Well I did it, I finished the series and exceptt for an occasional lull, it was enjoyable from beginning to end. Although X seems to have found peace with his various human connections, Hurwitz could easily have continued the saga with new cases just as Reacher does. I understand the author is ready for new challenges, but I’ll bet his audience would continue to gobble up his stories, especially his relationships with Joey, Candy and Tommy. Frankly Mia and Peter had lost their novelty but who knows what the future might hold, especially with X having walked away from a final confrontation with Luke Devine and the inevitable spillover with the president. Let’s hope Hurwitz misses this guy as much as we do.

The latest installment of the Orphan X series takes readers to places long time fans weren’t sure we’d ever see. In The Last Orphan, Evan Smoak comes up against a new type of threat and comes up against the most difficult enemy he’s ever faced… himself. Gregg Hurwitz continues to elevate the art of storytelling, creating a real sense of the coldness of the gun’s metal, the cutting sensation of an emotional dagger, and the angst of The Nowhere Man deciding the type of man he wants to be.

When the unimaginable happens, Evan is forced to take stock of his life. A single mistake leads to Evan’s capture. His only means of escape is to accept an offer from the President to take out a man capable of bending the rich and powerful to his will. Having sworn to himself to only use his skills against those who truly deserve it, Evan and his allies set off to investigate what is worth more to him - his set of rules or his own survival.

The emotional growth and transformation of Evan Smoak over the last few books has added a new and important dimension to this already stellar series. The impact and effect that Mia, Peter, and Joey have had on Evan allows Hurwitz to raise the stakes even higher than he was able in previous installments. The humanization of The Nowhere Man is now a pivotal part of each story and we are all better off for it.

Evan Smoak is back in book #8 of the Orphan X series!

The President has him in a little situation. She wants something from him and knows that he, and only he, can deliver, but Evan has a moral compass. He doesn't stray from his commandments and his standards are high.

So many of the beloved characters from the series are back, Even Orphan V!

As always the adventure is over-the-top, hair-raising and lively. X has a close call in this one and I found myself saying, "Nooooo, no, no..........." but his skills are worthy. He cats and mouses around with the baddie as he tries to assess his character. Is he truly evil or is he motivated by something else?

Evan is always stocked with the best caliber of vodka, is savior of the desperate and lost, and always wears the white hat!

X is always X-ing, slightly OCD, may be allergic to patterns, and is always figuring out his next move. He may be down, but never out. This one is for those who love X, action-packed pacing, good vs evil, and plenty of hold your breath fighting.

Wowza, what a cliffy hanger at the end! Now, the wait....

I've enjoyed all the Orphan X books, this one included, although it was a bit different from the others. It was interesting diving deeper into Evan Smoak and his feelings. While this book could stand alone, I think it might be difficult to follow if someone has not read one or two of the earlier books and understands the background of Evan and his relationship with the other characters. I enjoyed how Evan came to better understand some of Joey's need for independence and how Joey realized Evam needed her as much as she did him. It seemed that the plot of the story revolved more around Evan coming to know himself better than it did in him performed an Orphan X task. While inevitable, it was disappointing for Evan to realize his relationship with his neighbor was putting her at risk. A good book.

I received an ARC copy of Th Last Orphan via #NetGalley

Picking up directly after the end of the previous book, Even finds himself being perused by the President. who wants him to take out someone she says is dangerous. Meanwhile, Mia is recovering from brain surgery & Even doesn't want to stray too far from the hospital. He now has a decision to make. Do what the President wants and live, or be killed.

Live the previous books, the action was fast pace and non-stop. Aside from the usual cast of characters, Candy makes a surprise return to help out Evan. Another surprise was the return of Aragon Urrea from the previous book, working to make amends for his past and become a better person.

Overall, it was an excellent read and I look forward to the next novel in the series.

Not "the Last Orphan"
The latest Orphan X installment begins with Evan being ordered to remove a bad guy. Not the usual "I need help". His nemesis this time is a powerful oligarch who has gotten too dangerous to the current POTUS. Of course, mayhem ensues.
My main criticism of the last book was an overabundance of drama. The soap opera stuff has been toned down and I liked the result. More bad guys and less smarm. The story was good and it's about time we demonized the rich and powerful.
I guess I was a little disappointed because of a few loose ends but overall a good.read.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

I’ve loved this series from the start, and this eighth installment is no different. If you’re a fan of Evan Smoak, you’ll remember that when he was a 12-year-old pipsqueak, he was plucked from an orphanage and trained to be a killing machine, learning all manner of fighting techniques, tactical evasions, and extensive use of weaponry so he could grow up to be an unofficial assassin for the U.S. government. Eventually he broke free and went deep underground, transforming himself into the Nowhere Man, a way he could use his skills to help people in dire need. The government was not happy about this career change and would do anything to stop him.

Though he managed to stay under the radar for a while, the government has found him and given him an ultimatum: Kill a powerful man of face the consequences. Evan has a code to only kill if the person really deserves such a fate, so he investigates this man and finds a great deal of corruption that requires him to use his fighting skills. Hurwitz goes into a lot of detail about these hand-to-hand combat sequences. Now that Evan is a little older, he feels he’s just a little less sharp than he used to be. Maybe because of his age, his knowledge of technology isn’t the greatest, so he relies on his 16-year-old ally Joey, who we met in book three. She’s such a great character and foil to Evan. Other members with unique skills also reappear in this book to help out.

TRIGGER WARNING: One of the bad guys in this rapes women at every opportunity. There isn’t a ton of detail about his villainous acts, but it’s more than I needed.

Except for that cringe-inducing character, this is great escapist fun. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES FEBRUARY 14, 2023.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this title thru NetGalley.

I love the Orphan X series, although books 6 and 7 (Prodigal Son and Dark Horse respectively) made me wonder if I would keep reading the new ones. But I am so happy that The Last Orphan (book 8) squashed that notion pretty damn quick: it grabbed me right away (well, after the Prologue) and kept me on the edge of my seat just like the early ones.

If you haven’t read any of these, start now with Book 1 and get ready to root for Evan Smoak, who may have been trained as an assassin but who was lucky enough to have a mentor who ingrained him with a strong code of ethics. Evan fled the black ops program that shaped him and now uses his skills to help those in trouble who need someone who can think quickly and creatively and act decisively to give the bad guys the punishment they’ve earned.

In Last Orphan when Evan tells Tommy, “I’m there…In the hurt.” I realized that Evan has a bit in common with another character I love, Martha Wells’ Murderbot. They’re both socially awkward, but dedicated to doing what they believe is right.

I’ve been fortunate to find several series that I enjoy re-reading and often find some new appreciation for the stories even the second or third (or eighth) time through. Orphan X is now one of those series. And book 8 has convinced me to give books 6 and 7 another chance…

As with most series, you technically won’t miss anything by not reading the short stories, but if you become an Orphan X fan, you won’t go wrong by tracking them down. I had to borrow them electronically from my public library - I’m hoping someday there will be more and they will be gathered together as a single volume.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I started this book three times because A) I’ve been on a reading slump for several months mostly due to major life changes and B) I just could not get into this story. I didn’t care for the storyline. It seemed contrived and unrealistic. It never really made sense to me. And…..the Nowhere Man seems to be losing his focus a little. The book just didn’t keep my interest like the prior ones have and like Jack Reacher, alas, I may have had enough of Evan Smoak. There just doesn’t seem to be a lot left to do with Orphan X but find his dad, adopt Peter and Joey, marry Mia and find a deserted island. Seriously.

Evan
Evan and his small team of two had me glued to the story at the beginning. The action of fighting an opponent in Iceland on a mountain. The strategy of how to take down an opponent was supreme for this kind of book. Evan, is a man with many tools to use at the tap of a button or call. The book moved very quickly in the beginning, but it did a major stahl for me at the questioning of a character. The book was entertaining, but I got a little lost when some characters were questioned. I tried to figure out how the are related to the target that Evan had to chase down.

Once again, Greg Hurwitz has written a fast paced, intriguing book about the secret life of Orphan X, a product of a failed government black ops program, which had trained young orphans to become first class, killing machines.
After the program was dissolved, we now see alumnus Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, who has become known as the Nowhere Man. His services are now available for anyone who has a problem and requires his expertise.
In this episode, “X” is hired to avenge the murder of a young man, by the family of the deceased.
We learn about high tech surveillance systems, cyber hacking, weaponry, and combat techniques, as Orphan X conducts his underground business.

This was another excellent adventure in the “Orphan X” series of books. Fast paced, interesting and enjoyable. I award it 5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy, in return for my unbiased review!

I still love Orphan X :) This is pretty graphic and violent, but that's ok. I find the character juxtaposition interesting in that the person who wants most to run the world and has nefarious plans for it is NOT the president. Chew on that for a while. I like the imperfections thrown in for X and the continued growth for his emotional character. I really wish he could have a relationship with someone other than Joey, but not sure I see a way for that to happen. I like the development with Aragon, hope to see that continue as well.

Greg Hurwitz's "The Last Orphan" is up there with the finest of the Evan Smoak saga. It's deadly serious; funny; pulls at the heartstrings; and will leave the reader feeling deeply satisfied but craving more. Hurwitz, as usual, demonstrates some keen insights into the human condition that made me take a step back and really think. I enjoyed the twists in plot and the way that Hurwitz refuses to just check the boxes and produce a formulaic Orphan X book. His ability to imbue his characters with the breath of vitality is unparalleled in this genre. Thank you, Greg, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the immense honour of reading yet another Hurwitz masterpiece.

I've read several books by Gregg Hurwitz and have enjoyed them all. This one was no different. Fast paced, and easy to follow along with characters I've come to know and love. His books grab you and keep you wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book.

Evan Smoak is back, eight full length episodes (and three short stories) into his series as former government hit man Orphan X turned vigilante avenging angel known discreeetly as the Nowhere Man.

He is accompanied by his familiars, argumentative teenage hacker Joey Morales, survivalist equipment man Tommy Stojack, femme fatale and former Orphan V Candy McClure, and reformed cartel boss Aragon Urrea. And let's not forget Dog the dog and the latest incarnation of Vera, his silently judgmental potted plant.

He remains opposed by secret service agent Naomi Templeton and her boss, the President of the United States of America. But when they capture him, what they have in mind for him is a task -- to eliminate a billionaire businessman who can torpedo POTUS's legislative agenda and thereby her re-election hopes.

The centerpiece of this entry is Evan grappling with the morality of taking out this guy, especially since he may have ordered the murder of two young people -- Evan learns where they came from, bonds with the family of one, and sympathizes with the difficult life the other was trying to escape from.

Just as in the previous entry when Evan had to decide whether a criminal like Urrea was worth defending, he finds a way to navigate this moral crisis as it relates to his immediate need to appease a President who can take his life or his freedom if he doesn't cooperate with her.

Evan's ongoing need to find his way through these kinds of moral quandaries is what makes this series interesting to me. The rest of the world does not approach morality from the opposing extremes of hit man vs. vigilante who has had empathy trained out of him, but we can nevertheless relate.

Most series like this tend to diminish over time, but Hurwitz has grown through the Orphan books. The initial entry was so much like Dexter that it was close to derivative, and many of Hurwitz's books in this series or outside of it descend into extended exercises in gratuitous action.

But Orphan X has become nuanced over time, with more depth and breadth to its themes, and less reliance on action -- the sequences in this book are rarely gratuitous and almost always succinct, which of course makes them that much more appealing (at least to someone like me who is not here for the action).

I can safely add that this is one entry in the series that can be read as a standalone -- what follows from prior entries is well explained and doesn't directly affect this specific story. Nonetheless, one is always be better served starting at the beginning. But going through seven novels and three other stories just to get back here is not requisite this time around.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest review, and I'm happy not to have to apologize for it this time.

This was my first exposure to Orphan X and I can’t believe I’ve not previously read any of the other books in the series. Now, I look forward to starting at the beginning to learn more about The Nowhere Man. The Last Orphan is expertly plotted with well drawn characters. It wasn’t necessary to read any of the prior books in the series to enjoy The Last Orphan. The characters of Joey, Candy and Tommy are delightful. Hurwitz writes with a vocabulary appreciated by people who love words. I am thrilled to discover a new author to follow and an eccentric anti hero in Evan Smoak.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz is the eighth book in his Orphan X series.

Evan Smoak is partaking of some simple human pleasures for their sake alone for the first time in his life. He’s still on the run from the government that made him Orphan X and thus the Nowhere Man. Can he continue to outrun his creators?

I find Gregg Hurwitz's series to be very strong and though provoking in using Evan, a former assassin, as a arbiter of morality. He finally can't outrun the President and is forced to take on an assignment on her behalf, but as usual, he has to decide if the person deserves to have his assistance. I didn't like the ending of this one, it seemed.....unfinished.

I was glad to see the return of recurring characters Joey, Tommy, Dog and Orphan V aka Candy.

This is definitely a must read but I'm looking forward to seeing how the next one turns out.

As always this book and all the books in the Orphan X series were just excellent. THe plot was engaging and it was an easy read. I really enjoyed this book as well as the other Orphan X books. This book gets a five star rating from me!

I’ve enjoyed all the Orphan X stories and his sidekicks. You can always count on lots of action and espionage. 🧐 This book was no exception - high on the thrill factor!

Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mr. Hurwitz delivers another edge of your seat thriller with The Last Orphan. The main character was extremely likeable and the plot was tightly woven and guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.