Best read sequentially, but that’s just my opinion, Orphan X, The Nowhere Man and Hellbent. Great gobs of action and a killer plot. Everything included, the improbable to the impossible and the just plain ridiculous. Such are the liberties allowed fiction writers. Even so this is a tough book to put down as it draws you into the plot to the point you feel you are a sideline observer. Combine all the traits of all the superheroes you can think of and you have the main character. Proficient in karate, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, Aikido, Shaolin Kung Fu and monopoly this kid can do it all. Leap across oceans, evaporate at will, see through brick walls and seesaw by himself. It is a superb thriller if over the top at times and no hesitation recommending this.

An engrossing edge of the seat thriller, perfect for fans of Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne, this series debut rips along at a thrilling pace with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader hooked to the very last page.
Recruited at the tender age of 12 to become a black ops operative , Evan Smoak ( as he becomes known) is one of the best, an elite among elites who has left that world behind and now operates as the Nowhere Man, available at the end of a phone , ready to seek vengeance for those who have been wronged.
When his latest quest goes off track it soon becomes clear that his past may have finally caught up with him , and in the vicious and dramatic game of cat and mouse that ensures danger lurks on every page.
Gritty, fast paced and action packed with an intriguing central character, this is a really impressive first entry in what promises to be a fantastic series.

It has been a long time that book made me stay up late at night to read. Orphan X did just that. I spend a few sleepless nights reading this book. It did get a little slow in the middle but then to pick back up.

If you enjoy action packed, overly descriptive combat and detailed descriptions about guns, surveillance, and a covert ops, you'll really lovw this novel. Although not at all my cup of tea, the writing was so good I could picture all of it very well. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like action adventure.

Is she telling him the truth, or is she setting him up to be killed?

This was an edge-of-my-seat read for met. The action really just kept ratcheting up, and I had no idea who to trust. But trust me, this is an entertaining read that contained lots of hand-to-hand combat and discussions about guns and rifles. I’m not usually a huge fan of descriptions of hand-to-hand combat, and gun discussions, but this pulled me it, and pulled me along. While I was sometimes put off by the violence, this book takes place in a violent slice of society, and it didn’t seem out of character for the storyline. I’d give this book a try if you’re looking for some good rock’em, sock’em action. But don’t crack the book open until you’ve good a fair bit of time to devote to it because you won’t want to put it down once you start reading it.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; Minotaur Books; and the author, Gregg Hurwitz; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Evan Smoak is my new hero. This was a thriller, with complex characters and intriguing plot twist. This was my first book by this author and looking forward to reading the next one Nowhere Man.

With a truly explosive opening, the first book in the series introduces Evan and his past with the Orphan Program.



After reading the first book, I immediately dove into Nowhere Man.

Orphan X has all my favorite elements for an action book- good guy who helps the underdogs, cool new tech toys, cute kid who needs a hero, and page after page of adventure. But some of my favorite parts were when Evan was just trying to be part of his own neighborhood. Evan is a great character and I cannot wait to see where he goes now.

Definitely an over-the-top, action-packed thrill ride! The Nowhere Man is a savior to some and to others is their worst nightmare. Evan Smoak (Orphan X) is an orphan who, from a young age, was raised as a weapon. And quite a weapon he is! Evan actually helps people who are in deep, desperate trouble - like a fixer. Once he helps someone he only asks that they give the phone number for The Nowhere Man to one other person who is is desperate trouble. He takes one mission at a time and he lives by a series of rules that have been grilled into him. And then - there's more than one mission....
There is a lot of violence here, so if you can't stomach it this won't be for you. I understand there is a tv series but I haven't seen it. A very exciting, edge-of-your-seat type of book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but some of the violence made be cringe.

Thanks to Gregg Hurwitz and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Very reminiscent of the Jason Bourne stories but with more intensity and a more morally flexible protagonist. Great reads!

I've always thoroughly enjoyed this series, but was ever-so-slightly disappointed in this one. Rather than his generally riveting and intense drama, Hurwitz pontificated a bit much for my taste in this one, and it felt as though his political views were unnecessarily inserted into the plot where they added little or nothing to the story line. For me, this is a cardinal sin. That notwithstanding, I continue to rank Gregg's Orphan X within my top 10 favorite characters, and this author will remain alongside him. In this story, the suspense was ratcheted high and maintained, and dialog was terse, as always. Recommended.

A little like Person of Interest, but no one's worried about knee caps.

I enjoyed trying to figure out what was actually happening and became more invested in the story as it continued. The author did a great job of creating doubt. For a minute I thought he had tried to pull one over on the reader, but he never did. The mystery was very well put-together.

The main character is interesting. He's been trained to cause a lot of harm, and to keep a sense of morality. That means he's conflicted about what choices to make a lot of that time. I didn't really follow everything that was described in the fight scenes, but that's alright, they weren't the interesting parts for me anyway.

This is a top flight thriller, well written with interesting characters, an attractive hero, and an action-filled plot. I will certainly read the other books in this series and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

I've been looking for a new action series to read. Ive found it Orphan X. The character development kept me thinking about the book while I was working. I could hardly wait to get back to Evan and his world. Now I have to book a weekend for book 2!

Evan Smoak was taken into government custody as an 11-year old child and trained to serve as a soldier and an assassin. Despite the violence, betrayal and the life that he's lead, Evan lives by a strict code. Evan pays his way out of the government system and opens up his own shop. This time he works as a Robin Hood of sorts. He's there to help those who can't rely on the regular justice system, those who need protection immediately and are in desperate straits.

Evan undertakes all sorts of dangerous, difficult tasks and is threatened with exposure. He does this to right the scales of justice. In many ways he reminds me of some of my favorite fictional action heroes (Jack Reacher!!). The series is gripping and addictive!

Jason Bourne make room for Evan Smoak. A former government trained assassin with his own rules, Evan's new life purpose is helping the helpless while trying to remain invisible to anyone dumb enough to come looking for him. Orphan X is a fast paced page turner. I finished it in 3 days and cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Please note I was given a copy of this book to review by NetGalley, but trust me that doesn't impact my rating of this book at all.

I love this book, this is the first book I have ever read where I felt that it had a great back store that the tie in to the present.

No Where man, Orphan X, or Evan to me is kind of like a superhero, who helps those in need. The book is fast paced and heart pounding with twist and turns. The store keeps you guessing as you go as to what will happen. I look forward to reading the next book to see what happens next with Evan.

Orphan X is an exciting suspense/thriller that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat wanting more. It's an easy book to get lost into, and hard to put it down. An thriller lover will want this on their shelf!

Orphan X is the story of Evan Smoak, an orphan who is adopted by a government handler and trained to be an off-the-books assassin for the U.S. government. Eventually Smoak was ordered to kill another operative in the Orphan program and refused, choosing instead to get out. Now, he's the Nowhere Man - a vigilante who steps in to act as a dark guardian angel for people who are desperate and out of options. When Smoak's latest client Katrin White is almost taken out by sniper fire in the middle of their meeting, Smoak and White go on the run. White claims her father is being held for $2.5 million that she owes on a gambling debt, but Smoak is a man with enemies who doesn't really trust anyone.

Orphan X is a fun and fast-paced story with crime procedural, spy, and thriller elements neatly combined; Evan Smoak is a cross between Jason Bourne and James Bond with a little Batman thrown in for good measure and is a hero who is easy to root for. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next two books in the series.

What a great new series! Evan Smoak is a force to be reckoned with. This book engaged me from page one and kept me on a roller coaster ride throughout. Thanks to St. Martin’s Pess and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.