The fun thing about reading novels like this are twofold: One, seeing the hero succeed in helping someone in need because of his special talents, and two, seeing the hero in a dire situation where you genuinely think to yourself—how the heck could he possibly get out of this predicament?

For the latter, trained assassin Evan Smoak, the Nowhere Man, formerly Orphan X, him being in a seemingly-impossible-to-escape situation lasts for hundreds of pages. Just when you think he might get away . . . bam! His entrapment becomes ten times worse. And then worse. And then even more dreadful. And then more intolerable.

But you know he’ll somehow succeed because the sequels have already been written.

So you can’t help but keep turning pages to find out how.

Do the plot lines strain the bounds of credulity? Yes. Do they make you wonder what the heck is wrong with the brain of Gregg Hurwitz? They sure do. Was it a thrill ride anyway? Absolutely.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this fun novel.

Another five star rating. Evan Smoak is captured. The kidnapper wants all of his money and is not afraid to use torture to gain his ends. Evan never loses sight of escape and how to lower the odds against him. Prior to his capture, he rescues a young girl from traffickers and learns another girl is being shipped in a container from California to Florida and he is determined to rescue her. The novel brings in much of his past, particularly his relationship with Jack Johns. To go into what happens to Evan, his captors and the people from his past will bring up way too many spoilers. This second novel has tied up most of the loose ends from the first one and did it well. Once again, great reading and now on to the third chapter. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an ARC for an honest review.

#2 as good as #1 but when I tell you he is a prisoner you are going to slow sell and think flash back scenes and all that; NO there is plenty of SMOKE with SMOAK. Lots of action and the body count requires more than simple math. I like where we are going here

Very good read and unique plot. Worth your time. Ready for more. Download at once and turn off the phone.

I received a free copy of The Nowhere Man from NetGalley.

The second book in the Orphan X series is not as well-defined or exciting as Book #1, Orphan X. Part of the issue is that we have the protagonist, Evan, in an extremely vulnerable position for the majority of the book. He rarely has intersection with positive characters who then would force Evan to question his life's direction and what he has missed. Instead, Evan is a captive constantly evaluating and re-evaluating his method of escape. His numerous attempts only land him in more restrictive circumstances where he is forced to draw on his inner resources. His physical situation becomes more dire as time passes.

This entry still leaves much more of Evan's story to be told and I will stick with this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the first three books in the Orphan X series. I really loved all three books and have recommended them to all of my reading friends.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan and Gregg Hurwitz for the opportunity to read the first three books in the Orphan X series. Loved all three books and have recommended to fellow reading friends.

The Nowhere Man by Greg Hurwitz has exceeded my expectations!
From the beginning to fast paced middle and emotional ending of this second book in his series you will not be disappointed.
This is a roller coaster of action, emotions and you find yourself totally immersed in Evans character.
Greg Hyrwitz is the man for action sci-fi novels!
Fabulous!

I’m really enjoying this series! So glad I took a chance and read the first 3 books. There is so much mystery and suspense, and in my opinion inspiration. These books have made me believe that you are stronger than what you believe.

Second book in this highly charged, action packed series is every bit as good as the first one. The story continues, gets more complex and Nowhere Man's chief nemesis is still out there trying to kill him. Highly recommended for fans of Jack Reacher and The Grey Man.

Another brilliant book in a fantastic, exciting series. I think it is important that anyone coming to the series for the first time realises that the books should really be read in the order of publication as they all follow on from each other and it is like one long story. I'm now on to the third in the series, Hellbent. Wonderful stuff!

The Nowhere Man is back! He's still helping others, but in the process of cleaning up after saving someone, Evan is himself captured and taken off...somewhere. He brilliantly figures out where he is not (I wish I had his deductive powers!) but his mysterious captor Renè wants something specific from him...his money! But how did Renè find Evan and his money? Evan has things hidden within hiding places within hiding places....so how did Renè break through that?

In spite of being held far from everywhere, with sadistic guards and a clever captor, Evan works out how he can escape and continue to save lives. But unlike Orphan X, the previous book, in this book Evan is the one most in need in help. Like Orphan X, The Nowhere Man is well researched and well written, but unlike that one, in The Nowhere Man focuses on Evan rather than those he helps. Personally I enjoyed all the cleverness of finding those in need, solving their problems and making the world a better place for all, but this is still an excellent book and I recommend it.

A story that pulls you in and wants you to read more. Action packed and moves at a good pace. Worth reading.

Orphan X was a new twist on the Manchurian Candidate. Instead on one assassin, multiples are created.. In THE NOWHERE MAN, Evan Smoak is caught by a psycho multi millionaire who is trying to figure out who Smoak really is. With Smoak's many cloaks of cover, it's not easy. But the psycho gets to an acct. in which Smoak has 27 million, and he wants it. Much of the book is showing Evan being tortured in one way or another. I don't care to read about torture--my interest Orphan X is who he saves, and here he is trying to save himself. Evan tells the psycho to cut his losses because to carry on will bring on a world of pain involving Van Sciver, former Orphan and Evan hater.

Despite the gratuitous violence, I expect to be back for the next Orphan X novel.

Gregg Hurwitz knows how to keep the action going.

Just as fast-paced as the first, <i>The Nowhere Man</i> delves into even more action. Readers watch as Evan Smoak overcomes new obstacles.

I loved that Gregg Hurwitz gives readers a human protagonist. He isn't invulnerable. Evan has emotions, he has weaknesses, and he misses key plot points. But hey, so do actual people!

Plus we actually got to delve more into all of the Orphans in this novel. Candy's lack of confidence, Evan's subconscious, even Van Sciver's lack of emotion.

Through this roller coaster ride, readers are pulled into this world. Every action sequence is well written and described to be easily understood and seen in the mind's eye.

Gotta say though, Gregg Hurwitz loves his cliffhangers!

I much preferred Orphan X to this book in the series. This one seemed to be so Nowhere Man focused there was little to root for, making it a bit tedious

He became the protector of the innocent, the weak, those unable to get the results he can. Evan Smoak is THE NOWHERE MAN, a renegade from the program that groomed him to be a covert weapon, but no one walks away from the Orphan program, no one.

Gregg Hurwitz digs deep into the man Evan Smoak has become and we are witness to what makes this man tick, as well as what makes him as good as he is, no matter how dark things look. But sometimes, it takes a lot of luck to survive and Evan’s luck has run out, for now…

Ambushed, drugged and kidnapped, Evan wakes up a prisoner to a narcissistic sociopath who wants something Evan has, but does he know who he is dealing with? Will Renee find Evan’s Achilles Heel, bringing Van Sciver into the picture? Can Evan find his way out of the deadly vise he is being squeezed with?

Confused, guarded by fierce goons, Evan gets a call for help he cannot ignore, but getting out of the elaborate fortress won’t be easy, it may be impossible…

Vivid details set the atmosphere for this quieter, yet still emotionally taut addition to the Orphan X series. The action is different this time out, the tone is different, and Evan isn’t the invincible asset he once was. He has been tortured, weakened, and seems more human…until he becomes so driven, he will push the envelope between life and death, Van Sciver, be damned. What he needs is an angel…

There may have been few bumps in the road this time out, but I wouldn’t have missed THE NOWHERE MAN for anything!

I received a complimentary copy from Minotaur Books!

Series: Orphan X - Book 2
Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st Edition edition (January 17, 2017)
Genre: Thriller | Suspense
Hardcover: 368 pages
Available from : Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Sometimes Nothing Works As It Should

Evan Smoak continues his quest to help those in dire need of help, but one small slip allows Evan to be captured and hidden away in a secret fortress. His captors tell him the only way out is to buy his way out. Evan will not pay for his freedom, he will find another way.

Gregg Hurwitz spins another fascinating adventure for The Nowhere Man in this, another can’t-put-down novel. The ingenuity and guile that Evan possesses continues to be revealed in this second novel of the series. The more you find out about Evan the more you want to know. Even when he is trapped in dire circumstances of his own, Evan’s thoughts go to guilt over two people who need his help and who his is in no position to save.

Some reviewers have almost re-written the book in their reviews. Skip those reviews and experience the adventure for yourself. You will enjoy the adventure more if you don’t know what’s ahead for our hero.

I received a free advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a series that you have to read in order because it's continuous. This book took a little more to get into because it started out really slow also the story wasn't as believable as the first book. All in all the book was worth reading now waiting for the 3rd.

This is the second book in the 'Orphan X' series. It's best to read the books in order.

*****

Evan Smoak was once part of the government's 'Orphan Program', a secret operation that taught boys and girls to be highly skilled assassins. Evan, known as Orphan X, began his training at the age of twelve and started doing jobs at nineteen - backed by every kind of cutting edge technology and unlimited access to cash.

After ten years or so, Evan quit the Orphan Program and settled in Los Angeles, where he uses his special skills - and bottomless bank accounts - to help people in dire straits. Calling himself 'The Nowhere Man', Evan carries an untraceable RoamZone phone, where a tormented person can call and ask for assistance.😫

At the beginning of the book, Evan is contacted by 15-year-old Anna Rezian, who's about to be sold into sexual slavery by Hector Contrell. Evan assists Anna and terminates Hector's operation with extreme prejudice. Evan then discovers that Hector just sent off a 17-year-old girl named Alison Siegler, whose shipping container prison is scheduled to arrive in Jacksonville in sixteen days. Evan has every intention of being in Florida to rescue Alison, and dispatch her buyer.🔪

Just as Evan is making this plan, he's abducted and locked up in a highly sophisticated 'prison.' Evan's room has a bed, bathroom, desk, fireplace, and patio, as well as custom-made clothes in his size. There are also surveillance cameras, vents that can pump in knockout gas, and Narco guards outside his room and all over the property.

Evan soon discovers that he's being held by a sociopath who calls himself René. René is a paunchy, balding middle-aged man who's desperate to look and feel young so he can enjoy his opulent lifestyle, including a lavish home, expensive furnishings, priceless art, fabulous food, excellent liquor, attractive lovers, fancy cars, and so on.

René's method of maintaining his 'youth' includes using concealer, hair-filler, lotions, and tonics - as well as infusing himself with youthful blood. To finance all this rigmarole, René kidnaps wealthy people and forces them to hand over their fortunes. 🤑

René somehow learned about one of Evan's secret bank accounts - which contains 27 million dollars -and he plans to force Evan to do a wire transfer. René has badly miscalculated however. He thinks Evan is an arms dealer or drug trafficker, and has no idea that Orphan X is one of the deadliest assassins in the world.

Evan makes excellent use of his training and abilities to kill René's Narcos and bodyguards, but the psychopath just keeps replacing the dead men. Evan also cleverly discovers his geographical location, and tries to formulate an escape plan - which will have to succeed if he's going to save Alison Siegler.

The story has chapter after chapter about Evan's clever maneuvers - like shinnying up a chimney, palming a poison mushroom, and doing incredible things with a Lexan vault. There are also innumerable fight scenes, all of which are described in minute detail. For me, a lot of this was repetitive and over-the-top (though I admire author's ability to choreograph Byzantine combat scenes).

In a side plot, Charles Van Sciver - the current head of the Orphan Program - is tasked with hunting down and killing 'retired' Orphans, because they know too much. Van Sciver is especially determined to bump off Orphan X, with whom he has a long history. So, when Van Sciver gets a cyber-sniff of the extremely elusive Evan Smoak, he sends out sexpot Candy McClure to try to locate/capture/kill Evan. Candy is quite a girl, very confident about her ability to bamboozle men with her voluptuous body. 💋

For me, the most exciting part of the book was the final quarter, where things got REALLY interesting. Nuff said without spoilers.

The story is chock full of action, but has a very thin plot, and isn't as good as the first novel in the series. Nevertheless, I'd recommend the book to Evan Smoak fans. He's a hero worth rooting for. 👍

(I think Michael Fassbender would make a good Evan Smoak if there are movies.)

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Gregg Hurwitz) and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book.