I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Somebody in one of my book groups recommended it, so I read the synopsis and it sounded good. I am so glad I was approved to read it and I can’t wait to read all the books from the Orphan X series. I was able to understand Prodigal Son without reading the previous books but it probably would’ve been even better had I read them beforehand. I loved the writing and how it makes you think about normal human emotion too.

Prodigal Son is the next thrilling ride in the Orphan X series. The worst part of reading an Orphan X novel is waiting so long for the next one. Evan, the Nowhere Man, is in a forced retirement via the President of the United States but when a woman claiming to be his mother asks him to help someone what else is a man to do but jump in head first. Evan quickly breaks his own commandment of never letting anything get personal as he gets in touch with his feelings. Action packed thrills that read like a movie script, the story catches the attention and demands to be read from cover to cover for another addictive chapter in the Orphan X saga and one of my favorite series of all time. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

I have read all the Agent X novels so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this earlier than the publish date.

Gregg Hurwitz has created another Agent X story which is gripping, very well-written and with numerous twists along the way. I n the latest book the normally cool-headed Evan is knocked off balance with flashbacks to his past life at the orphanage, and characters from that life appearing in his present. It was interesting to have many questions answered along the way about his background, friends and family as a way of character development going forward, and wonder if there will be a place for the new characters in future books. I think that this book is important for his emotional maturity, and wonder how it will affect his behaviour moving forward. The family part of the ending was fairly inevitable, but as a mother I did wonder if it was necessary to follow a particular character's path with illness and death, especially so suddenly. Apart from that niggle (on my part!) I really enjoyed the book, and can't wait for the next one.....only another year+!!

Even though I've read every Orphan X novel over the past few years, it took reading Prodigal Son to remind me just how much I missed the character Evan Smoak. I'm a bit of thriller/mystery fiend and these Orphan X novels are a bit like stepping into a righteous James Bond scenario. Except in Prodigal Son you peek into just how awful things were for young Evan as an orphan growing up in the system. When this is juxtaposed against his incredible physical and mental skills and his sense of justice, it is hard to stop reading.

In this last installment, Evan has won a pardon which can be revoked if he undertakes to save another person as Nowhere man. Evan has started to live a normal life - meeting people, relaxing, appreciating his gorgeous condo, etc. Just as he was starting to relax he gets a call for help from someone claiming to be his birth mother. She asks him to step back out as Nowhere Man and to save someone in a dire situation. The victim has had all sorts of bad luck but has been trying to do right by his young daughter. Incurred all sorts of debt but is up to date on his child support, etc. As Evan weighs the consequences of helping versus walking away, we can't help but be so upset at the unfairness of life and drawn into the story.

I should have been working on my taxes, tidying up our home, getting ready for our move, etc. but all I wanted to do was read Prodigal Son. So, if you're looking for a satisfying escape - grab this book. If you have tons of things you need to get done ASAP, you'll be hard pressed to put this book down.

Orphan X is back for his latest adventure, once again using his skill as a deadly assassin to help good people out of bad situations. At the end of the previous entry, Into the Fire, Evan had reached a deal with the President to retire as a vigilante in return for being free and clear of the Orphan program that was trying to hunt him down.

But this time it's personal, drawing him back in despite his desperate desire to stay out of the fray. And that's as far as one can go without starting to hint at spoilers.

In plotting out a series like this, whether in books, movies or TV shows, the trick is to craft a story unique to this episode while still moving the overall story arc along. Gregg Hurwitz succeeds fully by having Evan's personal story intersect directly with the plot specific to this episode -- and again, that's as much as I can say without spoilers.

Even so, there is a higher level of success that Hurwitz achieves here, for a reader like me who likes a good thriller but also values literary fiction that is usually at its best when it is character driven. He conjures up the best elements of a thriller -- a believable and truly terrifying McGuffin, along with excellent villains -- and melds them with character development, not only of protagonist Evan Smoak, but also his sidekick Joey and the aforementioned villains (some of the other characters not so much).

The actual plot is basic: everybody chases each other around this way and that, trying to figure out the McGuffin, and then it all resolves once the secrets have been revealed. While the McGuffin may go one or two steps too far into fantasyland, the core premise is based on reality and projects it down paths that are so credible as to be scary.

The villains: the arch-villain is actually a stock character, but he only makes two token appearances, and despite his lack of dimensionality, those scenes are excellent, especially in how Hurwitz gets him to explain himself and his villainy without just falling back onto the trite "talking villain". But the hench-villains, they are good, unique in my experience, well executed especially in parallel with Evan's story.

And the action sequences, which Hurwitz has too often taken over the top in the past, are tight and to the point, no gratuitous nonsense, no wasting time on things that we know in advance can only go one way.

But what followers of this series will like best of all is the further development of Evan Smoak's character. In past entries, we've seen how humanity has slowly seeped into his psyche, the dehumanization of his training eroding as he experiences the real world. In this entry, much of his past history is revealed, and his relationships with real people become even more, well, real. Hurwitz handles this in a literary fashion -- rather than the kind of heavy-handed melodramatics you might expect from a formulaic thriller, there is real emotion, believable epiphanies, conflict and resolution, symbols and metaphors.

Good stuff.

I suppose Gregg Hurwitz could have made the backstory of Evan Smoak in the foster home worse than what is revealed in this sixth book in the series but it would have been tough. My goodness but I felt so sorry for that poor little kid. Okay, all grist for the mill that will turn out a cold-hearted killer/assassin, right? Except that's not what happened with Evan and that's why I like his character so much - a triumph over an early life where he had to learn quickly how to be hard as the adults in his life were. So, fast forward through all the fantastic life threatening episodes (previous five books) when Evan was Orphan X, his government designation, as an asset buried deep within the black ops secrecy. He hasn't even had time to enjoy his retirement from the program when he finds he is having to face a problem he's having trouble wrapping his mind around. His mother? Now she gets in touch with him? Why? And who is this woman really?

When I open one of these books and settle down to read it's just too bad if family or friends try to distract me from my book - it just will not happen. And how could I possibly leave Evan to try to get out of a jam by himself? He needs me! Okay, maybe not me specifically, but I do offer helpful suggestions. Gregg Hurwitz filled in lots of blanks with this story so Evan's character is explained more fully. It will be interesting to see where book seven leads because I will definitely be there to find out what is going to happen. There is a HUGE cliffhanger at the end of this one and I actually find myself thinking from time to time about how Hurwitz will "fix" the problem. I have no ideas so far. It isn't absolutely necessary to read the books in order but I'm super glad I've read them like that. Definitely a favorite author, a favorite character and books I can't wait to read as soon as they are published. They are even just as good on the second time reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for an e-galley of this novel.

WOW!! Just when you thought the series couldn’t get any better Gregg knocks one out of the park. This 6th book of the series doubles back somewhat and gives us a look into Evan Smoak’s early life and how he became Orphan X. Full of twists and turns, will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page, trying to anticipate where this story will go. A surprising twist at the end to give the story a very satisfying end. Bring on book number 7!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Minotaur Books who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

**might contain spoilers**
In true Hurwitz fashion this was an amazing read from the get go! The dynamic between the characters as usual is spot on. The continued growth of the characters, from the start of the series, especially the favorite repeats is heartwarming and relatable. The cliffhanger ending had me jumping off my chair screaming no!!! Seriously can't wait for the next installment to see where we go from here.

Another great book in the Orphan X series. As much as Evan wants to retire from being The Nowhere Man, he's reluctantly pulled back in after receiving a call from someone claiming to be his mother. She wants him to protect someone he knew from his days before going into the Orphan program, but there is more to this man than Evan realizes. From there everything spirals out of control as Evan finds himself against a tech mogul with miniature drones that don't stop once they acquire their target.

Hurwitz knocked this one out of the park. Between the action and Evan trying to figure out his feelings about family, I could not stop reading. And that ending! I need book seven now!


I received an ARC copy from #NetGalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy Prodigal Son in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited for this book and now I don't know how to feel. I had a feeling I'd know how this series ends, but now that it's over, I feel a little deflated. There is still so much that needs to be done and so many questions to answer and now that we are saying goodbye to Evan Smoak, I feel like I need my questions answered. Just when we started seeing the real human and emotional side of Evan, just when we started to think his life could change, everything ends! I have a lot of respect for Hurwitz and understand how and why he ended this series in the way that he did, but I still don't feel satisfied.

The technology talk in this book was a little over my head - it was extremely interesting (and totally horrifying, reminded me of a Black Mirror episode) but it also felt a little technical for my liking. It was hard to keep up.

My secret hope is that Hurwitz does a spin off and focuses more on Joey - she's one of my all time favorite characters.

Overall, I loved this book and this series, but I feel a little empty with the ending.

I am a huge fan of the Orphan X series. This without a doubt is the best book in an already phenomenal series. Gregg Hurwitz has done an outstanding job creating not only an interesting and action packed plot, but the character development is top notch. I also appreciate the comic relief that occurs occasionally within the dialogue. I truly believe I have read the best thriller of 2021 in 2020. It will certainly be in the conversation as a top book of mine at the end of 2021. This book is officially released on January 26, 2021, but you can preorder now wherever books are sold. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for an honest review.

Mr Hurwitz created and writes about one of my favorite characters. It is always a great experience to read about his adventures.

Another action-packed adventure with Orphan X. I was worried about whether he would resume his role as the Nowhere Man after excepting a pardon from the president. As circumstances unfold in the latest book, the call for help to the Nowhere Man comes from a most unexpected source: a woman claiming to be his mother.

She wants him to help a man called Andrew Duran, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and now has a dedicated brother and sister team out to assassinate him.

I'm not at all as sure about the mother/son business, but I'm very happy to see Evan Smoak take up his mantle as the Nowhere Man again!

Read in August; blog review: Jan. 11, 2021

Keep 'em coming, Mr. Hurwitz!

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Mystery/Thriller. Jan. 26, 2021. Print length: 432 pages.

He's back - but, reluctantly! Reading an Evan Smoak tale is truly a guilty pleasure ... like eating desert before dinner. A glimpse back into his childhood and the origin of Orphan X set the stage. Evan is not a superhero, but a kind-of Batman ... a highly skilled assassin who just wants to help people. Evan was a 12 year-old boy rescued out of the projects of East Baltimore ... only then to undergo a 7 year grueling training course under the tutelage of his handler, Jack Johns... who was the closest thing to father and family he would ever know. He was part of a clandestine black ops "Orphan Program" created by the Department of Defense. ... creating a cadre of assassins of unparalleled abilities that were both deniable and expendable. Each sent on on a mission to destroy a high-value target without a backup. As his trainer, Jack knew it was easy to train him to kill, but hard to have him retain his humanity. Eventually Evan wanted out after a decade of covert killing ... no longer wanting to be a lethal weapon of the government. He was one of the few Orphans with an actual conscience. He found himself with a lot of time on his hands and a unique skill set and embarked on his own program as a pro bono freelancer, helping those innocents who find themselves in impossible situations. ... known by his enemies as The Nowhere Man. He remained on call 24/7 for the unfortunates ... awaiting a 1-855-2-NOWHERE call on his high tech , almost indestructible RoamZone phone. The government felt is was too sensitive to allow Evan's operational capabilities to remain on display for the world ... coupled with their inability to neutralize him. No less than the President of the United States offered him an unofficial pardon if he would refrain from conducting his extracurricular activities as the Nowhere Man.
Evan Smoak thought he was ready to lead an ordinary life ... whatever that was ... without the prospect of death lurking around the corner. The RoamZone was perpetually quiet until suddenly his phone repeatedly chirped with the same unknown number ... which he tried to ignore. Finally he picked up to a call that would explode his life into chaos. An unfamiliar sophisticated voice of woman claimed she was his mother .... and "I know someone who needs your help." Would he help Andrew Duran? He was wanted for questioning in connection with the death of Jake Hargreaves and was hunted by a cabal of killers to eliminate him. Critical to Duran's predicament was witnessing the kamikaze assassination of Hargreaves by a microdrone that was both relentless and efficient. It could have easily been mistaken for an actual dragonfly.
Gregg Hurwitz proves to be a master storyteller as he uncouples this riveting barn burner of a thriller ... exquisitely plotted with unexpected twists and deceptions. Making a reprise appearance is the beloved 16 year-old Joey Morales ... the last recruit of the black operations who washed out, but was then rescued by Evan. She continues to remain under the watchful guidance of Evan and serves as his off-the-books supreme hacker ... living independently in her own apartment with "Dog" the do and attending college. As an aside ... Hurwitz explores the themes of the heartbreak of alcoholism and the difficulties of parenting.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. Like chocolate ... you can never get enough of the exploits of Evan Smoak!

I've loved the Orphan X series since the first book.. Some of the stories I have enjoyed more than others, but have never been disappointed. The Prodigal Son is definitely one of my new favorites. I love that Evan seems a little bit more human in this one and the ending is great. Prepare yourself for a great read an adventure with this new novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for my advanced copy to read and review.

I love this series. While this is book 6, you can start anywhere. All you really need to know is that Ethan is sort of an Equalizer character who helps people in trouble. That’s enough to jump in anywhere.

However, if you’ve read the rest of it, you’re going to especially love this one. Ethan’s past and present come crashing together in this one and It’s a race to a violent and possibly heartbreaking finish. This is one of those pulse pounding adventures and you won’t want to look away.

As usual, the action (and things going boom) are interspersed with characters you love and a few feels here and there.

Bring on book 7! I’m here for it!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

The Prodigal Son is another great read by Gregg Hurwitz! Evan Smoak is trying to fit into society as a normal citizen instead of his Orphan X/Nowwhere Man status, an assassin/vigilante. Along the way he is contacted by a woman who gave him up for adoption and wants him to help protect Andrew Duran, a man whose life is in danger. Evan knows Andrew from the group home that he lived in before he entered the Orphan Program. Thus the action begins with a twin assassination team in pursuit of Andrew. With the story progressing, I felt Evan was tying up “loose ends” along the way., I began feeling melancholy about Orphan X because this was the last book of the series. The book continued to hit high points of action until the threats were finally removed. Greg Hurwitz once again amazes me as an author with his climactic ending of Prodigal Son which caught me off guard and blew me away! Way to go, Gregg👍

I would rate this book a solid 4-1/2 stars! Even though it is part of a series, you are not lost with a back story ....this could be read as a stand a lone novel! I love this author's style of writing and his characters kept be engaged and entertained until the end of the book! In this novel, you get a glimpse of Evan's troubled childhood and how that has shaped him to be the man he is today! Evan's antics were a little far fetched (I mean, the prison scene ...getting into a secured government facility??!!)...but, I overlooked them, as I was so engrossed in the book ...and, basically, who cares ...I was enjoying this book too much!! There were so many twists in this book that when I thought the story line was coming to an end, I checked how many pages were left and - bang - another turn!!! The ending was one of the biggest shocks, so I will be interested to see how this plays out!

I would like to thank Mr. Hurwitz, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review! (less)

I realize I am reviewing this book early, but I just couldn't hold back from reading it.

Once again Gregg Hurwitz has managed to create a page turning story featuring the infamous Evan Smoak. Evan is supposedly retired but alas he is once again called into play by a most unusual source, his mother Veronica. He is tempted to give up the retired life, one he is ill equipped to deal with, and accomplish one more rescue, one more time being the Nowhere Man, one more time employing the skills he learned as Orphan X.

As always with Evan there are thrills and chills up the wazoo and each time the intrepid intriguing Evan takes on the baddies of the world, it's a battle of wits, brawn, and death defying feats. This time a nanotechnology company and it ruthless leader, is the target. In this dangerous bold pursuit to save the man his mother has asked him to, Evan is aided by the indomitable Joey and as the story proceeds we learn more about their budding relationship and the concept that both Evan and Joey are learning to care for each other even though they never knew how to express or understand their feelings. It's a wonderful relationship and adds a sense of both happiness and fun as these two have such an amusing repartee between them.

We also learn a bit more about Evan's early life and how he eventually became Orphan X. All in all, this is a engaging and engrossing read and the legacy of this series continues to be one that grips and seduces the reader into wanting more. Considering this is the sixth book in this series, it is both brilliant and fantastic that Mr Hurwitz has been able to keep Evan's momentum going and makes those who are fans of this series wait with baited breath for book number seven.

Thank you to Gregg Hurwitz, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for a copy of this book due out January 26,2021.

I just reviewed Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz. #ProdigalSon #NetGalley Super impressed 5/5 and the story of Evan Smoak continues. I am a huge fan of the Orphan X series. This one did not disappoint. I love how action in his life continues and does not slow down. I will be sure to purchase the physical copy when it comes out!