Orphan X (aka Evan Smoak, aka Nowhere Man) is one of my favorite fictional characters. Who doesn't love an orphaned child turned black-ops, government-trained assassin who retained his conscience and decided to use his "limited set of skills" to help those who have nowhere else to turn?? But what should he do when it's a bad guy/"unconventional businessman" who needs his help to get his daughter back from an even worse guy/cartel boss? He makes peace with the situation and infiltrates the cartel to get Anjelina back to her parents. However, everything is not as it seems and getting her out is going to be trickier than he thought and use emotional skills he's not sure he possesses along with his my-body-is-a-lethal-weapon skill set. And, of course, he will have the Joey, his niece-like teenage charge, who also came from the Orphan program, and her unparalleled computer skills at his disposal as well.

Dark Horse is as action-packed and fast-paced as expected but is interspersed with some very heavy emotional moments as well, which just adds to the story. My only criticism is how pronounced Hurwitz made X's OCD in this story. He has always been very neat, particular and a little fussy but it seemed to take on more of a life in this one (not able to sleep until he went and fixed one book out of place that he'd seen earlier in the day). I don't feel like it added anything to his character that wasn't already there and took unnecessarily away from the storyline. The end is a cliff-hanger that has me already salivating for the next installment.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to listen (Scott Brick is amazing!), read, and review Dark Horse in exchange for an honest review

A MASTER STORYTELLER!

Greg Hurwitz returns with a favorite series (Orphan X), DARK HORSE, with the famous leading man. This seventh installment in the series may be Evan Smoak's (Nowhere Man) most emotional, challenging, and dangerous case yet.

Full of heart, action, and thrills. Since the first book, I have been a fan and would not miss an episode.

If you have read the previous books in the series, you know Orphan X was a government assassin for an Orphan Program. After leaving the program, he changed his name to The Nowhere Man to help those in need with a devoted phone number. 1-855-2-NOWHERE - A way to give back on his journey to redemption.

"When the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never."
—Immortal Technique

Hurwitz has cleverly pitted Evan against a complex man who darkly resembles himself with a mix of good and evil.

This time around, he comes in contact with a South Texas drug lord, Aragon Urrea. His eighteen-year-old daughter, Anjelina, has been kidnapped by the Mexican cartel.

He is on the fence, trying to decide if he wants to help this criminal. However, even though this man is evil, he also helps people in need, somewhat like his past.

Aragón Urrea is a complicated man. This mission is very personal for Evan. Should he get his daughter back? This is a question he often has asked of himself. So we have the "Dark Man" (kidnapped the daughter), Aragon, and Evan. This Dark Man is highly dangerous, and he has the girl.

DARK HORSE delves into the underbelly of humanity with drug pins, drugs, opioids, cartels, and the big and greedy pharmaceutical companies.

Evan has to do a lot of soul-searching about his past and present while involved in this adrenaline-fueled suspense thriller that packs a punch. Evan has kept people at a distance and tried not to allow himself to love or care.

Evan has maintained his humanity since the beginning despite his arsenal of lethal skills, as confusing as it sometimes is for him, which makes you root for him.

As always, I love Mia (neighbor) and the district attorney and single mother to Peter he has been involved with, who faces a life-threatening surgery. They are not aware of his past. There are also others in his life, such as the hacker, Joey (recruit), that has become like a daughter.

Lines are blurred. Evan has learned to keep up his wall. Those who need to be saved. What would they think of his past? Evan is pulled in with struggles from evil and good and its extremes. His dark past and the people he has learned to care for. He also has OCD tendencies, antisocial behavior, and his need to have control over his world, but at the same time, he has to separate business and personal struggles in his life.

Due to its complex emotions, which are deeply felt, this series sets itself apart from other crime action series. Beautiful prose, Hurwitz keeps this series fresh with engaging content while adding to his leading man's action, suspense, and deeply felt emotions.

This series appeals to a broad audience, both male and female readers. You learn to care about Evan and hate to see him struggling with his extreme emotions. Another cliffhanger looks like there will be more Orphan X, and I look forward to the next MISSION in this superb and gripping series!.

As always, Scott Brick delivers an outstanding performance as the audiobook narrator. Spellbinding and engaging—highly recommend.

Any reader who enjoys intelligent crime thrillers with substance, both plot and character-driven; Greg Hurwitz's Orphan X has it all!

A special thank you to #Minotaur #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for an ARC e-book and audiobook.

Blog Review Posted:
#JDCMustReadBooks | @JudithDCollins
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: 02/08/22
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Dark Horse pits Evan against a different kind of threat, and once again Mr. Hurwitz hits it out of the park. The Orphan X series just keeps getting better with each new book, and Dark Horse delivers the goods in spades. I just love how we as Orphan X fanatics continue growing with Evan with each new adrenaline packed release.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of Mr. Hurwitz and his outstanding Orphan X series. I will also be recommending this to all of my students. I urge everyone to run out and buy a copy of same upon actual release date.
Thanks sincerely to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely love this series! Be warned that there is graphic violence and cussing. As always there is plenty of action to keep any adrenaline junky satisfied. The main characters in this series are what drives the series for me. Evan’s struggles with his humanity and his complex relationships with Joey, Mia and Peter are always a big component to the storyline in addition to the action surrounding the featured mission. Hurwitz’s skillful blend of action, technology, weaponry and Evan’s journey of self discovery are the things that make this series so intriguing for me. I’m already waiting for the next mission!

Know in advance that there is a lot - a lot- of graphic and gruesome violence in this well plotted fast paced novel. Evan Smoak aka Orphan X is the Nowhere Man who turned his career as an assassin for the USG into a life of helping others. This time, he's contacted by Aragon Urrea, a narcotrafficker whose daughter Anjelina has been kidnapped by the Leones cartel. This leads him deep into the darkness of the cartels. Urrea likes to portray himself as the patron of his small town but he is as cruel as the next but he's willing to make concessions for Anjelina, The actions of the Leones are beyond humanity, Evan's 16 year old ward Joey- a computer genius-helps even as she also picks at Evan for some freedom, And then there's Mia, the DA he loves (even if he doesn't recognize it as such), There's a twist in here that sees Evan having to recalculate and it makes for a better read, While it would be easy to dismiss this as a plot driven thriller, the characters sing and that's why I keep doing back to the series. This time out, it's Urrea's Tia and his two lieutenants who make great impressions (more so that the generally evil Leone cadre). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will be fine as a standalone. It's a real page turner and a great read.

I love the Orphan X series! All the books are full-on heart-pounding action. Hurwitz is a complete master of high-octane thrillers; the tension is palpable from the very first page.

Evan Smoak is a a perfect mix of Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher (especially when he pictures the fighting sequence in his mind before it happens). With his OCD and antisocial behavior, Evan Smoak is one of my favorite thriller characters. And I love his relationship with Joey.

This was such an exceptional and exhilarating ride, that provided hours of pure entertainment, and I loved every single second of it! Can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Gregg Hurwitz for a copy of "Dark Horse" in exchange of an honest review.

Excellent episode in the Orphan X series, it takes a turn South and Hurwitz continues his well written twists and turns. He always puts his characters in dangerous situations.

Evan Smoak appeared for the first time in the first book of this series as Orphan X, an off-the-books government program that trained lost boys (and girls) as assassins. He “escaped” that program and became the Nowhere Man, answering his phone when a desperate person needed help. In the last book, he escaped a devastating attack on his apartment and found an evolving relationship with a neighbor, Mia. As a result, he isn’t ready for another mission when the Nowhere Man phone rings - on the other end is Aragon Urrea, a drug kingpin in southern Texas. His daughter has been kidnapped by one of the most vicious drug cartels in Mexico. Aragon, despite his illegal activities, has many good traits, so Evan decides to help (if he will live up to certain conditions). What ensues is a terrifying mission where the odds are heavily stacked against him. And he must get back to his home base to support Mia as she is facing a life struggle of her own. This is the 7th book in Hurwitz’ Evan Smaok series, and once again, he has hit a home run. While all books of this type have heroes that you expect to make it to the next book, Hurwitz keeps you on your toes with new story lines and a main character that you want to succeed. My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this book.

I have read every book in the Orphan X series and loved each one. Dark Horse, book seven, is another fast-paced, action-packed novel featuring Evan Smoak as the Nowhere Man. In this standalone story, Evan is no longer working as an off-the-books Orphan operative but devotes his time to rescuing innocent victims in life-or-death circumstances. His astonishing methods require our unwavering suspension of disbelief because Evan’s wild adventures are pure entertainment.

One of the reasons Evan is such a great character is that despite his lethal skills, Evan has maintained his humanity. We watch him struggle between his dedication to duty and his desire for human connection. He’s continually confused by human emotion, yet somehow strikes the balance between adapting to social situations and completing his mission.

Sometimes I miss Evan as Orphan X and hope Hurwitz returns him to his Orphan roots for one more adventure. Did Hurwitz foreshadow the possibility in the Epilogue of this book? We’ll have to see. Whichever way Evan happens to go, I’ll be reading. Dark Horse is one of the best books in the series and is highly recommended. Loved this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC to read for review. *NetGalley Top Reviewer.*

I am a huge fan of Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X novels and this one is no exception. Fast paced, action thriller with great characters and a page-turning plot. This is the seventh book in the Orphan X series but you don't have to have read the previous ones to enjoy this one. Highly recommended along with all the other books in the series.

Dark Horse is the latest in Hurwitz’ Orphan X series. Evan Smoak, former US government assassin, also known as the Nowhere Man is now retired from government service. He can’t stay retired for long and begins his latest mission to rescue a drug kingpin’s daughter, kidnapped from a rival drug cartel. A quick read and a number of surprises as Evan balances the rescue of the girl with handling his own personal relationships. I love the Orphan X series!

Another great book from Gregg Hurwitz.

The young daughter of a cartel head is seemingly kidnapped by a rival cartel. Evan sets out to rescue her while trying to get her father to change his ways. But of course there are plot twists!!!

As usual Gregg Hurwitz, keeps me on the edge of my seat and staying up late saying to myself, I'll read one more chapter and then it's bed, only to find, it's two hours later.

Fast paced, action packed, pulse pounding, well written. Love the way the characters of Evan and Joey are both growing emotionally. Yet another great Orphan X novel. Can't wait for the next one.

Book Review

Dark Horse
Gregg Hurwitz
reviewed by Lou Jacobs



readersremains.com | Goodreads


Welcome back to Orphan X #7. Reading an Evan Smoak tale is truly a guilty pleasure; like eating dessert before dinner. Evan isn’t a superhero, but rather a kind-of Batman. He’s a highly skilled assassin who just wants to help powerless people.

Evan was a twelve-year-old boy rescued out of the projects of East Baltimore, only then to undergo a seven-year grueling training course under the tutelage of his handler, Jack Johns. Jack was the closest thing to a father and family he had ever known. This was part of a clandestine black ops “Orphan Program” created by the Department of Defense, creating a cadre of assassins of unparalleled abilities that were both deniable and expendable. Each sent out on a mission to destroy a high-value target without backup.

As his trainer, Jack knew it was easy to train Evan to kill, but hard to have him retain his humanity. Eventually Evan wanted out after a decade of covert killing, no longer wishing to be a lethal weapon of the government. He was one of the few Orphans with an actual conscience, and once out, found himself with a lot of time on his hands and a unique skill set. Thus, he embarked on his own program as a pro bono freelancer, helping those innocents who find themselves in impossible situations. And eventually, he became known by his enemies as The Nowhere Man.

Evan remained on call 24/7 for the unfortunates, awaiting a 1-855-2-NOWHERE call on his high tech, untraceable, and indestructible RoamZone phone. Evan thought he was ready to lead an ordinary life—whatever that was—without the prospect of death lurking around the corner. But was he?

Evan always answers his phone: “Do you need my help?” But on this occasion, the answer throws Evan into a moral quandary. “Yes, God has punished me,” comes the reply. “My eighteen-year-old daughter, Angelina, has been taken by my enemy, the La Familia Leon Cartel.”

This mission involves rescuing Aragon Urrea’s daughter, from the grips of Raul Montesco (also referred to as The Dark Man)—the psychotic and volatile cartel leader of the Leones Cartel, embedded in a heavily guarded fortress in Mexico, surrounded by an arsenal of weapons and vicious thugs and assassins (“Sicarios”).

This call certainly poses a dilemma for Evan. Aragon, like himself, is both a bad and good man. He is an unconventional businessman, although involved in the drug trade, and is also the patron of the small town, Eden, in south Texas, which flourishes under his guidance. He benevolently supplies legitimate employment and aid to the helpless, while meting out justice to the cruel and malevolent.

After careful and thorough investigation with the aid of Joey Morales, Aragon is deemed worthy.

Joey makes a welcome reprise in this book, being a fan favorite. She was a wash-out from the Orphan Program, who wound up in Evan’s charge. Now, sixteen-years-old, this feisty, smart aleck, is the smartest hacker he has ever known, taking college computer-science classes at UCLA that she could actually teach. Her only desire is to take “a road trip” by herself and her loving dog, “Dog,” for a few months—which Evan keeps shutting down.

Hurwitz proves to be a master storyteller as he uncouples this riveting barnburner of a thriller. Dark Horse is exquisitely plotted with unexpected twists and deceptions, laced with cinematic fight scenes, brimming with violence and suspense. This venture into The Nowhere Man is much more introspective than prior outings. Explored in depth are the gray areas of morality, family, relationships, and humility, while delving into the hellish underworld of drugs and the cartel families.

This seventh installment of the “Orphan” can certainly be enjoyed and devoured as a standalone, but will force the reader to quench their thirst with the previous novels. Personally, I switched back and forth between reading the book and listening to the audio, narrated by Scott Brick. His wonderful voice inflections brought the multiple characters to life in the “theater” of my mind.

Thanks to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof & Audio of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Each book in this series is a feast to the senses. As X takes on another mission the author holds the reader on the edge of their seat as they go along with him for the ride. The lines blur as he attempts to rescue the daughter of a drug kingpin who has been kidnapped by his rival. It is action packed bordering on gruesome in some scenes. The characters are very interesting and show multiple facets of the human condition. X’s character is changing and growing as he leaves his days in the program behind. Each story gets better and leaves you wanting more.

Another great Orphan X novel. where he has to decide whether he helps a cartel leader to recover his daughter from another cartel and whether he can operate in the grey area as opposed to dealing in only black and white. As it deals with cartel wars, it is a bit more bloodthirsty and gory than previous entries however does have some good character development both in Evan's relationship with Joey and his relationship with Mia.

Evan Smoak books are always interesting Dark Horse does not disappoint.

This time is the "bad" guy is the one who needs help. Evan helps but there are a few twists and turns as usual.

I definitely recommend this book and series, starting with book 1: Orphan X is a great place to begin.
Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy of this book.

<b>Dark Horse is another solid entry in the fantastic Orphan X series from Gregg Hurwitz.</b>

<b>Plot at a glance:</b> The seventh novel in the series sees Evan Smoak infiltrating a dangerous Mexican cartel to save the eighteen-year-old daughter of the complicated man behind a large-scale drug-dealing operation in Texas. Like The Nowhere Man himself, Aragon Urrea often does bad things for good reasons – he protects those who cannot protect themselves, he takes care of the town and gives second chances to those who show potential. But for all the good he does; his business is one Evan cannot condone which leads Evan to ask Aragon how much his daughter is truly worth before he officially takes on this mission. Bolstered by Aragon’s answer, Evan turns to former Orphan Joey for recon on the cartel and gets to work on his master plan to save Aragon’s daughter. In between his time in Texas and eventually Mexico, Evan grapples with his ever-growing feelings for Mia and her nine-year-old son Peter as well as his uncle/niece relationship with Joey.

<b>Review:</b> Gregg Hurwitz’s meticulous attention to detail always makes readers feel like they’re right beside Evan during the action-packed missions, and Dark Horse was no exception. I loved the juxtaposition between Aragon’s home and the cartel leader’s house as well as their crews. Those details really made this rescue mission come alive.

Seven books in and Gregg Hurwitz is still surprising readers with near-impossible missions, twists you can’t see coming and a fascinating character exploration. As much as I love the detailed fight scenes and masterfully crafted missions, it’s witnessing Evan’s personal growth that sets this thriller series apart from the rest.

As always, Gregg Hurwitz delivers an epilogue that leaves the reader eagerly anticipating the next Orphan X novel.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the chance to read this digital ARC.</i>

Book 7 in the Orphan X series literally finds Evan Smoak in mid-jump, just where we left him at the end of the last book. Yes, I read it twice to see exactly how it was done and it makes for a fine piece of fiction. I wasn't thrilled to find that this adventure for The Nowhere Man was going to be dealing with drug cartels; novels using that subject matter are definitely more violent and just plain cruel and the cruelty especially bothers me a lot. Lots of cringing on my part and darting in and out of the narrative until I could get through the worst of the torture/punishment segments. Skipping this book altogether wasn't a serious option for me because the author has been making some very large changes in the way Evan Smoak is portrayed and I would have missed too much of his character development if I had just not read this episode. Just be warned, if cruelty simply for the sake of being cruel bothers you, you will come up against those situations often. This book ends with another huge cliffhanger but unlike book six this one is of a totally different nature. Joey has a big part to play in this story and I'm looking forward to seeing how her part of the story arc will be carried out. I don't know if the descriptions of Joey hacking almost every computer in existence are accurate, but it certainly sounds impressive to me!

The Orphan X series is one of the few examples of how jumping into a series at book 7 would not be the best idea. This premise and the characters have so much background that a reader joining the story at this point might not enjoy the book as much and that would be a shame. Maybe at the very least new readers might want to read a good assortment of reviews of the first six books. I'm just glad I'm current and up to the minute....and waiting for book eight already.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an e-galley of this novel.

“The Second Commandment: How you do anything is how you do everything.” Evan Smoak, a/k/a Orphan X a/k/a The Nowhere Man is trying to embrace the two best words in the world: “Freedom and possibility”. Which translates to”Progress, not perfection. Just do something a little bit better than the last go-round and your place in the world would get a little bit clearer.” So much easier said then done when your entire existence had been at the behest of those controlling black ops and you were the tool of their manipulation. After so much murder, mayhem and destruction he is now trying to write and live by his own rules. But he can’t forget the basic rule: “If you don’t know what to do, do nothing.” So he stands still, entrapped by the mess of his emotions, breathing in for two seconds, breathing out for four seconds, trying to decide which movement might allow life and which will surely cause death.

The Nowhere Man, waiting for the next call for help. One step to the left, an elbow strike at 54 degrees, pivot half turn, he has to think in these terms as he finds himself up to his neck in cartel thugs with lethal weapons and a kidnapped young girl. The baddies are the most vicious killers, capable of unspeakable torture, nightmares from which you may never wake. There are no pure and true players in this story - it measures the bad against the worst and each page is a reminder that there are no truths, no promises of safety or survival. This is the most difficult and dangerous version of the Montagues and Capulets that has yet to be imagined.

Grounding the story with the players from previous installments, the familiarity is short-lived as each character is progressing to the next stage, each with their own situational crisis and emotional pull that has the potential to upend the drama and focus of Smoak’s new mission. There is so much going on and going wrong that everything is a mere heartbeat from disaster, death, annihilation. Just your typical Gregg Hurwitz, Orphan X novel. Oh please, get on with it and release the next installment as I am just hanging over the cliff here dangling, dangling, breathing in for two seconds and exhaling for four seconds.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for a copy.

Gregg Hurwitz has captured one of the most remarkable characters ever in Evan Smoak, the Nowhere Man, in a series that bucks the trend of traditional lawlessness and political deviation. Smoak is a unique man with his own stable of quirks, but what sets him apart is his willingness and dedication to helping those in need, even though he has zero obligation to do so.

If you’re up to speed in the Nowhere Man series, you know Orphan X has been dealt a blow, one in the form of the destruction of his sacred hideaway. We meet up with Smoak in the aftermath of the disastrous end of Prodigal Son as he utilizes the orphan code, while navigating the ‘not’ relationship with Mia and the bond that has grown with computer genius Joey. Employing workers to help redevelop and restore the man pad back to sanctuary status, Smoak’s title as the Nowhere Man reaches Aragón Urrea, an international businessman with questionable clientele. Smoak takes on a job of questionable proportions in south Texas to help find and liberate Anjelina, the daughter of Aragón, after she mysteriously is kidnapped at her quinceañera. Using classic Orphan X tactics and methodology, Smoak works his way into the offending group's secret lair. Not really a secret, but more of a haven to plan their secret takeover of the world. Okay not that either, but you get the point. While attempting to gain trust and route his way deeper inside the home turf, Smoak finds and locates Anjelina with even more disturbing news.

Fast forward through smoke and spend shell casings. Evan has a plan; he always has a plan. But Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they’re punched in the face.” True for Evan as he deals with the violent leadership and sicarios working for the kidnappers. He then proceeds to concoct the mother of all escape plans. Leaning on his gear guy, Tommy Stojack, Smoak acquires the gear necessary to put the plan into action. By the way, his ‘not’ relationship with Mia has a giant hurdle to overcome which leads him to have to decide to follow the orphan code he has so strictly relied on or disregard them and make the toughest decision in his life.

Hurwitz continues to create remarkable plots for the legend of Evan Smoak. The continuous give and take that Smoak must traverse, battling his own inner code, commands your attention on every page. This adventure delves into the humanity of Evan Smoak, allowing you to see more of who he is. Smoak is made to be the fearless and crazily-dedicated mercenary, but when is enough, enough? When this mission ends, what will be left of the assassin that was Orphan X and what will become the man that is left in Evan Smoak?