Gregg Hurwitz

Characters able to leap tall buildings (in several bounds) and also endure extreme pain for extended periods and still "warrior on" in ultra human fashion--all of this puts a strain on credibility. But, if you accept the notion that special training produces special people, well, okay. "The way you do anything is the way you do everything," the Orphan mantra, drives much of the action, along with the "ten commandments." I'm looking to compare/contrast Hurwitz, Rollins, Mayer, and Baldacci and others for style, techniques, weaponry, and more. I'm particularly interested in research regarding firearms, cyber security, physical and mental training, and the like. In short, what would it take for an actual human being to replicated Evan Smoak?… (mere)

I wonder if this is the last book in the Orphan X series. My money is on the last but one as there are several changes in Evan Smoak that suggest he is finding it harder to keep the human side of him shut out, he is a bit Jason Bourne-ish in character. He has also made a few errors, missing a shot for one example, but being caught by government operatives being the biggest, that also make him more human.

Smoak is the result of a program that he started when he wask taken out of an orphanage and put through a series of tests and training that created a flawless killer and then used by the government as a human weapon. The book starts with two seemingly disparate stories.

Story number one is based around Johnny Seabrook, a happy-go-lucky young man living on his looks and always ready to party. He attends one of Luke Devine's parties and ends up dead alongside a young woman.

Meanwhile, government agents are tracking down Smoak at the request of the president and her request will be that he is pardonned if he gets rid of Luke Devine. Smoak eventually finds a link between the two young people who were killed and Luke Devine and so takes the request to kill him. Devine is, however, a dark version of Smoak, although he operates in different ways and seems to be one step ahead of him.

Although a lone wolf, Smoak needs the help of several friends for this task and it is here that I think you can sense the ending of this series. Smoak needs to call on them much more and his techy, Joey a sixteen year old girl who has been through similar things to Smoak, needs him to help her emotionally.

These books aren't meant to deal with the big themes of the day, but it does touch on how the wealthy are treated and the links between companies and the military, always a murky area. What is not missed out of the book though are the fights, the violence and general thrillerness of this genre and so I thoroughly enjoyed it and will miss the series if it is to come to an end.
It turns out there is a book due to be released in 2024 - Lone Wolf - so this is not the last.… (mere)

Did I really need to add another series of books to my ever growing TBR? Of course I did! A few years ago, I read Gregg Hurwitz’s novel, They’re Watching, and I thought it was incredible! Since that time, I’ve been collecting his other stand alone novels in my Audible library. I have seen a lot of praise for the Orphan X series over time. I honestly avoided reading it because I am working my way through a few other series of novels and I didn’t want to add another one to my rotation just yet. Well, Orphan X caught my attention the other day when I was scouting for my next Audible selection from my massive ‘not started’ library. I figured that was the universe giving me a nudge to start listening. And I’m so glad I did!

Evan Smoak, AKA Orphan X, AKA The Nowhere Man, began his training as an orphan child to become an assassin. He was part of a secret squirrel program that trained exceptional children in all types of surveillance tactics, combat, tending to one’s own medical needs, controlling one’s mind, and managing relationships. The list goes on and on. To me, Evan’s skills were beyond anything I’ve seen in a James Bond movie. Following a tragic event, Evan leaves the program and uses everything he was taught to disappear and go completely under the radar. He decides to use his unique skill set for good. When he receives a call from someone desperate for help, Evan will do anything to protect them and help them out of their dangerous situation. His routine is disturbed when he learns someone is after him.

I loved everything about this book! Evan Smoak is a fascinating character. He keeps everything close to his chest and really can’t allow anyone to get close to him to protect his identity. So it’s interesting to follow his interactions with other characters he can’t avoid. He’s extremely clever and insightful. Portions of the book focus on Evan’s training during his upbringing which also illustrate his big heart. My favorite trait of Evan’s is that he’s a meditating assassin!

The story is fascinating! The writing is outstanding! Hurwitz provided a nice foundation for the story; I like how he described Evan’s role and his living environment. From there, the story gradually evolved to include the first person Evan is called on to help, to the person after him, and his training. All of these aspects were weaved together perfectly.

One of the book series I am working my way through is Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, which I love. Orphan X has a similar vibe, but yet is so different. If you like Reacher, you will be a fan of Evan Smoak. I’ve already added the rest of the Orphan X series to my Audible wishlist. I’m fully committed to this series!

I have photos, videos, and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog… (mere)

I like these Orphan X books although I don't think they are perfect. Mostly I like heroes who are Bond-style indestructible and infallible and Evan Smoak fits the description. Although Evan has been trained to work alone, it's impossible to be invisible and alone in the real world and in the course of maintaining a pretend normal life, Evan has met Mia and her son Peter who live in his building and he has begun to care for them. This leads to him being captured by the spooky government services and coerced into working for them again. The moral pivot of the book is whether Evan will carry out assassinations just because he's told to.

This may not be the strongest Orphan X book but it moves along quickly and moves Evan's story forward.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley.… (mere)