Thx to Netgalley, Gregg Hurwitz and publisher for this book.. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but I found I really enjoyed it. The characters, the storyline, and I love a good series. I am anxious to read the next 2 that were available for Netgalley readers.. I think I’ve finally found another male author I might just like.

In this installment in the series, the Orphans who have left the program are being hunted down and eliminated. In order to survive and protect other Orphans, Evan Smoak (Orphan X) must strike first and eliminate his government sanctioned pursuers. For me to want to continue reading a series, the author has to create characters that I want to root for, are likeable and who grow and develop as the series moves forward. I think Gregg Hurwitz has done that well. This is a series that you want to keep coming back to in order to find out what’s next for Orphan X.
I’ve really enjoyed the first three books in this series and appreciate the opportunity NetGalley gave me to read them.

Jack, the only father Evan has ever known, called Evan's special number for those who need his help. Jack's dying request, protect a package Jack had hidden. For a man with many skills, this may prove to be one of the most difficult tasks Evan has ever managed. This is the third book in the series and is just as good as the first. A lot of the story arc is revealed in this book, so don't miss it if you have been reading the series.

Please note, I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, but that has no impact on my review.

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!!).

In this book, Evan's handler and one trusted friend is attacked. He leaves Evan a message and a final request - to find a package and care for it. Evan finds himself in charge of a teenage girl - difficult, moody, dangerous and sought after. It will take much of his fortune, skill and luck to care for her and she will turn his life upside down.

The series is gripping and addictive!

This is the third installment in the Orphan X series. This time Evan is tasked with saving a young girl that Jack has rescued from the orphan program. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all three novels but I particularly enjoyed seeing the humanity that Evan finally allows himself to express. Excellent book.

Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz, have to say I did not want to put this book down but at the same time I did not want this book to end, the series is that good! Great characters that are fleshed out and filled in in such a way you get to know each one and you come to care about what is happening. Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. Definitely a book worth reading! I will be reading more from Mr. Hurwitz in the future!

This is an excellent follow up to his previous books and leaves me wanting more. The story of Orphan X trying to save new recruits to being set for elimination. One of the kids he saves breaks through his tough layer of protection and he does everything to protect her while permanently ending the threat to himself. A great book and I anxiously await the next installment.

This book is full of action and suspense and the excitement builds and builds to the very end of the book. Considering it was the 3rd book in the series it was like reading the first. The author brings back familiar characters and introduces a new ones which gives the book a new dimension. You are always wonder if the main character will make it out alive.

In this, the third book in the Orphan X series, Gregg Hurwitz delivers another fast-paced, action-packed story with his fascinating main character, Evan Smoak. Evan is evolving again as he tries to open the door to let others into his life a millimeter at a time. Unfortunately, he's well-aware that his former life as Orphan X makes it dangerous to be part of his life. Add to that his current life as the Nowhere Man, using the skill set he learned as Orphan X to help people in extreme danger. This time though, he's trying to help teen washed-out orphan, while he continues to be pursued by another orphan who's been tasked with eliminating him. At the same time, he's grieving the loss of his mentor/father figure, AND he's attempting to help his next Nowhere Man "client". As usual, there's a lot of action, and once again the ending of this one left me ready to move on to the next one - which sadly won't be released until January 2019. Well played, Mr. Hurwitz, well played. Just take my pre-order money now!
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I cannot say enough good things about this series! It is filled with action and adventure and Evan Smoak will be your new hero. I highly recommend starting with book one and you will not be able to stop turning pages. This third novel did not disappoint. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have heard a lot of great things about the Orphan X series and decided to read the three books back to back. Wow! I loved them and was in no way disappointed despite having high expectations! One of the main reasons is that Gregg Hurwitz doesn't let his protagonist, Evan Smoak aka Orphan X, be an invincible super hero who never gets grazed by a bullet or makes a wrong decision. Orphan X has limited social skills, gets taken by the bad guys, suckerpunched by teenage girls etc. etc., but he is still a super cool dude that you are rooting for from cover to cover. Sure, it gets a little a little too soft at times when Orphan X keeps his incarcerated body going between beatings or other physical abuse by thinking about the poor souls that needs his help out there. But once you look past that, Hurwitz knows how to frame and tell a good story.
This third volume in the series is the best in my opinion, but the three books differ in so many ways that they are difficult to compare without a lot of disclaimers and explanations. The addition to the Orphan X team in this book (no spoilers!) is a refreshing and interesting one that adds new layers to the not super deep personality of Orphan X.
I would definitely read the books in chronological order although Hurwitz does a fine job explaining past events in books 2 (The Nowhere Man) and 3. Any way, you read the books, however, you are in for a ride that will leave you begging Hurwitz for more.

I was given all three of the Evan Smoak books by Net Galley. This is the last one and I must say this was my favorite. I really enjoyed all the action, of course, but in this one we got to see more of Evan as a person, not just a killing machine (orphan x) More introspection by several of the characters.

Evan's handler Jack is killed, and Evan goes after 'the package " which Jack has asked him to get. It turns out to be another orphan in training.
The writing is wonderful, and each scene you can see in your mind's eye. The vodka passages were silly but like Evan said what else is he going to spend his money on?

I am not sure how Mr. Hurwitz can top this installment. I would like to read a spinoff about Candy Orphan V. Thanks again for the book, I really enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved this book! Not just the action which is great but the humanity of Evan's relationship with Jack and then to protect and care for Joey. The ending was very satisficing. I can't wait until the next book is out.

WOW. Just, wow. Seriously - Gregg Hurwitz has done something special with this series. Not only is each book a story that tells itself brilliantly, but the build-up between books and the layering of details and gentle unraveling of the spider's web that underpins The Nowhere Man's world is brilliant in its own right...

In this third book, we get some new players - major players - as well as the return of those we love, hate, and love to hate. I've really enjoyed watching the character development in this series. This type of assassin-thriller isn't often heavy on character development, so it has been a beyond-pleasant surprise to see not only how Evan Smoak has evolved throughout the books, but how the supporting cast has as well - many of whom have traveled from seemingly tangential or minor supporting roles into full-blown elements of the story line(s).

In the first book, I learned that you can't ever glance over any fact that Hurwitz throws into the mix - if it's there, even if it seems totally throw-away, it's there for a reason and eventually that reason will make sense. Ditto with characters and character traits, and this book really brought that to the fore in a delightful and moving way. There's so much darkness, but always - ALWAYS - a thin ray of hope, a glimmer of the possible that's as difficult to pin down as the Nowhere Man himself, but just as reliable. I love that - it keeps (mostly) everyone human and the books from devolving into van Sciver-like blackness or chaos...

The opening action-reveal blew my mind (as much as the closing reveal in book one), and things never slowed down for a minute from there... Evan comes full circle in this book, and it was a glorious thing to watch - painful, gut-wrenching, hilarious (wait until you get to Target, teehee), and oh-so-fragilely-human, just like real-life. Jack would be proud, and Hurwitz should be beyond pleased with himself as a result. He's managed to walk a tightrope over Niagara Falls, to tap-dance among landmines - Evan Smoak is edge-of-the-page unreal and totally believable at the same time, at his most so when he's dealing with *normal* life or its flip-side (Evan's version of "normal").

It's a brilliant series. This book could well have marked an end (in some ways it already did), but I'm cautiously optimistic that when we need him, the Nowhere Man will appear on the other end of our phones again...

Hi, I'm Cheri and I have a book addiction. Of course, that's not news to NetGalley and the publishers who work with them. I'm always way behind on my reviews because there are literally too many interesting books and not enough hours in the day for me to actually read them. It's a terrible problem. A terrible, wonderful problem. And much less destructive than crack, so there's that.

I had gotten pretty good at deleting emails with pre-approved offers but when I got the one offering me all of the books in the Orphan X series, it was enough to get me over to the NetGalley site to read the blurb of the first one. And after a couple of weeks of reading and listening, I'm not-so-patiently waiting for the fourth book to be released. Well, I'm hoping that I'll be able to nab an ARC so I don't have to wait as long...

Evan Smoak (like with fire but spelled differently) was a young teen in foster care when he was taken in by Jack Johns and trained to be a part of a secret government program - a program full of assassins and covert agents called Orphans. Flash forward to current day and someone is trying to take the orphans out of action, one by one.

Evan, aka Orphan X, got out of the business and has his own thing being the Nowhere Man. He helps people who are in deep trouble and can't turn to anyone else. He's very much like a superhero who doesn't have actual super powers but lots of money, really sweet gadgets, and a load of physical skills. He's like Batman except not trying to hit on Wonder Woman. BACK AWAY, BRUCE!

The first book was pretty action packed and I did find Evan and his stuff over the top. Over the top but fun, much like enjoying a Mission: Impossible movie - but better because Tom Cruise is nowhere to be found. Evan is strong and stoic while doing his best to keep all of his emotions bundled up tight. The further we go into the series, the more squishy he becomes. His journey felt genuine and I nearly dropped a few tears in the final book as he struggled to find some balance in his life. I wanted to hug him a lot.

While I loved the bloody goodness of the books, and there's lots of bloody goodness, I found myself feeling very connected to Evan and some of the other characters. Even one of the bad guys - the bad girl, to be specific - tugged on my heartstrings at the very end. I can't hardly wait to see how the next episode shakes out.

Oh, and if you absolutely hate cliffhangers, you'll be just fine here. Each book is wrapped up well with one or two new things introduced to keep us coming back. I didn't feel like I was being strung along at all. I definitely felt satisfied at the conclusion of each book. Satisfied and happy.

If you're like me and had never been even remotely tempted to try a Hurwitz book, maybe pick up Orphan X and give it a shot. If you like it, you've got two more books in the series waiting for you. Bonus!

Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for getting me hooked on a new-to-me author!

Author Gregg Hurwitz returns to the constant pulse-pounding action scenes reminiscent of his first book, and Evan Smoak has his hands full trying to balance multiple issues at one time. Smoak is the author’s killer-with-a-conscience, trained by his handler to be deadly without losing his humanism. It is a balance that is once again challenged in “Hellbent.”

This is the third book in the series, and while it could be read as a standalone, the Orphan series is so much fun that I would suggest you go back and read the first two books. Here’s where Mr. Hurwitz does his new readers a great service, because he does not have extensive flashbacks that are huge plot spoilers for those who decide after reading “Hellbent” to move backwards and read “Orphan X” and “The Nowhere Man.” The author tells just enough so you understand what is happening in his current book, which doesn’t happen with all authors.

Evan Smoak is part of a secret government program, trained as an agent to perform those necessary jobs that need to remain deeply buried and miles from the radar. He is now a rogue agent who calls himself the Nowhere Man, a protector and hero to those folks who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances and need someone with Evan’s skills to help them out.

For those familiar with the series, there is a character who makes a return (don’t want to ruin the surprise, but it happens early on) and we are introduced to Joey, Evan’s unasked for teenage female “partner.” All the villains return also, and Even must contend with dodging the efforts to kill him while tending to the business of the Nowhere Man.

While Mr. Hurwitz does have his characters perform some fantastic, almost unbelievable actions, I was stunned that the author introduced a scene that shredded my thin hold on reality. One of the villains uses two bullets to kill two men. Not too fantastic, unless you catch that the weapon is a .45 semiautomatic pistol and the victims are 275 yards away. Great shooting, but impossible in our world and I am betting that most people in Evan Smoak’s world wouldn’t believe it, either. Usually Mr. Hurwitz doesn’t stumble this horribly, and I felt it would be okay to forgive him this one gaffe.

There is no escaping the action in this book. It could serve as the definition of a thriller, and the pages almost turn themselves. I am sorry for my binge reading of the Orphan Series to come to an end, as I am now just another fan waiting for the next book to come out. Five stars.

4 Revenge Never Tastes Good Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Oh, we are in a continual loop of thrills with this writer. He has us by the seat of our pants and are invested in a cat and mouse game involving his past program. The Nowhere Man has hidden in plain sight over the years but it is a call from his original mentor/handler which touches off this tale.

Evan fights to fulfill a last request and takes on a new person... one of the past Orphans who was rejected and targeted to be killed. She has mad skills with computers and becomes an important part of the Nowhere Man's team.

There are all types of complications, action and destruction. This is a complete part of the series following all of the details, reveals and twists we are use to.

My thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook of Hellbent in exchange for an unbiased review.

Hellbent is the third novel in the Orphan X series and I have read all three within the last two weeks. The series is that good. Readers will root for the protagonist, Evan Smoak, even as he goes about the business of killing. His gradual growth toward humanity and human contact is so well done. Hurwitz takes his time here and avoids an artificial exponential change of character.

Evan may be a professional killer but he completes his tasks for the downtrodden, those who have nowhere to turn. Operating under the moniker "Nowhere Man," Evan manages to keep his focus on saving others even when his own life is in danger. By the third book, readers have a much greater appreciation of the whole Orphan program which was a covert government operation. As the series has unfolded, the rotten core of the program is gradually exposed. There are some similarities here to Ludlum's Bourne series, but Hurwitz manages to update and expand the cast of characters, both friend and foe.

For the first time we see Evan at an emotional crossroads as he attempts to save the life of an almost orphan, Joey. Joey was a washout of the program but she is used as living bait to capture Evan. His unexpected emotions leave him surprised and, at times, uncomfortable.

Orphan X is a fun series. I look forward to book #4, Out of the Dark, coming in January of 2019.

(★★★★½ rounded up)

**ARC provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley (Jul 2018)**

OK, I stayed up waaaaaay too late to finish ‘Hellbent’. *smh*

I still haven’t decided whether I was primed for a major genre switch after binging on UF series for most of 2018 or the book (really, the series) was just that good. Regardless, I gobbled up this 3rd installment in the Evan Smoak series like the desert soaks up rain & ignored everything around me. That warrants rounding up my rating to 5 stars.

‘Hellbent’ opens with Evan beaten up & bloodied, but then switches to pick up immediately from the end of ‘The Nowhere Man’. And the tension is immediate.

Ah, but that’s a tease. We flashback 5 days & into a different POV.

I’m not one to recap a book. (Kinda ruins the fun for others, no?) I’ll just say that I was so engrossed in ‘Hellbent’ that I didn’t budge to turn on the dishwasher. A re-read will definitely be in order prior to publication of ‘Out of the Dark’ in January 2019.

This was a great follow up for the first two novels. Evan, the Nowhere Man, is a remarkable assassin and has transitioned from Agency work to settling things for people with nowhere else to turn. This time he learns Jack did not die when he thought and he learns that Orphan Y, who now heads the program, has successfully arranged his death in an attempt to capture Evan. However just before his death Jack leaves Evan a message to collect an important package from him and take care of it. Evan continues on his missions, but the package, Joey, finally makes him realize and live with his humanity. There is non stop action and a plot that will engross most readers. The ending leads you to believe there will be more of Evan Smoak in the future. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur for an ARC for an honest review.