside assassin droid ND-5 in search of a truth he can't escape and a secret he can't reveal. If only the Syndicates played a bigger role earlier on.
February 16, 2026
Finally some more Star Wars from the skill of Mike Chen! And to no surprise, the result is yet another thrilling adventure.
I will note that I have not played the Outlaws game, but I did do plenty of research regarding where Jaylen and ND's story was taken, and this seems like the perfect prequel and ideal emotional setup. The story displayed great pacing, engaging action, and plenty of loveable side characters. I couldn’t help but binge read all the rag-tag bounty missions.
Mike Chen is now also officially the first canon author to write in first person from a droids perspective, understandably a nerve-racking feat. And once again, as expected, he nailed it. He described in an interview that he was avoiding generic codes and instructions to aid in fleshing out his character and granting him depth, but obviously he still needed to maintain a robotic tone and logic dominant mind. This was definitely a job well done. He created personal connection, sympathy and growth for an emotionless war machine, a commendable achievement for the franchise.
Of course one of the biggest highlights out of the entire book for me was the return of , a character I loved in her debut and was pleasantly shocked to see return. The cameos by were also awesome, they felt relevant and well integrated to the era and themes of the book, not just fan service.
Outlaws: Low Red Moon didn't necessarily add anything significant to the franchise or lore, and for game players may not have presented any anticipation due to knowing the ending, but for the task presented to Chen, I consider it a success.
I loved how he explored the shallow and evil minds of the elite dissolved in corporate dominance. It added even more realism to the Empire’s oppression over the galaxy, by depicting the family damage and mental impact years of buisness fixation and overlooking can cause. Jaylen's parents considered passing the company mantle onto him an honour and good parenting, yet it caused irreversible damage, especially to the overlooked Sliro. Deeming him the 'half-Barsha' gave some very Harry Potter under the stairs vibes and it fit in perfectly.
Overall this book was honestly a breath of fresh air and a fun start to the Star Wars books of 2026. It wasn't perfect or groundbreaking, and perhaps would have gotten an even higher rating if it bridged a little better to the games opening and added more Kay, but I genuinely had a great time with this read.
I will note that I have not played the Outlaws game, but I did do plenty of research regarding where Jaylen and ND's story was taken, and this seems like the perfect prequel and ideal emotional setup. The story displayed great pacing, engaging action, and plenty of loveable side characters. I couldn’t help but binge read all the rag-tag bounty missions.
Mike Chen is now also officially the first canon author to write in first person from a droids perspective, understandably a nerve-racking feat. And once again, as expected, he nailed it. He described in an interview that he was avoiding generic codes and instructions to aid in fleshing out his character and granting him depth, but obviously he still needed to maintain a robotic tone and logic dominant mind. This was definitely a job well done. He created personal connection, sympathy and growth for an emotionless war machine, a commendable achievement for the franchise.
Of course one of the biggest highlights out of the entire book for me was the return of , a character I loved in her debut and was pleasantly shocked to see return. The cameos by were also awesome, they felt relevant and well integrated to the era and themes of the book, not just fan service.
Outlaws: Low Red Moon didn't necessarily add anything significant to the franchise or lore, and for game players may not have presented any anticipation due to knowing the ending, but for the task presented to Chen, I consider it a success.
I loved how he explored the shallow and evil minds of the elite dissolved in corporate dominance. It added even more realism to the Empire’s oppression over the galaxy, by depicting the family damage and mental impact years of buisness fixation and overlooking can cause. Jaylen's parents considered passing the company mantle onto him an honour and good parenting, yet it caused irreversible damage, especially to the overlooked Sliro. Deeming him the 'half-Barsha' gave some very Harry Potter under the stairs vibes and it fit in perfectly.
Overall this book was honestly a breath of fresh air and a fun start to the Star Wars books of 2026. It wasn't perfect or groundbreaking, and perhaps would have gotten an even higher rating if it bridged a little better to the games opening and added more Kay, but I genuinely had a great time with this read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
star-wars
February 20, 2026After reading a previous book that was written as a prequel for another Star Wars game, Jedi: Survivor, I did not have high hopes for Low Red Moon. The other book was absolute garbage in my opinion for a lot of different reasons. So, going into this book I expected more of the same. Thankfully, that was far from the truth. First, I will say that this book makes way more sense if you’ve played Outlaws. Knowing the characters going in inevitably makes the story more engaging. But, if you haven’t played the game you could still enjoy the book, albeit without understanding the characters fully and without a satisfying conclusion. Secondly, the story is just plain good. It’s relatable, it draws you in and it keeps you in suspense, especially during Part 1. After the first part it does start to drag a little but the last part picks back up, especially when a known Star Wars character makes an appearance. Lastly, unlike the other game tie-in novel, this book doesn’t involve sexual situations or descriptions, which is a huge turn-off to me in Star Wars books. This story is character driven, builds steadily from start to finish. It ends with the foreknowledge of what will come in the future (if you’ve played the game) and admittedly the story is not finished at the end of the book, but rather concludes in the game. If you haven’t played the game and have no desire to do so, I wouldn’t recommend the book. The end would not be satisfying without the game. Overall I enjoyed the story very much which felt like a Star Wars book even without the Force really being part of the storyline.
March 3, 2026
Jaylen Barsha was primed to take over as CEO of Barsha Corporation, but at the last moment his future was destroyed. The sole survivor of an attack on his family, Jaylen changes his name and survives among the galaxy's outlaws while he searches for his missing brother, Sliro. Jaylen's companion is ND-5, but Jaylen's need for revenge might prove stronger than any bond growing between them.
I'm not much of a gamer, but I have read a lot of books based on Star Wars video games. Some are terrible, some simply exist, and few are great. I went into this blind. Heck, I assumed Jaylen was the playable character until I bothered to look up the cover art for Star Wars: Outlaws - it was at this point that I realised I should probably adjust my expectations of his personal growth in this novel (ha!). In my defence, Chen wrote Jaylen so well and gave him a huge heaping of Main Character Energy. So perhaps I can be forgiven for initially being Team Jaylen. I'm totally Team ND-5 now.
There are definitely aspects of this book that could have used more time and more pages, though a prequel with this much baggage is always going to be patchy and skip over large sections of time. I liked/disliked the appearance of Fennec Shand - it felt a little forced. But I'm kind of in love Fennec. Anyway, it's not an excellent book (mostly due to the limitations placed on it) and yet I quite enjoyed this imperfect jaunt.
I'm not much of a gamer, but I have read a lot of books based on Star Wars video games. Some are terrible, some simply exist, and few are great. I went into this blind. Heck, I assumed Jaylen was the playable character until I bothered to look up the cover art for Star Wars: Outlaws - it was at this point that I realised I should probably adjust my expectations of his personal growth in this novel (ha!). In my defence, Chen wrote Jaylen so well and gave him a huge heaping of Main Character Energy. So perhaps I can be forgiven for initially being Team Jaylen. I'm totally Team ND-5 now.
There are definitely aspects of this book that could have used more time and more pages, though a prequel with this much baggage is always going to be patchy and skip over large sections of time. I liked/disliked the appearance of Fennec Shand - it felt a little forced. But I'm kind of in love Fennec. Anyway, it's not an excellent book (mostly due to the limitations placed on it) and yet I quite enjoyed this imperfect jaunt.
March 1, 2026
Usually I do my review after I finish a book. But I am about half way through it, and I got to share what I enjoy of this story.
Mike Chen has done a tremendous job in the characterizing of Jaylen and ND-5.
We see a different side to Jaylen Vrax and how he presents himself and how he wants to be fair to his brother. And how he decides to pick himself up after tragedy strikes and destroys his life.
ND-5, Our favorite former, duster jacket wearing, BX Commando Droid is back. We get some POV chapters from his perspective and how he views morality or how droids typically percieve the physical world.
The "Partnership" between these 2, is not as cozy as it seems but as stable they come. I Look forward to finish the reading of this story.
After finishing the story, you see more humanity it Jaylen Barsha, and how he had to bury his former identity and permanently become Jaylen Vrax. And the conflict and trust he has for ND.
ND 5 POV shows he is definitely more than just programming and a killer, that his experiences makes him something more than machine, to something that is "alive", just not in the way we intended for it to be.
AFTER FINISHING THE BOOK. 2/22/2026
Mike Chen. Well-done Master Jedi.
Mike Chen has done a tremendous job in the characterizing of Jaylen and ND-5.
We see a different side to Jaylen Vrax and how he presents himself and how he wants to be fair to his brother. And how he decides to pick himself up after tragedy strikes and destroys his life.
ND-5, Our favorite former, duster jacket wearing, BX Commando Droid is back. We get some POV chapters from his perspective and how he views morality or how droids typically percieve the physical world.
The "Partnership" between these 2, is not as cozy as it seems but as stable they come. I Look forward to finish the reading of this story.
After finishing the story, you see more humanity it Jaylen Barsha, and how he had to bury his former identity and permanently become Jaylen Vrax. And the conflict and trust he has for ND.
ND 5 POV shows he is definitely more than just programming and a killer, that his experiences makes him something more than machine, to something that is "alive", just not in the way we intended for it to be.
AFTER FINISHING THE BOOK. 2/22/2026
Mike Chen. Well-done Master Jedi.
February 20, 2026
As a massive fan of the video game, I was expecting a mid-range book that would hit some of the highlights and do decent fanservice.
Boy, was I wrong.
This was a compelling and deep work of anti-hero fiction. Jaylen is brought to life even moreso than what we got from playing the game. His journey never delves into cliche territory. He's as flawed a protagonist as you could ask for. And ND-5 is a standout character. We haven't seen a droid with this much to say since HK-47.
I found myself mentally comparing this work to the film Nightcrawler. Both works give us a main character who can be eerily sadistic and chilling, but it's impossible to look away because we understand the motivations behind the questionable decisions.
We don't have to like Jaylen to understand him. And we don't have to condone his actions without wanting to see more of them.
It's important to keep a clear head and a clear eye as some of the conflicts are subtle, but all in all this is a rich Star Wars story that gives you a lot to remember.
Boy, was I wrong.
This was a compelling and deep work of anti-hero fiction. Jaylen is brought to life even moreso than what we got from playing the game. His journey never delves into cliche territory. He's as flawed a protagonist as you could ask for. And ND-5 is a standout character. We haven't seen a droid with this much to say since HK-47.
I found myself mentally comparing this work to the film Nightcrawler. Both works give us a main character who can be eerily sadistic and chilling, but it's impossible to look away because we understand the motivations behind the questionable decisions.
We don't have to like Jaylen to understand him. And we don't have to condone his actions without wanting to see more of them.
It's important to keep a clear head and a clear eye as some of the conflicts are subtle, but all in all this is a rich Star Wars story that gives you a lot to remember.
February 7, 2026
As someone who's not played the game yet (lack of equipment, not desire) I enjoyed this book well enough. The story was told in a competent fashion, with some interesting twists and turns. However...the main twist was incredibly predictable. I called it way back at the start of the book, before the massacre even happened, and it wasn't actually revealed until the last couple chapters.
I suspect this is a plot element from the game, given it's not fully resolved in this book, so maybe it wasn't really meant to be a secret to anyone but the protagonist himself, so I suppose that's alright, but it was deeply unsatisfying to have it play out almost exactly as I had predicted while the main protagonist never even considered it a possibility.
And speaking of the main protagonist...he is a jerk and an idiot and ND-5 deserves better.
Not a bad story, but not great either, probably not one I'll be re-reading anytime soon.
I suspect this is a plot element from the game, given it's not fully resolved in this book, so maybe it wasn't really meant to be a secret to anyone but the protagonist himself, so I suppose that's alright, but it was deeply unsatisfying to have it play out almost exactly as I had predicted while the main protagonist never even considered it a possibility.
And speaking of the main protagonist...he is a jerk and an idiot and ND-5 deserves better.
Not a bad story, but not great either, probably not one I'll be re-reading anytime soon.
February 23, 2026
*3.75
This was a fun prequel to Outlaws and it definitely made me want to replay the game. I would say that you can read this book regardless of whether you’ve played the game or not— in fact, there is a twist in the book that if you’ve played the game you already know about it. So, in that case, it might be better having not played the game.
Anyways— I enjoyed seeing Jaylen and ND-5’s relationship evolve. I like how the plot was able to bring in characters we are familiar with like (to remain vague) some Crimson Dawn people and a bounty hunter.
Overall, solid read. I really liked how all of ND’s chapters were first person weirdly, since Jaylen’s were all in third. I do wish we got a little bit more of just Jaylen and ND, most of what we got with those two were jobs with a larger crew.
This was a fun prequel to Outlaws and it definitely made me want to replay the game. I would say that you can read this book regardless of whether you’ve played the game or not— in fact, there is a twist in the book that if you’ve played the game you already know about it. So, in that case, it might be better having not played the game.
Anyways— I enjoyed seeing Jaylen and ND-5’s relationship evolve. I like how the plot was able to bring in characters we are familiar with like (to remain vague) some Crimson Dawn people and a bounty hunter.
Overall, solid read. I really liked how all of ND’s chapters were first person weirdly, since Jaylen’s were all in third. I do wish we got a little bit more of just Jaylen and ND, most of what we got with those two were jobs with a larger crew.
February 21, 2026
I listened to this book via Audible.
Low Red Moon is a prequel story to the Star Wars Outlaws game, providing backstory to several of the recurring characters. I started playing the game but stopped due to some technical issues, but after reading this book I want to give it another try!
Even without knowing everything about the story from the game, this was still a solid Star Wars adventure. The ending is somewhat abrupt, since it's meant to lead into the events of the game, but otherwise it's full of action and adventure with an interesting plot to keep you engaged.
If you enjoyed Star Wars Outlaws and want to learn more about some of the characters in the game, or just want a fun Star Wars story, Low Red Moon won't disappoint.
Low Red Moon is a prequel story to the Star Wars Outlaws game, providing backstory to several of the recurring characters. I started playing the game but stopped due to some technical issues, but after reading this book I want to give it another try!
Even without knowing everything about the story from the game, this was still a solid Star Wars adventure. The ending is somewhat abrupt, since it's meant to lead into the events of the game, but otherwise it's full of action and adventure with an interesting plot to keep you engaged.
If you enjoyed Star Wars Outlaws and want to learn more about some of the characters in the game, or just want a fun Star Wars story, Low Red Moon won't disappoint.
February 22, 2026
I went through the first half of this book sure that I was reading the next 5-star Star Wars book. By the end though, I struggled to give it 4.
The book has this major dropping off point where it stops being exciting and action-packed. It grinds to a halt and never fully recovers, even though the ending isn't bad.
I'd recommend it if you played the game, but I don't see the point in reading it otherwise.
The book has this major dropping off point where it stops being exciting and action-packed. It grinds to a halt and never fully recovers, even though the ending isn't bad.
I'd recommend it if you played the game, but I don't see the point in reading it otherwise.
February 11, 2026
Mike Chen continues to deliver compelling character work; however, the plot of Low Red Moon gets bogged down in a mystery that never feels very compelling, considering those of us who have played the game know where it is going almost immediately.
Check out our full review here:
https://youtu.be/vCtaKgHp2Ao?si=pnyoD...
Check out our full review here:
https://youtu.be/vCtaKgHp2Ao?si=pnyoD...
March 1, 2026
This book really cemented Mike Chen as one of my favorite SW authors. After thoroughly enjoying Brotherhood I was eager to read Chen's next entry to the franchise, and this book did not disappoint. Did a fantastic job fleshing out both Jaylen and ND-5, and the inclusion/development of wider lore was great to me. I particularly love the scene inspired by the DMV!
February 6, 2026
How does one NOT rate this five stars? HOT DROID HOT DROID.
I'm sad Outlaws doesn't get more love. I need more merch! This was a fun star wars adventure. Nothing too crazy in here and when you've played the game you kind of know a little of what to expect. It's great you should read it.
I'm sad Outlaws doesn't get more love. I need more merch! This was a fun star wars adventure. Nothing too crazy in here and when you've played the game you kind of know a little of what to expect. It's great you should read it.
February 24, 2026
3.75 rating! I'm not a gamer but I was intrigued by this prequel novel for Star Wars Outlaws. Mike Chenbis a favorite author of mine and this one was pretty solid. I especially liked the POV of ND-5 and how they saw the events.
February 5, 2026
ND-5 is my new favourite
February 15, 2026
Surprisingly great crime story set in the Star Wars universe! ND5 might be one of my new favorite characters, and I liked Jaylen in the beginning, but now I hate him lol.
February 15, 2026
ND-5 <3
February 16, 2026
jaylen vrax is soooo stupid. soooooooooo stupid
February 16, 2026
A fantastic book, and an unexpected sequel to his excellent Star Wars novel Brotherhood.
February 9, 2026
It was great to read more about ND-5. I do think it feels incomplete without the game
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