No person or situation is 100% good or bad

Evan/Orphan X has been taught a code to be an assassin. His former handler also tried to maintain his humanity. This story puts that to the test both with his relationship with Joey and his relationship with Tommy. It also challenges him as The Nowhere Man and the code he follows in that persona.

Throughout we are given flashbacks to Evan's origins to understand how he formed His thoughts, his beliefs, his purpose, his method of being in order appreciate how he is grappling with how to go against the codes he has been taught and ramifications.

Add to this, Evan's care of 17 year old Joey who is struggling to fit in at college, navigate the harrowing world of social media, and figure out who she wants to be now that she is no longer in the orphan program. She has to compartmentalize her "job" of watching Evan's six, her feelings about him going after Tommy, and college. Evan who doesn't have the highest emotional intelligence steps up in his way to help. Joey seeks help from the only female she can trust, Orphan V who has also left the program. The conversation is poignant and helps Joey find a way forward. I think it’s fair to say that both orphan and Joey grew up a bit in the story. They learned some heart lessons and I think they’re better for them.

There is a lot of "doing what's right even when it's hard" running through this story. Tommy has a lot good dialogue both in his conversations with Evan and the boys. In many ways we were shown that people as well as situations were not always good/bad, black/white, there was grey in the middle. It was about how we navigate through the greyness that speak to who we are.

This story provided many thought-provoking moments about the 2024/2025 world and how situations are created and handled. With the voice an older, non-minority, ex-soldier who is no saint providing them.

Janis and the Four Horseman, scary and symbolic antagonists that provide another layer of depth to story while literally scaring the crap out of me.

Ending this with the Frederick Douglass quote Tommy used about the importance developing and educating young people to avoid societal issues later, which may have prevented the chain of events that brought him to the small town in the first place. Again...thought-provoking

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” - Frederick Douglass

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!

The characters in this book were top notch. They were so perfectly described I felt like I knew them personally. I was able to get a little of everything in this book. Action, thrills, chills, all in one. The tension of this book and the depths made it unforgettable.

10/10 Narrator

Evan Smoak aka Orphan X aka The Nowhere man is back in Nemesis. This installment picks right back up where Lone Wolf ended and Evan finds out that his armorer, Tommy Stojak, has (in Evan’s mind) betrayed him. Evan built his life and career around the ten commandments instilled in him through Jack Johns. It is safe to say, that no one expected Evan to go rogue, leave the orphan program and try to find a way to do the right thing. Sometimes the commandments don’t always work and may need to be evaluated or added to. (yes… there is an 11th amendment. No, I am not telling you)
Evan’s character has grown and changed with every single book. Being an assassin with emotions would be a delicate balance. Evan’s training keeps him in check and centered because ‘the price for violating a Commandment was chaos’. While Evan is deciding how to deal with Tommy, he runs into another problem. A family of innocent people is run over and an 8-year-old boy is murdered. Evan is a ‘hunter of humans. The monster sent to kill monsters.’
True to Gregg Hurwitz’s style, this book is full of hand-to-hand combat scenes, shootouts and intense fighting that is perfectly written you can see the splinter in the wood when the door flies off the handle! Evan Smoak is evolving. He is changing. He hurts. The fact that I finished this book two days ago and I still have a hard time understanding that The Nowhere Man can have feelings should make you reflect on the journey this series takes you.
Yes, this is fiction. I understand that, but Nemesis covers current, real-world issues that American’s deal with on a daily basis. Violence, racism, bigotry, corrupt politicians and more are all found on these pages. Read it. Talk about it. Change some things. Cheer on Orphan X!

Narrators weren’t bad but the book just didn’t keep my attention unfortunately. It was hard to keep up with what was going on… didn’t enjoy it.

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.

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.
<blockquote>"How you do anything is how you do everything."
"If you don't know what to do, do nothing." </blockquote>

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

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. Narration was excellent and added greatly to the feel of the story.

DNF at 10%. I’ve tried for over a week to get into this and I just can’t. It’s my first audio DNF. I did not read any other books in the series, so I don’t have that attachment to the characters as others have right from the beginning. I also struggled with the narrator choice. I slowed down my typical listening speed in hopes it would help, but I just can’t get invested. I need to accept this and move on to my remaining audio TBR pile.

I was initially drawn to the book for the beautiful cover and description.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for this ARC opportunity through NetGalley. Pub Date Feb 11 2025

This was my first Orphan X book, will definitely not be my last. I got James Bond vibes only American. An action packed non-stop wad of energy, with a bit of humor tossed in. Has Evan been betrayed by his only friend? Did Tommy cross the line? Some if the lengths thar Evan will go to protect the ones he has chosen to protect. Maximum enjoyment, an overvthe top thrill ride.

The audiobook was phenomenal, a very high quality production. The narrator, Scott Brick delivers an excellent performance, he does more than read the characters, he embodies them.

5 stars

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 & Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy

Evan Smoak has always lived by a ridged set of rules. Rules he refuses to break. So when Tommy Stojack, Evan’s best friend, crosses a line he goes to confront him, only to end up on the wrong side of an ambush. Evan survives, naturally, but that only leaves him further enraged and dead set on getting some payback. That is just the start of this explosive adventure. There is so much happening in this one you may just need to take some notes, lol. No, seriously there are many moving parts in this story, and incredible author that he is Hurwitz has them working together like the finest Swiss watch. This is a brilliant ballet of action and adventure. Every time one of these books come out I’m left asking the same question, how have these stories not been made into movies yet? This is the tenth of the Orphan X novels, and while I really believe they can each be read as a standalone, you’ll want to read them all. This was the review I wrote about a month ago when I read an eARC of the novel. Now I was given the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audio version and have to say it was just as the second time around. Once again Scott Brick is back as the narrator and as always he does an incredible job. I always love when a series keeps a consistent narrator, especially when they are as talented as Mr. Brick. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Nemesis, and Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the allowing me the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audio version. No matter how you choose to experience Nemesis you won’t be disappointed.

I will start by saying this is not my normal genre. I have not read any of the other Orphan X books. That being said, it was not for me. The story was fine and would probably be enjoyed by others who prefer this genre. The story had a lot of details, but I felt it was just a little too long. I listened to the audio version of this book and the voice changes by the narrator were sometimes just a bit bothersome to me. I realize he was trying to distinguish between the characters, but sometimes the accent was there even when the character wasn't talking.

This was another great addition to the Orphan X series. This one showed a lot of the internal struggles for Evan and Joey as they both try to find their places in the world. I don't want to say too much about the Tommy situation, but I will say that this story moved away from all the high tech and government involvement that previous books included. Basically, if you are a fan of the series you are going to read it and it is worth it. If you have not read the series, definitely start from the beginning.

I listened to the audio of this story narrated by Scott Brick. He has narrated the entire series and is the voice of Evan even when I'm not listening. He does an excellent job and I would highly recommend the audio.

4+ stars

I love this series so much. It’s hard to know if this was my favorite or the last. I didn’t want it to end!!! The evolution of X is superb. I really enjoyed all the rich characters added here (Judy!!!) and that political landscapes were woven in to make this so timely. Stellar book and as usual Scott Brick nailed it

Great entry into the orphan x universe. Was it the strongest no but it was great! The things you want most out of Orphan X you get! Intense action and Evan kicking butt! The plot falls a little weak but makes it up with the conclusion of the story. New characters added are ok, nothing to get excited about.

Extended series with strong characters with a plot that came together with tons of action. Scott Brick can get this authors energy in his reading! Amazing!

Buy it, read or listen to it. It is a great series with no end.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley and Gregg Hurwitz for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is the most intense book I've read/listened to in a long time! We got a hint of what was to come in this book at the end of the last Orphan X novel, Lone Wolf. The relationship between Evan and Tommy Stojack hit a big snag (I won't spoil it) and one of the major storylines in this book is them working through a resolution. The writing is incredible and develops the tension perfectly. There were a couple of times I literally thought "OH NO" in my mind. In addition to that, Gregg Hurwitz's action scenes and dialogue are excellent. This has easily become one of my favorite series!

And since I listened to the audiobook, I can't fail to mention narrator Scott Brick - probably the best action/thriller narrator in the business. His variety of voices is wonderful and his ability to bring them to life is amazing. And his pacing during every scene is unparalleled.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed this series since I started with book one and this book did not disappoint! I was hooked on what was in store for Evan from page one especially since this installment did not start as the other books in the series usually do.

Evan Smoak is at a crossroads. He feels that his longtime friend Tommy Stojack has broken one of his important rules and now he needs to rectify it. While trying to work through his issue with Tommy, Evan looks to get justice for a family who was targeted based on their nationality while also dealing with a less than honorable police department. Unbeknownst to Evan, Tommy is working on the same issue but from the other side but what will happen when the two meet - will they clash or will they resolve their issues?? This is all going on while Evan is struggling with his rules as well as issues that Joey is having as well.

Where this book does not progress in the typical way the other books in this series have progressed it was nice to get more of Tommy's story with Evan. I am worried about what will happen with Evan after they way the book ends and what it will mean for Evan's future.

I was hooked on this story from the start just as I have been with the rest of the series. I listened to the audio version of the book and enjoyed the narration as Scott Brick does a great job bringing this story to life. Overall, this is a great addition to the series that I would recommend to others.

This was very long and drawn out for me, not sure if it’s because I didn’t read any of the others but I found myself very uninterested in the plot

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced audio book.

Perhaps it was because this is the tenth book in a series, but the plot got too convoluted for me. To the point where I didn't care about the characters or what was going to happen.