I love this series, and Hurwitz manages to keep the series fresh and fun. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment with Evan as the star.

I was obsessed with reading more and more of this book until I was all the way through. One of my favorite features was the short chapters with a revolving point of view between different characters, making it hard to put down as you wanted to know each character's thoughts on each change of events.
This was an entertaining, fast-paced read. I thought the main character of Deucalion was well done and gave you a character you could really cheer for in the story. The human characters were pretty two-dimensional, except for Victor Frankenstein, who was a good villain. This minor gripe aside, the story is worth a read.

I really liked this book. The setting was imaginative and the characters were memorable. Thank you for the ARC, I will definitely recommend this book and this author to my peers.

i probably shouldn't like this book as much as i did because the bad guys are pretty cartoonish, the pacing is wonky & the writing is pretty basic but, because i've been binging the series, the amount of emotional growth by the main characters was really gratifying.

I started this one but just couldn't get into it so I put it down and didn't finish. Not sure if it was in part due to this being a book 6 in a series I hadn't previously read or whether it was just not my kind of read.

This book was just not for me. I could never get into the story so I had to DNF this one. I may go back and try again because it does sound like a very exciting book.

I received a copy of The Prodigal Son in return for an honest review. I look forward eagerly to each new Orphan X book but felt a little trepidation about the plot of this one before I read it . I need not have worried. I enjoyed it thoroughly and am now looking forward to the next one. I f you haven't discovered Orphan X., I strongly recommend you go and seek him out..

Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz is a 2021 Minotaur Books publication.

Just when I thought I was out…

Evan is trying to seize the day! He has finally been given the chance to live a normal life, after retiring the “NOWHEREMAN” hotline and receiving a pardon from the powers that be.

Then…. He gets a shocking phone call from someone he never thought he would meet…

Risking his freedom, he agrees to the request to help Andrew Duran, a man who is the target of a pair of assassins only because he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Naturally, once Evan steps in, he draws unwelcome attention, and the race is on… again.

Evan found 'normalcy' was a little like a double edged sword. There is still the part of him that yearns to utilize his expert training, to continue to help people, craving the adrenaline and action, while the other part of him is enjoying his freedom, the feeling of a burden lifted, relishing the opportunity to live a different sort of life. It’s a conflict he’s wrestled with for a long time.

He doesn’t get much of a chance to adjust to civilian life, if you will, when he’s stunned by a new and startling revelation.

Knowing the risks, Evan can't seem to help himself, especially under the circumstances. Whoever is after Andrew, means serious business...

As usual the action is non-stop, and intense! Despite that, there is always, always, a moment or two of reflections and deep thought, as Evan ponders the two sides of humanity and his representation of that duality.

“Evan’s training had taught him to cover every operational contingency, but the feat of laying bare one’s heart seemed rife with greater dangers yet."

By contrast the Joey/Evan relationship continues to provide enormous entertainment, and some super sharp, witty, and poignant dialogue. I love it when they work together!! I know, I’ve said that before, they really do make a great team.

Now that Evan has been plunged back into his old life, it looks as if his two realities will continue to jockey for position over his life….

Provided he still has a life to live!!

Another outstanding installment in a series that continues to knock my socks off! I do hope book seven is on its way soon!!

4.5 stars

Project x is a terrific series I really enjoyed each book.This one also was a wonderful read this is a series I’m always recommending.#netgalley#st.martins books.

I have reviewed the book on https://mysterysequels.com/book-review-prodigal-son-gregg-hurwitz.html
It's a great story that is in line with the style of Gregg Hurwitz that readers know and ove.

Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz is book six in the Orphan X series.

As I have not read the previous books in the series, I definitely felt lost at times.

I was still able to follow the story and appreciate the subtle bits of humor and intrigue throughout.

The story focuses on human interactions, as well as great drone technology. I enjoyed that part immensely.
I need to find time to read the previous books in the series and then re-read this book. When I do, I will come back & edit this review with more thoughts.

I hadn't read a Gregg Hurwitz book before this one and I didn't realize this was part of a series when I first requested the ARC but I didn't need to read the others to be able to follow this one. I'm sure the background history from the other books would have made it better but it wasn't necessary. It starts out with some background history of the main character, Evan, which is what helped catch me up with the series. And then we're off! The action starts and I'm on the ride. I enjoyed this book. I ended up listening to the audio and it kept me interested for most of the book. I liked the action and face paced of the plot and enjoyed trying to figure out how the story would go. This was a good mystery/thriller/action book with some good twists thrown in too.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my Advance Reading Copy!

Evan Smoak is back! A trained assassin, he is now retired He has traded an unofficial pardon for a life of leisure ... at least he has to stop all covert activities.

But then he receives a phone call asking for help from someone he never expected ... his birth mother who gave him up for adoption ... a woman he's never known.

What she wants is for him to help Andrew Duran. he happened upon something he shouldn't have and now there is a brother-sister assassin team tracking him. Duran has no place to go..no one to turn to. This is the last option he will have.

But by helping this man, Evan is putting everything on the line .. including his own life.

While technology pays a large part of this book, the focus is mainly on the relationship between Evan and his birth mother. There's a tremendous amount of action starting with the first page. The conclusion is a bit of a cliff hanger .... have we seen the end to this series? Although this is 6th in the series, this one is okay as a cliff hanger. From the very first book, this has been an explosive series.

Many thanks to the author / St Martin's Press / Minotaur Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This is the latest book in the Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz of which I have not previously read. It is a quick read with fast paced action throughout. I have read others by this author that I liked much more, this was not one of my favorites.

Evan Smoak! (Read that in your best 9-year-old-boy voice - if you're familiar with the books you know what I mean.) I'm always excited when there's a new Orphan X book and this one certainly didn't disappoint. These books have it all - action, humor, action, a wee bit of romance, action, and yes, action. And with every book we learn a little bit more of just how Evan Smoak became Orphan X and, eventually, how Orphan X became the Nowhere Man. Just when Evan Smoak thinks he's retired from the Nowhere Man business - retired upon threat of (physical) termination, by the way - he gets a phone call that drags him back in for one more case. We learn more about Evan's childhood and how he came to be in the boys' home from which he was selected for training for the Orphan program, which trained orphans to become assassins. In the previous book, Evan received a phone call from a woman who claimed to be his mother. In this book we meet her and find out (along with Evan) how he came to be at that boys' home. It isn't a pretty story. And she's contacted him because she wants him to help a man who was already down on his luck but is now being hunted by a couple of well-trained assassins. And just like that, Evan's dragged into the world of high-tech drones and "mad" scientists and more. And he's trying to deal with a lot of emotions - not his strong suit.
This one ends on a cliffhanger - which I usually hate - but somehow I couldn't hate it this time. Instead I'm just anxiously awaiting Book #7.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Another great novel by Gregg Hurwitz! The nowhere man finally meets his mother and finds out he has a step brother. Fun story!

This book is the 6th in the Orphan X series but is easily a stand alone novel. PRODIGAL SON is another action-packed thrill-ride featuring Evan Smoak. Evan was recruited at a young age into the Orphan Program, a top-secret, deep-state group of trained spies/assassins. Evan left that behind to become the Nowhere Man, someone who helps those who need it desperately to get out of trouble. Now, he has also left that life behind, and he is trying to become an ordinary citizen (or as ordinary as he can get anyway).

That is difficult when a woman who claims to be his mother - someone who gave him up for adoption as an infant - calls him to ask for help. As he gets mixed up with Andrew, the man his mother asked him to help, who has assassins on his tail, Evan finds his plans completely derailed. He is back in the thick of it, fighting for his own life and that of others.

This was another action-packed read that flows like a Bourne, Mission Impossible, or Jack Reacher movie. With the pace moving so quickly, there is not much time for depth, and the scenes are set much like in films, with a quick sweep around before you get back into the thick of it. I appreciated the twist with Evan learning more about who he was and reconciling his past with this new knowledge of a mother. The case is just as gripping as in past books.

It took a few chapters for me to really get into the swing of it as chapters shifted back and forth in time, but that actually helped bring someone like me who didn't read previous books up to speed in short order. In the here and now, Evan Smoak has retired from his job as a government assassin in the Orphan program, which carefully chooses and trains orphaned children like him. He remains at the ready, though, billing himself the "Nowhere Man" who is willing to help those in desperate need..

“Prodigal Son” by Greg Hurwitz is part of the “Orphan X” series, but it does not start where the previous book ended. Instead, it goes back in time adding new background information for all readers. Evan Smoak confronts the past he did not even know he had and struggles with a vision of the road not taken. He must reevaluate his life, integrate the past into a now unfamiliar present, and anticipate a complicated new future.

Masterfully written, Prodigal Son combines the elements of science fiction, and military combat action into a thrilling novel. The characters are just enough not to overwhelm the reader. With each character having a unique feature or signature characteristic. Prodigal Son is a fast paced, action thriller with lots of cool weaponry and high tech gadgets. Beyond the suspense though, it humanizes Orphan X and gives you more of his backstory. Newcomers to the series - don't worry. You will feel as if you were with Evan from Day One. Hurwitz writes a spectacular novel that keeps us on the edge of our seat, then leaves us hanging begging for more.

My favorite parts of this book were the dialogue and interaction between Evan and Joey. Their banter had me laughing out loud. Then there were moments that seemed so real and emotional that they had me tearing up. Joey has definitely become my 2nd favorite character in this series. I would love to see her in her own stand-alone novel set in this world. I rated this as a 3 out of 5 stars due to the fact I had not read the earlier books and if I had it might have gained additional starts in the rating.

Thanks to Netgalley, Gregg Hurwitz, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.

Well RATS.

Gregg did it again. There were a few parts that were iffy for me, but as a whole the book is veeery good. I read it in two sittings, but only because I’m a weenie who couldn’t keep her eyes open after 3:30 am. It was so fun to read!! Just like always!! Very nice blend of action and thrills and brief moments of rest and Castle Heights and Vera 2 and the beloved F-150 whose windows can’t roll down.

This is also the first installment I’ve rated less than five stars. I think that boils down to the fact that the climax was a tad bit underwhelming for me. I know. It doesn’t make sense to me either. Hurwitz raises the stakes—impossibly—with every addition, including this one, but there was still something lacking, in my opinion. I have no more details because this is a spoiler free review!! I think I will forever compare every climax in the series to the one in D.C. The stuff of legends, man.

Also, this book was very introspective and it was kind of cool. The premise of the installment naturally brings about the emotional introspection, and I say hashtag character development. Evan is a tough guy, and not just physically. And he’s still a *good* mentor to Peter, barring the drain-cleaner-in-the-water-bottle advice we saw in the first book. That all being said, I think there were a few redundant moments when Evan was reflecting and it was kind of like “maybe that’s all love is, being there for someone when they’re sad :(“ and stuff like that. That exact sentence structure came up three or four times I believe.

One think that didn’t sit right with me, that has never sat right with me, is the way Hurwitz and guy authors in general sometimes describe the women in their novels?? It’s especially true with Candy in this series, and even (not a spoiler) the scene were Evan helps the young girl. As a side note, the scene where he first sees that girl was not comfortable and I didn’t read all of it and I don’t know how much it added to the story besides being another opportunity for Evan to save the day and I guess reflect on his relationship with Joey. Evan was a rockstar in that scene and he’s totally a feminist and it’s great but some of the descriptions tend to make me uncomfortable. I doubt it’s on purpose, but it does happen and I’m not a fan. Maybe next time Gregg can have a lady friend or five do a read-through specifically for weird sexualized details that aren’t at all necessary before it publishes.

I wish we saw more of Mia and Peter! But I think that every time no matter how often they appear in each book. Evan’s moments with them are just very tender and something special, even among the other personal moments we see in this one. I absolutely adore the way Peter yells “Evan Smoak!” every time Evan visits. Their little heart to hearts were a welcome change in pace and very well written. I wish we could’ve seen that dinner mentioned near the end, but alas!!!!!

And another thing! I really, really admire Hurwitz for adding the struggles of OCD to this book. In previous installments, we see Evan exhibit traits of his OCD, like wiping streaks off the counters or interacting with Peter being a messy kid, but never the negative impacts it has on his life. It's a trait of his, but seemingly harmless. This aspect of his life adds so much to his character as he truly begins to cope with his OCD, and I've thought from the beginning that Hurwitz does a great job developing Evan's character; as he struggles with this new, prominent part of himself, Evan becomes more vulnerable and human in the eyes of the reader and the eyes of himself. It impacts his work in a way we've never seen before, and I loved it. It makes sense that this comes into play more at the same time that we meet the new characters, as that adds a tremendous amount of stress to Evan's life that he has never encountered. In general, I think watching Evan navigate more personal, 'human' obstacles was refreshing and awesome, but especially the OCD.

And of course the action scenes are written flawlessly. This is and always will be my biggest compliment for Hurwitz. He is one hell of an action writer. I look forward to every fight/heist/etc big or small because I know it will just grab me and pull me right in. I’m reading words on a page but I’m also seeing a movie play out in ultra extra platinum HD in front of my face. Go Gregg!!!

The cliffhanger was super duper rude and evil of Hurwitz to do to us, so hats off to him for that one. Great job again! Not my favorite in the series, but still one damn good book.

Patiently awaiting the next book,

Olivia xoxoxo

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this copy of Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz.

Prodigal Son is the sixth installment of Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X series featuring Evan Smoak as the titular Orphan X. In this installment Evan finds himself in semi-forced retirement, looking for ways to amuse himself and stay out of trouble. As this is the sixth installment I think you can guess that it doesn't take long for trouble to find Evan and drag him back into business. Evan finds himself connecting with old friends and foes, fighting an enemy that is almost impossible to defeat and possibly forging connections with someone that he never thought he'd meet.

Prodigal Son was a very solid, interesting read. It is clear that Gregg Hurwitz knows this character and how to write him with depth and humanity. The plot was solid and interesting all the way to the very last sentence. That being said, you really have to have read previous installments of the Orphan X series to understand some of the relationships that Evan has. This is not the book to start the series on. Go back, read 1-5 and know that you have Prodigal Son to enjoy at the end.

I couldn't wait to start in on this book, and it didn't disappoint. This book moved quickly, and was indeed a page turner. The action was great and held up to the very last line. I loved it. Thanks to Netgalley for advance reader copy.