Evan Smoak, a former black ops assassin from the Orphan program, continued to uphold the Ten Commandments that guided his actions over the years, even after leaving the program. These ingrained rules, or at least Evan’s interpretation of them, became an integral part of his being. This proved crucial in shaping his life, even though he had gone underground after leaving the program.

Evan found himself in an ethical dilemma. He had a close friend, Tommy Stojack, who had clearly violated more than one of the commandments. This compelled Evan to consider confronting his former best friend, leading to another mission. Tommy, like Evan, had been trained to the highest level, making him a formidable opponent, especially when Evan’s emotions ran high.

Amidst this, Evan’s relationship with his young protege, Joey, a computer genius, was in tatters. The situation weighed heavily on Evan’s mind as he fought battles, all the while determined to seek justice. Evan’s mission had become increasingly intense, all while he questioned whether his actions justified the force he was using.

Nemesis, an exciting addition to Gregg Hurwitz’s thrilling series, further captivated me. I had been invested in the series since reading the first book, and I was thrilled to have access to this audiobook galley. Scott Brick’s narration was exceptional. His matter-of-fact delivery brought Evan’s complex emotions to life, showcasing his humanity amidst the challenges he faced.

Many thanks to Minotaur and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

“No greater friend. No deadlier enemy.”

Orphan X #X dropped just in time for my annual 1,500 mile road trip and this series by Gregg Hurwitz is one of the few that my husband and I can agree upon. Evan Smoak, aka The Nowhere Man, is back in action and this time his best friend becomes his most complicated adversary. This installment picks up where the Lone Wolf cliffhanger left off. Gifted gunsmith and ballistic expert Tommy Stojack has his allegiances questioned. Cameos with some of Evan’s former colleagues, combine with a new quartet of lethal assassins, producing a narrative the reader/listener will need to carefully pay attention to. Will they find a common enemy or will they fight to the death?

Joey once again offers up her usual dose of late-teen humor along with her Mensa like hacking skills, and provides a much needed respite from the more violent scenes. A side of well intentioned activism intersecting with toxic social media exposure puts Joey in a place that may fracture her relationship with Evan forever.

Perhaps the most disturbing element of Nemesis is the storyline involving a group of young men who need rescuing after an incident born of their baked in bigotry, providing the ultimate quandary to the reader. Given the current state of affairs in our country, perhaps this subject matter may hit a bit too close to home.

Just as the characters have become integral to the entire series, narrator Scott Brick’s portrayal of these personas we have come to know and love/hate is essential. I’m not sure that this thriller/mystery would work as a stand alone - do yourself a favor and dig into the first few books in the series to get a sense of the framework and the characters!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan audio for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received an early edition of this book in exchange for my review. I listened to the audio version and narration was easy to follow and pleasant to listen to. This book is a bit out of my typical genre, but I was intrigued by the description. I feel that the writing was good, just not content I felt fully engaged with. The writing had tones of David baldacci so I feel that fans of that work would have a greater appreciation of this novel.

Evan Smoak, formerly the covert government assassin Orphan X, has to deviate from his usual role as the vigilante Nowhere Man, who helps the helpless against the powerful, to deal with his best friend, arms dealer Tommy Stojack. Tommy, Evan learned near the end of the previous entry in this series, supplied arms to some bad people, including the titular Lone Wolf, who tried to kill Evan, among her many other misdeeds.

But things get complicated. When Evan goes to confront Tommy at his stronghold, he is met with a motorcycle gang hit squad. When he tracks Tommy down to a rural town controlled by a racist militia and a corrupt sheriff, he has to deal with those additional bad guys in addition to his former friend. And when the deadliest assassins in the world (excepting Evan) track them down to that forsaken town, the biggest battle yet breaks out.

While all that is going on around him, Evan also grapples with his inner emotions, torn by the moral code that has alienated him from Tommy and his longtime connection to his best and only friend. Having all human feeling trained out of his during his Orphan X training, Evan has been dealing with what's left of his emotional state throughout this ten-volume series.

Tommy too finds his moral code tested by his obligation to one particular militia member and to Evan, his best and only friend. And if there is anything that sets this entry apart from the others, making it one of the best, if not the best, it is that about half the book is centered on Tommy, who has only been a supporting character in the past.

Having been given the forthcoming audio edition of this book by NetGalley, the publisher, and the author (thanks!), I was once again forced to endure the overworked and now tiresome narrator, Scott Brick. But surprise surprise! Thanks to his handling of Tommy's inner monologue and outer dialogue, Scott Brick comes through this time, enhancing the story by giving voice to the crotchety old guy.

There is as well as a subplot starring Joey, now in college and trying to socialize for the first time in her life, and getting herself into trouble on social media, all while feuding with and helping Evan in his efforts. Although it seems somewhat of a non sequitur, the themes around friendship bring it all together. Also, the condemnation of the racism and xenophobia that currently infect our national discourse.

Most series start to wane as they get this far deep into their tenure. But Gregg Hurwitz has been getting stronger as he delves further into the Orphan X series. Looking forward to more.

I love Evan Smoak/Orphan X and he and the gang are back with Evan trying to make sense of the revelation from the end of the previous installment. On that note, none of the Orphan X installments make for good standalones. A reader would miss SOOO much if they weren’t read in order. JMHO I don’t want to say too much because it would truly be a spoiler for those who are reading the series in order and haven’t gotten to the Lone Wolf (#9) yet.

The book summary introduces the two primary storylines; one of Evan and Tommy being at odds with each other, which also alludes to the ending of the Lone Wolf. The other one is of Tommy trying to keep a deathbed promise to a dear friend. The issue between Evan and Tommy is a HUGE one; a total violation of their 15yr friendship that has literally blown up their friendship. Kind of reminds me of that CJ Box quote (sort of) with this small revision:

“Nothing spells trouble like two feuding best friends and a rocket launcher.”

Suffice it to say, if your ex best friend fires a rocket launcher where he thinks you have taken cover in order to take the perfect kill shot at you, there is probably no hope for “working your differences out”. So, it’s game on and Evan chases Tommy across the country in order to get retribution for the hit squad that tried to kill Evan when he showed up at Tommy’s Vegas armory compound to talk to him. In typical Orphan X fashion, Evan took the hit squad down – except one, Janus

The story flips back and forth between Evan, Tommy, Joey, with some of Evan’s chapter flipping back and forth between present-day and back when he first entered the Orphan program and was being trained by Jack, his father figure. There was also a smattering of chapters from the Four Horsemen, who are a team of assassins fulfilling a contract from Janus. Evan tracks down Tommy, who has fled Vegas, and has gone to honor a promise he made to a dying naval buddy, Delmont. Seems Tommy promised Delmont that he would look out for Delmont Jr if he ever showed up asking Tommy for help. Well, more than a decade later, Jr comes calling, asking Tommy to help him out of a jam he’s in. Seems Jr and his white supremacist friends are in trouble for mowing down, in a Charlottesville style terrorist attack, a bunch of Hispanic people attending a quinceanera in a park.

Most of the story has Evan in Nowhere Man mode (taking down murderers of innocents, especially kids) with his sights on Jr and his accomplice, and Tommy trying to teach Jr to account for his actions and behavior (ie. turning himself in). Evan and Tommy sort of come to a “cease fire” agreement on their own issues until a later date. There is also a secondary storyline of Joey dealing with the aftershocks of her involvement with a women’s empowerment group, which has caused some friction between not only Joey and Evan, but also between Joey and a group of female UCLA students that Joey has apparently offended with the work she was doing for the women’s empowerment group. Joey, an Orphan program dropout, and Evan’s quasi little sister, struggles to make friends and the women’s group were the first friends she ever had and now they are upset with her.

The end of the Tommy/Evan storyline comes in typical fashion for the series, in a bunch of intense and scary scenes with a growing body count of the bad guys. Just when I think the story is going to end the way that I wanted it to, the way I was hoping it would, Hurwitz decides to go with an ending that just broke my heart, tears and all! 😢 NO!!! I DON’T UNDERSTAND!!! WHY!!!

The continuing characterization of Evan, Tommy and Joey was so well done, even if I don’t understand some of it. All three of them are outcasts and as such, it was heartbreaking when their relationships with each other became challenged and vulnerable. They’re all they have. Life in Evan’s world will never be the same again. I’m not sure what to make of this installment. Something seems ominous about it going forward. The pacing was steady to fast, and very interesting, even if a little disturbing at times. The writing was good, for the most part, but, again, kind of sad and disturbing at times. I flipped back and forth between the audiobook and the ebook, and the narrator Scott Brick was as phenomenal as ever. LOVE his Evan and Tommy voices!!! I’ve said this before, but it bears mentioning again, Brick is the absolute PERFECT choice for an Orphan X story! I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.6 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio #Nemesis

NEMESIS
By Gregg Hurwitz
Pub Date: 02/11/2025
Publisher: Minotaur Books

There are just a few thriller authors whose books I eagerly anticipate, and Gregg Hurwitz is definitely one of them. Fortunately, Evan Smoak, also known as Orphan X – one of the absolute best protagonists in the thriller genre – returns in his wrecking ball manner in Nemesis next month. Fans of the Orphan X series and Gregg Hurwitz will thoroughly love this 10th installment of one of the foremost in the thriller genre.

Nemesis rewards its readers with a deeper look into the backstory of Tommy Stojack, providing an insight into how Evan met his premier weapon supplier and one of his oldest friends. Orphan X fans will enjoy Tommy’s larger role in Nemesis as this side character shares the lead role in this edge of your seat thriller. However, Evan’s moral code clashes with some of Tommy’s dealings, and old friends may become violent enemies. That will not bode well for Tommy or anyone else who clambers into the path of Orphan X.

Thriller lovers will find that Nemesis is filled with action and suspense, and when Joey is involved with her teenage drama concerns, even some humor. Hurwitz has once again penned a best-selling thriller that should be at the top of your must-read list this year. When it comes to superb writing and action scenes, there aren’t many better than Gregg Hurwitz. Nemesis proves that once again.

Nemesis is another “home run” by Author Gregg Hurwitz.

As a devout fan of the Orphan X series, it’s hard to be unbiased. Having listened to the entire series more than once, it’s easy to become connected to all of Gregg’s nuanced and interesting characters, as well as the complicated history between them and Evan Smoak (the secret identity Orphan X uses to hide in plain site).

In Nemesis, Evan continues his pro bono efforts on behalf of those in desperate need of his help. With Evan’s unique perspective on life and comedic relationships with Gregg’s quirky ensemble of characters as a backdrop, Evan uses cutting edge technology, weapons, life threatening action and fight sequences to rescue those with nowhere to turn. The result is pure entertainment.

With a smattering of timely insights on today’s events, viewed through Evan’s prism, Nemesis is not short on surprises. Gregg fully delivers a heart stopping, breath holding, blood pressure building success. I can’t wait for Evan’s next adventures….

As usual, there is an intensity to the story that leaves you thinking about the book for days after. Evan has been taught to follow Jack's set of rules to the letter. At times, this makes him seem a bit devoid of humanity. However, you see him slightly bewildered at times as he navigates his relationship problems with Joey and Tommy. Joey's storyline shows her growth as a character when she spreads a meme for the popular group only to have it backfire on her. She struggles to figure out what to do and how she wants to navigate society. Evan and Tommy are a whole other issue. Evan feels betrayed by Tommy's choices. This story is a lot about Tommy and there were definite times when I didn't like him very much. I understood his feeling of needing to help his buddy's son, but it was hard to listen to all the hatred and stupidity of the boys. Thankfully, you do see some redemption and shifts in perspective that makes all the turmoil worth it. It is a very intense story that focuses a bit more on honor and morality than usual. No better friend; No worse enemy are words on the challenge coin split in half that Evan and Tommy share. Describes them and the book perfectly.

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

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