This is one of my absolute favorite series and this latest book did not disappoint! The failure of the relationship between Evan & Tommy made me sad but hopefully, they can come back from it...I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in the series!

Another action packed X adventure!

This one felt ultra intense with some scenes that gave me "fight or flight" feelings with a rush of adrenaline. Oh, my heart went out to the situation between Evan and Tommy Stojack. They have been best friends and now something bad has happened and they are both watching their backs.

This is #10 in the series and one of the most heart racing imo. The conflicts, the good vs evil, and the anticipation of how things would play out had me on edge for much of the book.

Uhhhh, whatever you are expecting of this book....well, if you're anything like me, you will be completely and utterly wrong. And drawn in, unable to put the book down until you know what the heck is happening and how it all turns out!!

I love Evan, but I really love seeing Evan struggle with his humanity, with his past, and with who he is/wants to be. It is heartbreaking seeing him and Tommy battle each other - two friends who I would have thought would have each other's back forever. But when Tommy sells weapons to evil people, Evan has to stand on his morals and make sure that can't happen again.

On a side note, I loved seeing Joey's struggle with some very grown up problems, pushing back against Evan as she tries to figure her own path forward as well.

All in all, this was amazing. Captivating from the very beginning, at times heartbreaking, but always keeping me on the edge of my seat!

Another action packed X adventure!

This one felt ultra intense with some scenes that gave me "fight or flight" feelings with a rush of adrenaline. Oh, my heart went out to the situation between Evan and Tommy Stojack. They have been best friends and now something bad has happened and they are both watching their backs.

This is #10 in the series and one of the most heart racing imo. The conflicts, the good vs evil, and the anticipation of how things would play out had me on edge for much of the book.

I'm still thinking about the end. My 🩷

I think Evan will be back in full force for book eleven! Recommend reading this series in order!

In this 10th book in the 'Orphan X' series, assassin Evan Smoak reluctantly hunts Tommy Stojack, his armorer and one-time friend.

*****

When Evan Smoak was a scrawny twelve-year-old living in an orphanage, he was removed and placed in a black ops program that trained orphans to be highly skilled assassins. Evan was dubbed Orphan X. After doing his assassin job for many years, Orphan X left the black ops program and set himself up as 'The Nowhere Man', a badass who helps people in trouble. Evan now resides in a tricked out, completely secure Los Angeles penthouse, his cover story being that he imports industrial chemicals. (Evan's interactions with his neighbors, like Mrs. Rosenbaum - who insists on drawing Evan into social gatherings - is a hoot.)

Tommy Stojack - a grizzled gunsmith and armorer - has been supplying Evan with weapons, customized vehicles, protective gear, and so on for 15 years, but Tommy is now on Evan's blacklist. The rift occurred when Evan learned that Tommy supplied weapons to a psychopathic female assassin called the Wolf, who'd garroted a teenage girl and tried to kill Evan with a .357 Magnum revolver and a Savage 110 sniper rifle and an SUV with an unyielding front bumper. Tommy hadn't told Evan he was arming the Wolf, which Evan considers a declaration of war by omission. Evan decides to give Tommy one last chance to explain himself, and drives to the gunsmith's Las Vegas armory. There Evan is ambushed by a group of assassins, and Evan kills most of them and gets away.

Meanwhile, gunsmith Tommy Stojack is fulfilling an old promise to a soldier called Delmont Hickenlooper Sr. (Hick), who was killed in the Middle East. Tommy had promised Hick to help his son Delmont Jr. if the need arose, and it has. Junior called Tommy to say he was involved with the death of some Mexicans in a town called Calvary, and he needs Tommy's assistance. Tommy hares off to Calvary, and finds Junior living with a ragtag white power militia called the 'Calvary Liberty Guard', who profess hate for Blacks, Mexicans, Jews, Muslims, etc. Tommy makes it his mission to help Junior while also attempting to show the militia youths the error of their ways.

When Evan discovers Tommy's whereabouts, he follows the armorer to Calvary, planning to kill him. In Calvary, things get very complicated between Orphan X, Tommy, the militia, and the Sheriff's Department. As always, Evan encounters bullies and corrupt cops, who desperately hope 'The Nowhere Man' is an urban legend.

The story provides plenty of opportunity for the author's well-choreographed fight scenes; shootings; stabbings; broken bones; caved in eye sockets; crushed tracheas; and so on.

Concurrent with all this, Evan has a situation with his 17-year-old mentee Josephine (Joey), who was also trained by the Orphan program. College student Joey is an extraordinary computer hacker who's made well-meaning but unfortunate memes about 'oppressed women.' Evan and Joey have a falling out about this, but Joey nevertheless uses her computer skills to assist with Evan's missions.

For readers familiar with the series, there's a great scene with beautiful Candy McClure (aka Orphan V), who has a complicated history with Orphan X.

Both Evan and Joey have changed over the course of the series, as they've strived to fit in with 'normal' society. The Orphans are making progress. Among other things, Orphan X has learned to take care of his aloe plant called Vera, and Joey has come to love her Rhodesian ridgeback called Dog.

This is an excellent addition to the Orphan X series, well written and exciting.

I had both the digital book and the audiobook, narrated by Scott Brick, who does a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Greg Hurwitz, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for copies of the book.

Oh gosh, I've really enjoyed this series, but I just did NOT like this one. There were three main storylines going on, and I just absolutely could not get behind two of them. The story that kicks things off is the conflict between Evan and Tommy, which is set up in the previous book in the series. And the second main story is basically Tommy trying to redeem the poor misunderstood racist. I just couldn't. Evan honestly came off as overly simplistic, completely unable to understand the nuance of real life, so it was really tough to root for him in literally any part of the book. And Tommy...like I get where he's coming from, but it was also just too simple.
*
The third plotline (which I won't mention to avoid spoilers) was good - it was exciting and more of what I was looking for with this series.
*
I've seen a bunch of great reviews, so I could absolutely be the outlier. But I couldn't get behind it. The good news (if you start this and also don't love it) it does absolutely nothing to advance the story arc of the series. Read the last two chapters and skip the rest.

This is my first book in the Orphan X world. When Evan is betrayed by one of his closest friends, he ends his friendship with an all-out war. This is very action-packed book, which I liked. I also enjoyed learning more about these characters and I am going to pick up the rest of the series soon.

Evan Smoak is back and he is raging!

As fans of Orphan X already know, Evan has dedicated his life to helping people. Call 1-800-2- Nowhere if you need help with a problem. The only fee is that you must give the same number to someone else that needs help. Each of these books are about those calls. Not this one.

This time Evan has to confront his long-time armorer, Tommy Stojack. Tommy is also Evan's friend. His ONLY friend. Life as an Orphan doesn't allow much time for relationships. Tommy has grown on me over the years, almost as much as Josephine has. And Dog, for that matter. Other than these 3, (and Vera, a plant), Evan has no one else.

This is the most introspective I've ever seen Evan. He has personal commandments. These were part of his training in the program and he NEVER veers from them.
"How you do anything is how you do everything."
"If you don't know what to do, do nothing."


In this book, Evan is thinking mostly about commandment # 4: "Never make it personal." But this IS personal. Evan's trainer in the program was doing his best to be sure Evan retained his humanity in the face of all the ugly things he would be asked to do. I think this book proves that his trainer was successful. At the same time, I hated that he agonized over Tommy. I also loved him even more because of it.

There is a subplot here regarding Josephine, (Joey), as she works her way through college and trying to fit in. Due to her past, she doesn't have much social experience and gaining that experience is often painful. I enjoy her character, always, but Tommy and Evan steal the show in this book, no doubt about it.

The tension ramps up to intense levels around 75% through and doesn't let up until the finale. I feel all tough when I read these books, like I'm absorbing some of Evan's personality somehow, but this denouement? I admit that I teared up just a little. Maybe ugly cried for a moment. Maybe.

Once again, Evan Smoak doesn't disappoint and neither does Gregg Hurwitz. Scott Brick narrates all the Orphan X books, and when I have a choice, I choose to listen. His voicing is emotionally charged and gets through all the technical jargon regarding weaponry, data extraction, and whatnot perfectly, and the action scenes? Well, he just nails them. As a result, when I do READ these, it's in the voice of Scott Brick.

If you can't tell by this point, I loved this book. It's another excellent Orphan X entry from Gregg Hurwitz. Now I eagerly await the next Orphan X!

Highly recommended!

*ARC from publisher

4.5 ⭐️ This is my first Orphan X book and won’t be my last! Can’t wait to read the previous books!

Fast paced and edge of your seat action! I enjoyed “Nowhere Man” , Evan and his friend Tommy’s relationship and the race to bring justice to a wronged group in town before a group of assassins take them out.

Great storyline, characters and writing. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Of the now 10 Nowhere Man books, this one might be my favorite. No greater friend, No worse enemy. Evan Smoak and Tommy Stojack collide with deadly consequences. Whose code is the more righteous? Has Tommy done the unforgivable? Will either survive?

Tommy Stojack and Evan Smoak have been friends for 15 years and now the only person Evan has allowed himself to trust has betrayed him. But Commandment #1 states: "Never assume anything." Evan has tried to live in two worlds. One as Orphan X; regimented, unstoppable, devoted to his code. The other as Evan Smoak, trying to retain his humanity and do good. Confronting Tommy will push Evan to the limits of both worlds and make him confront not only his best friend, but everything he thought he knew about being an Orphan and being a man.

Nemesis is explosive and hits like one of Tommy's sniper rounds. Get ready for some late nights.

Orphan X, a.k.a. the "Nowhere Man," has been a favorite character over the course of several books (this is the tenth in the series). I've loved every single installment, and (no surprise to me!), this one follows the same pattern. There's just something about watching Evan Smoak - who I'd describe as a nearly super-human Jason Bourne - grow up and (in his own way) prosper.

An escapee from the government "X" program that made him what he is - a practiced assassin who now plies his trade for the good of humankind, if you will, Evan lives in a highly fortified mansion with all the bells and whistles he can find (or buy or create). Many of his high-tech goodies (a.k.a., weapons) came from his good friend Tommy Stojack. But when Evan learns that, at least in his own mind, Tommy has betrayed him, all bets are off. Now, he's out to get his former best bud and render him, well, dead - or at the very least, seriously incapacitated).

He gets some help from his young protegee, Josephine (a.k.a., Joey), who's a computer whiz to put it mildly. But even with her in his corner - well, at least when she's not mad at him - it's hard to keep him out of serious trouble. His tracking down of Tommy quickly turns into a battle for their very lives, prompting Evan to double efforts to find Tommy, who in turn has promised to find and protect the wayward son of someone to whom he owes a big favor.

Uh, oh - do readers get a sense that something's gotta give? It's kind of hard to miss, although the details turn out to be quite an exciting reading experience, albeit with a bittersweet ending.

As for me, I loved it - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

I always look forward to the annual Nowhere Man installment! I have to go with the audiobook option as Scott Brick is the voice of Evan Smoak, for me. I liked that this book examined the fallout between Evan and Tommy after events in the previous book. I didn’t always like the back and forth POVs, though it was illuminating to be inside Tommy’s head for once!
I’ve enjoyed how the past few books in the series have focused on Evan’s personal growth and interpersonal relationships.
The only real complaint I have is that it will be a year until we find out what happens next!
*Thanks to Minotaur books, MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy

Gregg Herwitz continues the hot streak for Evan Smoak in the latest Orphan X novel, Nemesis!

Nemesis starts strong with Evan’s conundrum stemming from the previous book when he discovered his gunsmith Tommy Stojack provided weapons to the Lone Wolf. This kicks off the duel between Evan and Tommy, a man he met years ago and one whom Evan has leaned on to utilize his weapon resources and as a friend. Wracked by his sense of justice stemming from the Ten Commandments he grew up on to become Orphan X, Evan hits a crossroad. He realizes Tommy must pay for his hand in the Lone Wolf’s treachery.

Nemesis starts strong by building the connection between Evan and Tommy, even by providing extra depth for Evan as he advises Joey, in her own albeit drastically low stake concerns. However, Joey provides a beating heart to Evan’s struggle of taking down Tommy even if Evan doesn’t want to admit killing a friend will be difficult.

The story sets up a subplot of Janus, who is a deliciously evil villain you as a read wants to see meet a devious ending. Janus wants to take out Tommy and even uses The Four Horseman, his infamous heavy hitting assassins, for his dirty work.

The story provides a complex layer as Tommy ends up as a quasi mentor for an old acquaintance’s son. This is where the story hits a bit of a snag. While in its own way, the story aids in adding tension and purpose to the head on collision in wait between Evan and Tommy, I felt the story meanders a bit. While the themes and storylines complement the spaghetti western duel, the story tapers off in pacing and plods around before we find out why Evan has a place in this small town mess between an innocent Mexican family and Hick and his cronies aided by corrupted law enforcement.

Gregg Herwitz knows how to write, no question there. His writing style and voice are clear and evident, even if a bit methodical and sterile, though I mean that in the best way. It’s punchy without being wordy, meaningful without over exaggeration. You read it and it pulls you in, page turn after page turn.

The ending hits hard. Each moment in the last forty to fifty pages lands well and makes up for the meandering of the middle section. How things play out between Evan and Hick, Evan and Janus and his Four Horseman, and most importantly Evan and Tommy, the ending is one of the best I’ve read in awhile. I’m not one to cry at reading books, especially thrillers despite my love for them, but the end scene plunked my heartstrings hard.

Additionally, I may be harder given the previous success of the series. But given Herwitz strengths as a writer and with the series overall, Nemesis is not the strongest outing for Orphan X. Nor is Nemesis a bad outing by any means.

Overall, Nemesis is a fantastic outing, despite the moments of lost focus given the story’s unconscious slow burn in the middle. The ending hits the emotional depths and the action in a perfect crescendo. I rate this 4 stars out of 5.

Evan has a conflict with a long time friend which forces him to re consider the relationship. The story shows more of Evan’s thinking and past. There were a few surprises in the book that I didn’t anticipate. Plenty of action and suspense. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Ten books in and I am still awed by Orphan X. The author is brilliant at plotting a story that ensnares the reader. X faces his biggest conflict since he has been the Nowhere Man. The characters in this story are so vivid you can picture them clearly. The story is told from the voice of several characters and X gives readers a lot of background insight on his upbringing. The author describes each setting in great detail. The ending of the story is both surprising and the best part. If this is your first book in the series, welcome to the X phenomenon. This is a story, once again, not to be missed.

Orphan X is back, and it made me so happy to read this latest book.

What's not to love about this serious? Evan Smoak is like a Robin Hood that takes out the bad guys instead of robbing the rich. It would be easy for every book to have a similar plot, but Gregg Hurwitz makes an effort to show that Evan isn't a two dimensional character, but one that continuously grows personally as he transitions from self appointed loner to someone who has to navigate personal relationships. While confident and self assured in his work, Evan is awkward and naive about relationships.

Nemesis Continues this development as he navigates his relationship with his best friend Tommy Stojack. In Evans world a disagreement between friends means you plot to kill each other. The book does a great job of showing how Evan is dealing with this conflict, and leaves you on the edge of your seat as to how it's going to be resolved. Oh, and there's also dealing with the bad guys!

Nemesis is a thrilling, enjoyable read and I loved every word of it!

This was definitely a different Orphan X than we've previously seen. I was skeptical of the direction he was headed at the beginning, but as the book went on, I was sold. Orphan X has a VERY strict set of parameters for how he thinks things should be seen and he has to work through a lot in this installment to make sure things go the way he thinks they should. The back and forth with Tommy was an interesting angle, and Joey making Evan feel some things he's not sure how to deal with add an interesting storyline. And what Orphan X book wouldn't include a big plot twist/cliffhanger to keep you wanting more???

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book. #Nemesis #NetGalley

This was a very different Orphan X. Evan and Tommy, his long-time armorer, get violently sidewise of one another. As the story unwinds, we get to learn the backstory of their relationship which is interesting. The downside is it turns out that Tommy is quite the redneck and he and his cronies have unbelievably foul mouths. It is so bad, I nearly stopped reading out of utter disgust and revulsion which is HIGHLY unusual for me as I almost always press on through books I have a problem with. In the end, I decided the language was calculated to give us a visceral knowledge of these characters, so I give it a halting pass, but you have been forewarned. Too bad there is no VidAngel for books. I liked the story. I hated the excessive profanity, so dropped my usual 4 star rating to 3 stars.

Mr. Gregg Hurwitz outdid himself! I have been a fan of this series from the beginning. This installment ranks at the very top.

Evan Smoak, also known as the Nowhere Man, continues to grapple with the grey areas of life and relationships. A cold-blooded, trained assassin finds structure and discipline in Commandments that guide his every move. What happens when those Commandments conflict with what is right by those closest to Orphan X?

A must read for fans of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the direction this book was taking, but oddly, this might be my favorite Orphan X book. The 10th installment showed a new side to Evan, and provided a few more insights into Tommy and Joey.

I have so enjoyed watching the evolution of Evan through the course of the books and I like where he's headed. And that ending (no spoilers here), floored me! I can't wait to see how Evan deals with that in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.