The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz is the eighth full entry (there are a handful of novellas/short stories) in the Evan Smoak/Orphan X series and although it's not my favorite book in the series it still satisfies.

Recruited as a pre-teen orphan to become the ultimate assassin who doesn't exist, Evan Smoak is being hunted by the US government after violating the terms of his secret pardon by the US President. She'll reinstate his pardon if he takes one more mission for her--eliminate an amoral, unscrupulous power broker who's threatening to derail the piece of legislation her re-election is hinging on.

In most books and movies "will they, won't they" refers the main characters "getting together" or "hooking up". In Last Orphan, however, it means will Evan accept a mission that violates his personal code. I won't spoil things here. You'll have to decide if you agree with Evan's decision. I did.

Throughout the series, Hurwitz has done a great job defining Evan's character while providing him with opportunities to develop and evolve (albeit slowly) past his state of arrested development. No one has been more crucial to Evan's than Joey. I love how she makes Evan uncomfortable and forces him to be the best version of himself, not as an assassin, but as a human being.

I was provided an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The book still feels a little rough in a couple of places. There were some emoji's in text messages that displayed up as broken characters in the ebook. I also noticed a few sections that seemed repetitive, as if the same text had been copied and pasted/inserted into different parts of the story. I'm assuming that this will be cleaned up before final publication.

4.25 – 4.5 STARS

Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series falls way outside my preferred reading genre, and yet, I have been completely and utterly swept away by each and every installment—“The Last Orphan” being the most recent. There is just something about Evan Smoak (aka, X; aka, The Nowhere Man) and his internal struggles and his ever-present challenges with building relationships that really pulls at my heartstrings. Contrast that with his astute prowess and deadly aptitude and this makes for a very compelling series.

In “The Last Orphan,” we see more of Evan’s personal introspection and pieces of his humanity shining through, evidenced by his actions during his latest mission and by his evolving relationship with Joey. Ever present, are the requisite action-filled scenes, and yet, there are some sluggish moments that hindered the story’s progression but not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment. And with another cliffhanger ending that has me dangling on the precipice, you can be certain that I will be coming back for more!

The Last Orphan – Gregg Hurwitz

The Last Orphan is listed as the eighth book in the Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz and continues the consistent streak of reliably good novels involving the Evan Smoak character.

To me, serial novels often face two problems as they progress, with the first being eventual stale stories where the character never faces real change or growth and the second being how tales seem to be crafted and told by rote and with cliché-filled tropes. Gregg Hurwitz has so far avoided both of these issues by allowing his characters to grow and to keep coming up with tales different than prior ones. Hurwitz continues that streak with The Last Orphan.

In The Last Orphan, Evan Smoak, also known as Orphan X or The Nowhere Man, has run afoul of the current US President for violating an immunity agreement in the previous Orphan X novel. The violation has resulted from him continuing to do good deeds as The Nowhere Man when prohibited to do so in accordance with the stipulations of the immunity agreement.

Because of that violation and an incident that won’t be revealed here, he is then coerced to remove a powerful man who threatens the future of the current president and if he does not, he will be dropped in the metaphorical deepest dark hole that can be found and never heard from again. Smoak soon finds out his apparent elimination mark is one of his most unusual and deadliest villains he has ever met and is a man that seems to somehow have uncanny access to all forms of information, including Smoak’s most hidden secrets.

Smoak’s troubles only increase, especially due to the above alluded to incident and a missed, simple fired gunshot, all of which forces Smoak to be struck to his core in a way that makes him start to severely doubt both his own mental and physical abilities, which includes a fear of diminishing skills.

The Last Orphan also includes previously introduced characters, including Smoak’s young apprentice Joey and the deadly and alluring Orphan V and is recommended to readers of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and other writers of lone wolf type characters.

The Last Orphan was provided by NetGalley for the return of a fair review.

Every year, one of my most anticipated novels is the newest installment in the Orphan X series, and each year, Hurwitz exceeds my expectations.

As we start off The Last Orphan, the United States government has located Evan Smoak (aka Orphan X), and they want him captured. Once they get their hands on him, what they ask is a little different than Smoak initially expected. They want him for a mission. This isn’t the standard call to 1-855-2-NOWHERE that Evan traditionally receives. The government wants him to eliminate Luke Devine, a billionaire mogul. Evan sets off on his mission, but as he uncovers secrets along the way, he must reevaluate his decisions.

The Last Orphan is another stellar thriller novel by one of the best in the business. Although I found myself yearning for the storyline between Mia and Evan, I found this novel to be everything that we’ve come to expect from Hurwitz. Hurwitz is a master of the writing craft, with the most brilliant prose, witty and intriguing dialogue, nonstop action that thriller fans will love, and possibly most importantly, a flawed character that is trying to find his place in the world. The Last Orphan is the perfect summation of everything you want in a thriller. Don’t miss out on one of the best series available.

Orphan X is back in Gregg Hurwitz’s latest, “The Last Orphan”, featuring ex-government assassin Evan Smoak, known as The Nowhere Man, helping the helpless in their most desperate hour.

But Evan doesn’t get to play as the Nowhere Man this time – the government sets a trap for him and he is forced to do the dirty work for the President – someone has gotten too big and powerful and needs to be taken care of. It seems that they have Evan just where they want him.

Or do they? Using his usual cast of characters (Joey the computer genius, Tommy the weapons expert, and Orphan V the deadly bombshell), Evan escapes and goes off on his own. But curiosity has gotten the better of him – who is this rich playboy who has the President worried? What is behind him, what
is his plan? And is he guilty of the disappearance and murder of a couple of people who may have seen too much?

Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the action. For once it looks like Orphan X might actually be human, as the government does succeed in capturing him (for a short time anyway), but you knew that wasn’t going to last too long. Mr. Hurwitz does a good job mixing the story up from the usual formula, and creates a fun diversion. As usual, the chapters where Evan tries to be human and social get a bit painful, this is not the strong suit of the series. Mia and Peter once again take a back seat, and the story is better for that.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I really enjoyed this book. Evan, our hero, was trained as a special killer and is now on his own. He is dedicated to acting for those that have no one else. He treads a fine line with the authorities, but has enough sense of self to be willing to step out if necessary.
He's a dangerous to bullies and I really enjoyed his ability to be Jack Reacher when necessary. His cast of characters that support him are fun as well, the brilliant computer type, the grizzly transporter, the wealthy guy with the planes- s he has the network he needs to get things done, quickly and clearly, without concern of expense.
The action moves quickly and is dynamic with a satisfactory ending.
Highly recommend and look forward to the next one. 4.5 stars

When I read an installment of a book series, I know enjoying it when I look to purchase the earlier books in the series.

I had not read Orphan X before and despite being unfamiliar with the storyline or characters, I was immediately taken in and held captive until the very end.

I probably don’t need to tell many of you who Orphan X is or how he came to be or describe his skill set. But to those unfamiliar let me ask this: are you familiar with Jason Bourne? 🤩

In this book, X (Evan) is dragged off the sidelines Riley help solve a murder and the action hits page one and is nonstop! (Pssst…it reads like there could be another book coming. Yay! And I have time to go back and read all the other books in the series!)

Do I recommend it? Yes! If you are a reader who enjoys thrillers, spy craft-y books, action—this one is for you. If you aren’t living under a book rock and already know all about X what are you waiting for!? 😉

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC of this installment of the Orphan X series.

The newest in the Orphan X canon, this latest installment picks up where the last left off. For fans of Joey, she makes another appearance, showing both her youth, and her impressive hacking skills. Though this wasn't my favorite of the series, I still enjoyed it, and look forward to more of Evan Smoak.

The Last Orphan by Greg Hurwitz is the latest installment in the superb Orphan X series. It is the continuing story of Evan Smoak, an unwanted orphan who was taken from his home and expertly trained to be a government assassin.Evan has left government service and on the run. He is known as the Nowhere Man, who helps others using honed lethal skills.

Evan is challenged to make decisions against personal interests. Will he stay true to the code of his mentor and surrogate father? As per previous books in the series, events come from the news of today with political power plays to eliminate foes and powerful men improperly influencing political processes.

As in Hurwitz prior Orphan books, I really enjoy the techie tools and weapons incorporated in the story.  Hurwitz does a great job of building tension and humanizing characters. A good read with plenty of action.

I have just read The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz.

This is book number 8 in the An Orphan X Series.

I have read all of the books in this series, and have enjoyed each of them, some a little more than others.

The new book does not disappoint and is an over-the-top action-packed story.

This book has the main character Evan Smoak, who is known as The Nowhere Man under the control of the president

He helps those in desperate situations..

Great book.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Gregg Hurwitz and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for my advanced copy to read and review!

#NetGalley

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Last Orphan (Orphan X #8). I'm a huge fan of this series, and have read all the previous books in order. All of the previous books were excellent, and this newest adventure was no exception. The action sequences were outstanding, the tech was very interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed repeat appearances by Joey, Tommy Stojack, and Orphan V. Orphan X's uneasy truce with the President ends with her request for the Nowhere Man to do a job for her, and sends him from coast-to-coast, encountering others that he needs to help along the way. I can't recommend this series enough - it's tremendous!

I received a free copy of the THE LAST ORPHAN (Book 8 of the Orphan X series) by Gregg Hurwitz in exchange for an honest review.. Evan Smoak made a mistake, and POTUS found out Evan broke their agreement by continuing his private work outside of the U.S. government penumbra. POTUS confronts Evan and offers to let the violation slide if Evan would just kill this one thorn in her side. I really enjoy this series and recommend it to readers interested in seeing a little vigilante Equalizer-type justice.

I have loved the Orphan X novels from the very first, and this is no exception. When he left the government program, Evan Smoak swore to only use his skills for good; to help the helpless.

But now the President has offered him absolution in return for killing a man she considers dangerous to the country, or at least to her administration. Orphan X needs to decide which he values most: his principles or his freedom. Highly recommended. #TheLastOrphan #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthiors

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It was a well written book. I have read other books by this author and liked them too.

Read this book!. Read every book in the Orphan X series! Evan Smoak was always an amazing asset to have on your side in any situation, but Evan Smoak continues to grow emotionally. His relationship with Joey is getting stronger. He also seems closer to Peter and Mia. Candy McClure also ...... Basically, Orphan X is feeling feelings and I love it. He is still the go-to guy when help is needed. People with power or strength still take advantage of people and Evan Smoak is there to avenge those who cannot fight back against these powerful people. I love the prowess that Evan Smoak displays in his action-packed sequences. I find myself leaning forward when I read those passages as though I'm actually seeing them acted out before me. Evan Smoak is at his best when he is righting wrongs, but there is a side of Evan Smoak that is slowly being revealed. We met his mother and brother. previously. We had a tease of another family member at the end of 'The Last Orphan.." I love this series and eagerly await each new entry. I am anxiously waiting to see what new emotional growth I will get to experience with Evan Smoak. I don't like waiting, but some things are worth the wait.

Another great adventure for Orphan X. I missed Joey a bit, but the anthropomorphized Vera III made up for it. I enjoy Hurwitz's writing and I'm glad he seems to have realized the "do I look scared?" bit was getting old.

The 8th book in this series and I have loved them all. Evan Smoak aka The Nowhere Man has his toughest assignment to date. If he does the President’s bidding his unofficial pardon will be reinstated. If not, it won’t. You need to read the book to find out. Loved more time with Joey, Tommy and Candy. A little bit with Mia and Peter. Please write more books in this series. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

I think I'm ready for the Nowhere Man to return completely. The last 2 books seem to have skewed more toward Evan Smoak trying to escape aiding others and save himself. In addition, we only see a glimmer of the great peripheral characters that Hurwitz has built up so carefully over the last decade that The Last Orphan didn't quite measure up to his past books. Evan Smoak aka Orphan X is a great character as is - his adventures are exciting and not something we need to change up.

I absolutely love this series and get so excited when a new book releases. I read this one in less than 24 hours. The Nowhere Man is back with a new assignment from the President of the United States but is it a worthy cause to take on? Evan Smoak, aka The Nowhere Man, aka Orphan X has been asked by the president to take out Luke Devine a man who blackmails high ranking officials to do his wishes. In the process Evan discovers that two people have been murdered and that they are a worthy cause. This book does not disappoint! There is plenty of action and plot twists and turns. Some of my favorite characters from previous books pop in to help Evan out with this mission. I can't wait for another Orphan X book to come out. I would love to see a movie or movie series made from these books.

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

Absolutely love this series, It is so hard to wait till the next installment comes out. Which in turn makes me try to stretch out the newest book and that's near impossible as they are always so good. This one is full of ass kicking and brings in some of my other favorite characters, Candy and Joey. Was not disappointed in any way with this book. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book and leave my opinion.