I remember finishing a book in this series a while back and worrying that the author might run out of places to take the story. I know better than to worry about that now. I hope it keeps going for awhile.

Other than one part at the beginning that seemed a little hard to follow (high can be confusing to understand, apparently) the story was solid. While reading this book I kept taking guesses at real world people that might've inspired certain characters. I have my theories. Evan keeps developing as a person, which makes him more interesting, and maybe more vulnerable as well. A few of my favorite characters spent some time in this story, which was nice as well.

The story left off on a little bit of a cliffhanger. I'm looking forward to jumping back into the series as soon as the next book is ready.

We received a digital copy from Netgalley and then were contacted through the marketing campaign to get a hard copy in the mail for our review.

To say my husband and I are Orphan X fans is an understatement. We have enjoyed every single book and have loved talking about the adventures as they have happened. In turn this has led us to asking ourselves a ton of questions about what we would do in this situation.

We have enjoyed watching Evan grow as a character. His moral values and the way he sees himself, grows through every book. He challenges himself against the situations or missions that he is in while keeping up with the commandments and being able to keep his sh@t together. (Very impressive )

While every book has a mission to complete, each character becomes more familiar and interesting and unique with each volume.

And fill disclaimer- I totally have a crush on Orphan X.

I enjoy this series so much - and I especially love how all of the characters have developed and grown, yet stayed true to themselves.

In this book Ethan is tasked by the President of the United States to perform a mission he's not sure about. I don't want to say any more about the plot except it is a pleasure as always to see Ethan's meticulous planning, and even more his attention to people. Mentioning any of those people by name could spoil previous books in the series, so we will leave it at that :)

I loved The Last Orphan because Evan feels so vulnerable in this book. Of course, he was beyond competent and 3 steps ahead like 98% of the book, but still, his rawness showed through. Loved the cameo with Candy.

The Nowhere Man is back at the top of his game. A true action pageturner of a book with just enough hints of empathy and compassion to make our OCD assassin hero move more to the side of morality, albeit a morality defined in his own particular terms. Reading the series from the beginning, you can see the evolution of Evan Smoak. Definitely not a full partipant in quotidian events, but perhaps now he's not just an observer. Offered a deal to keep his tenuous pardon from the President, he investigates this behind-the-scenes much more than an ordinary hedge fund manager on his own terms. If you are looking for a few hour thrill ride, don't miss this series.

Review by MAC

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The Last Orphan is a blast from start to finish! He had me on the edge of my seat almost immediately and did not let up until the end! Smoak is definitely my kind of hero. As the series continues we keep delving deeper and deeper into what makes him tick and that's another reason I love these books! I can't wait for the next installment.
Posted on Amazon 2-15-23 by MAC

Greg Hurwitz returns from Dark House #7 with his popular series (Orphan X) Evan Smoak with #8 THE LAST ORPHAN. A huge fan and have read them all!

I love this series, and in particular, I LOVE Scott Brick, the narrator for this extraordinary audiobook! It would not be an Orphan X story without Scott Brick. Greg, Scott, and Evan are quite the team! I highly recommend the audiobook. I read the e-book and listened to the audio.

Audiobook listeners, you get a huge BONUS!!! At the end of the audio, there is a fascinating conversation with Authors Greg Hurwitz and Lisa Gardner (which is my favorite).

A great conversation about audiobook narrators and the author's books (Evan Smoaks-Scott Brick-Greg) and (Frankie Elkin-Hillary Huber-Lisa) and what is coming next, and fascinating insights into the making and background of the series.

In this installment, Evan is found and kidnapped by the government—the U.S. president demands Orphan X help to take down a billionaire, Luke Devine. He has accumulated much power and is threatening her administration’s key environmental legislative initiative and her re-election.

If you have read the other books in the series, you know Evan Smoak has helped those in need while, for the most part, staying off the government’s radar. Now, he must outsmart the government and escape to decide what to do with the billionaire.

Evan must decide once and for all whether he’ll abandon his values to once again become an operative for the federal government or risk putting a target on his back. After all his sacrifices, can Evan finally win his freedom? As always, he balances putting his morals and skills to the test.

Loaded with action and suspense, Evan has traveled an exciting journey from an orphan, then in hiding, then the Nowhere Man helping others that call in, and now back to running an operation for the government.

With cameo appearances from characters from previous books, fans of the series will be delighted! Evan is a fascinating character, and we will be anxiously awaiting the next in the series! Will there be a next one or a spin-off series? We can only wait and see.

This series would make for a killer blockbuster TV series.

Thank you to #MinotaurBooks, #St.MartinsPress #MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for a gifted ALC and e-ARC. #SMPInfluencers #MinotaurInfluencers

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 14, 2023
Feb 2023 Must-Read Books

Series:
Orphan X #1
Buy a Bullet #1.5
The Nowhere Man #2
Hellbent #3
The Intern #3.5
Out of the Dark #4
Into the Fire #5
The List #5.5
Prodigal Son #6
Dark Horse #7
The Last Orphan #8

As a child, Evan Smoak was plucked from the foster system and made a part of the government’s Orphan program. Evan became Orphan X. Groomed as an assassin, he killed on command until he couldn’t do it anymore. He broke with the program, went deep underground, bearing secrets the government doesn’t want known.

Now, as the Nowhere Man, he follows his own code of honor, helping those who can’t help themselves against the rich and powerful who do as they please. Only, his actions have brought him back into the government’s sights.

Back under the finger of the government, he’s offered a deal. Kill a man who the president says is too dangerous to live and they’ll leave him alone. It sounds like a good deal, but Evan made a deal with himself. He isn’t sure he’s ready to do the bidding of the President. Holding to the code he has made for himself, he sets about doing his own investigation. But what happens if he decides the man isn’t what the President says he is?

The premise of this story sounded exciting, but it was the character of Orphan X that immediately drew me in. Evan never pretends to be anything he's not. Throughout the story he is intelligent, thoughtful, caring and often displays a vulnerability he tries to hide. He's dedicated to the code of honor he has set for himself. He is constantly viewing his actions through that code. The story itself is a combination of heart stopping action and thoughtful dialogue that works surprisingly well together. If you're looking to get lost in a thriller, I strongly recommend this one.

4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) This series has entertained me for years! The first book, Orphan X introduces us to X. As a child in foster care, he was taken out and trained to be an assassin for an off-the-books secret program. He has skills and toys like James Bond and non-stop action throughout. At book 8, this series is still running strong.

While this is book 8 don’t let that stop you from reading it! Each book can be read alone, you just miss a few details into the relationships and maybe more meaning in some scenes. Definitely doable but take it from me, you’ll want the entire series. There was only 1 book in all 8 that I didn’t love.

As with each book, this is full of adventure, action and quite a few tender moments. It’s very out-of-character for X to be tender so those few scenes made me love him even more. Along with X, my other favorite characters each had a great part to play in this one; Joey and Orphan V. Joey. Oh she’s great to get under X’s hard outer shell to the soft inside. She’s a tough and brilliant 16yo Orphan that expertly plays into the tender scenes. Orphan V is the ultimate female badass that looks beautiful and has fun while battling each foe with ease. I need a movie with these characters. Please??

X’s goal is dedicated to helping only those in desperation, with no other choices. In this book, the President is asking a favor. It goes against all he believes. He researches his own way and comes against an entire corporation. X never fights just one bad guy, it tends to be bigger and badder than previously imagined. The people are reprehensible in their crimes. It’s done well with details why he interferes and how he does it. He’s like the Robin Hood of modern day that doesn’t rob the rich, but puts them all in place– not above anyone else, and doing what’s right. I love his need for balance with right and wrong. I love the details of how he moves his body and how he thinks or doesn’t feel. His training is impeccable and I always eat up the details.

It’s fast-paced action that will keep you coming back for more. I highly recommend this series, it’s such a fun read!

AUDIO REVIEW: I was very excited to get the audio copy. I’ve listened to a few more of the series than I’ve read and I love the narrator, Scott Brick. He has the perfect thriller voice. His voice sped up and slowed down brilliantly. His emphasis on certain scenes and sentences played out with precision. I wouldn’t want anyone else to read this series to me!

General content summary: F words= 20+, references to intimacy (multiple, no details), marijuana (drugs, young man is violated (finds a man with his hands down his pants), gunshot and stabbing wound (deaths, some details), foster care, child trained as an assassin (previous), corpse found strangled (previous), alcohol (multiple), physical violence (fists, weapons, guns, grenade launchers, injuries, blood, multiple), sedative shot given, previous Covid deaths (parent), OCD (multiple), captivity, suicide attempt (from a height), reference to rape (few details), torture (injuries, psychological, death, killer insect, few details), talk of how to cut up a body (details), details of bodies found, references to child physical/sexual abuse, sex toys (some details), a man takes notes on women he has sex with (some details, videos).

Thank you to MacMillan Audio, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copies!

The book releases February 14, 2023.

So excited to read another book in this excellent series.Each story moves the series forward getting more and more exciting.I always recommend these books the nowhere man never fails to keep my interest.#netgalley #st.Martinsbooks

This is a series that has only gotten better with each new installment. This eighth book in the series will certainly appeal to longtime fans and also to readers who are new to the series. Each book functions well as a standalone, but starting from the beginning adds so much more depth of enjoyment. There are many things that make this series so good. The storylines are well developed and provide plenty of action to keep the pages turning. The characters also are very well developed and so interesting. The best part of the series is that it keeps evolving and the characters, particularly Evan, continue to grow. This is pure action hero entertainment!

Because I was a total idiot I came late to Evan Smoak, ie, Orphan X. This is a terrific series, but if you are not yet a devotee, this book will work well as a standalone. "The Last Orphan" is the eighth book in the series.

I despise spoilers, so I am not going to give any; the blurb will tell you what you need to know. Suffice it to say that Evan is a little more introspective in this one, a little more conscious of the passing years. His relationship with Joey seems more solid than ever.

The Orphan X books are pure escapist fun. Hurwitz is a terrific writer and the books flow seamlessly. There are growth and changes in the series, something vital if the series is not to wither. I urge you to pick up this book, and cannot recommend it too highly.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz is the adult culmination of a miserable youth. Evan is a government-trained assassin. He got to that place by being plucked out of foster care at age twelve and being taught everything he needed to know and more. He is lethal. He has few friends but more than he used to. This is only the second of the Orphan X books I have read but I see him heading toward humanity. He has people in his life, now, unlike before. It makes him vulnerable, but he is careful. The government agency had captured him this time, because he stopped being careful, but his friends got him out of their clutches. Then he went to investigate for himself the man they wanted him to eliminate. He found, not a good man, but not as bad as many. He is a truly amazing killer. I both read and listened to The Last Orphan and I prefer the audio. It suits me better and makes more sense to my brain. I normally do not involve myself in a book with this much violence, but I love these books.

Evan’s antics are those of action films. He is able to terrorize and neutralize any foe. He has his own set of rules and morals. Hurwitz has defined these in a well-written character who has developed over a period of time. He is murder-for-hire, but he judges his target independently of whomever has hired him. He didn’t like the president’s reasons and so refused to work for her, even if she did rescind his informal pardon. They thought they had him, but it turns out they didn’t. With the help of another orphan, Candy (Orphan V), he was out in almost no time, hardly any the worse for wear. The he went to work, breaking only for Joey’s 17th birthday. His arsenal was huge; his talents many. He took care of the guilty person, guilty in his eyes anyway.

The narrator is Scott Brick, a man who keeps an even keel and reads every word as if it were important. He doesn’t make the violence any different than the fun moments, and yet he does. He does a fabulous job in this book. Couldn’t be better.

I received a free e-ARC and a free e-AUDIO of The Last Orphan from St Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio, respectively, both through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #MacMillanAudio #GreggHurwitz #ScottBrick #TheLastOrphan

The Orphan X series is the best set of thrillers out there, maintaining a consistently high quality over its entire run. This is another exciting entry. The action sequences are imaginative, the plot is immersive, and the characters are well-drawn and believable.

The villain is a little unusual; he's definitely a bad actor who has done bad things, but part of the suspense is our hero's deciding how to apply his moral code - which in X's current life involves redressing specific injustices done to specific people who ask for his help - to a more indirect evildoer. It's somewhat ironic: the usual thriller trope of the hero being tasked by the President with an assassination for the good of the country gets turned on its head when X resists acting in such a grandiose role.

Still, his ultimate choice is a little unsatisfying, and I would not be surprised to see the storyline revisited in a later book.

One of my pleasures in the series is Orphan X's efforts to lead a civilian life; Reacher never had to deal with the terrors of Homeowners Associations and planning birthday parties. There are lovely scenes of X trying to protect an extremely functional family while eating ice cream, and his awkwardness in dealing with his teenage ward is continued fun.

As always, highly recommended.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz (Orphan X #8) is the continuation of a series where each book can be read as a standalone but would be a richer reading experience if read in order. In this series installment, the US government caught Evan, and the president wants him to complete a task for her as one of the last remaining operatives from the long-disbanded Orphan program. If he completes the task, she will pardon him for past crimes and let him live without government interference. If not, he'll be held accountable for all past crimes committed.

Actual Reading Experience:
Every book in the Orphan X series is as fast-paced as fast-paced can get. The nonstop action and thrills and short chapters keep it that way from start to finish. And the impossible situations that Evan encounters kept me on the edge of my seat. This is one of the aspects that I absolutely love about each book in this series.
But the aspect that makes this series different from all the other action-adventure thriller series is the characters, particularly the main character, Evan Smoak.

He's not just any action-adventure hero; instead, he has layers of subtle complexities that make him much more. Growing up in the Orphan program, Evan trained as a killing machine who could blend in anywhere and beat the most impossible odds. But this expertise came at the expense of his humanity, for to be that skilled of a fighter, he had to shut off the humanity within effectively.

Once he was free from the program, and in each book in the series, cracks appeared, and out of those cracks slowly emerged small bits and pieces of his humanity looking to escape from its confines and make Evan whole again. Watching him grapple with his emerging humanity makes this series stand out above all the rest. Not only is he a hero, but he is also a person who is relatable and sympathetic and, oh, so easy to rally behind.

In this episode of the series, a more significant chunk of his humanity comes into play, and it has him asking lots of questions and spending a considerable amount of time weighing his choices. When morality comes into play, nothing is easy, and everything must be given the weight it deserves. Evan must face the most prominent aspects of his humanity, yet I loved watching him grapple with it and the importance of him doing so.

Read if you like:
• Action-packed Thill Rides
• Complex characters
• Good versus Evil stories

I got addicted to this series a few years ago and read all the previous books now.
The author has an amazing imagination and his craft is always speaking with such emotions.
The characters are so well developed and the pace never ceases in this story.
I didn’t know if I was supposed to like all the characters but I appreciate the reliability and mix of unique traits in these characters. There’s pride, dignity and respect in each of them even if it has different meaning for them individually.
I just loved it. It’s fast paced, addictive and intriguing with unpredictable twists that made me want to learn to read faster so I can see where everything goes and how it ends.

A must read story from a must read author

A thriller that's actually thrilling!

This is my kind of book, engaging from the first page to the last. I long for thrillers that don’t have a slow start or a sagging middle. I also long for writers and/or characters with unique voices. This book gives me everything I want. Gregg's writing sizzles. Evan is a larger-than-life character that faces some pretty tough villains without batting an eye, and of course, he's not only made for it, he's trained for it.

Thank you Netgalley. Thank you St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books.
Most of all, thank you Gregg Hurwitz for presenting such a wonderful gift to the world.

This is one of those series that started out great and just gets more and more amazing each book!

Orphan X is back and is facing down a truly brilliant and dangerous enemy and I simply didn't want to stop reading!

The book is fast paced, action-packed, yet features nuanced characters you love (and love to hate).

Ethan is his usual amazing self, and Joey is the awesome girl I wish I had been! (Vera...is still sullen lol.)

This was an exciting escape from reality and I can't wait until the next book!

* ARC via Publisher

The Last Orphan is the 8th book in the Orphan X series, and while you don’t really have to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one, it’s such an incredible series you’re going to want to read them all. In this latest novel, Nowhere Man Evan Smoak is back…and he’s being strong armed by the President into doing a job that may go against his personal code. As with all the books in this series, Hurwitz has crafted another incredible adventure filled with relentless fast paced action. If you like smart action/thrillers such as Lee Child’s Reacher or Brad Thor’s Scot Harvth series then you’ll really want to check out the Orphan X books. Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Last Orphan.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3EGDYYKUX4755/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This installment made me feel bad for Orphan X. It was, however, great to see more of Orphan V.

Trying to live a “retired” life, things don’t go as planned.

There is so much going on in this installment of the series, I fear giving away crucial info about this book and others in the series.

I recommend reading this book after reading the rest of the series.

I’m looking forward to what happens next, if anything.