This newest installment of the Orphan X series is unlike any of the others! A deeper look into the psych of these normally stoic characters as fragments of humanity surface after years of being oppressed. These unexpected emotions have Orphan X reflecting and wrestling with commandments he’s been trained on. This is the deepest look into Evan’s human side yet, and it seems like it may be a pivotal point in the series. Bravo to Hurwitz to tackling such a heavy character development while still keeping true to the suspenseful thriller aspect of the series. Even, Joey, Evan’s protegee finds herself immersed in a dilemma as she tries to balance her role as the computer genius in Orphan X’s operations and trying to make friends as a normal college student.
Evan Smoak, a highly trained government assassin has survived by following a strict code of conduct. His circle is extremely small and tight, and he rarely lets it get personal. But when he’s betrayed by one of the few he calls friend, his life and all he thinks he knows comes into question. When it escalates to a brutal attack, Evan knows he has to track down Tommy to put an end to him, before Tommy puts an end to Evan. However, Tommy has been called out of town honoring his promise to a war buddy to be there if ever his buddy’s son needed him. The son has found himself in deep trouble, with Tommy having to watch for attack from all sides. This novel has quite of bit of focus on Tommy’s story which is as compelling as any Orphan operation. It was heartbreaking to watch their friendship break apart, as it seemed to be the one constant that Evan had in his life. I already can’t wait to see what’s next!

Evan Smoak, known as Orphan X and the Nowhere Man, is back in rare form with an intense focus on a suddenly imperiled friendship with Tommy Stojack, his brilliant armorer. Tommy has, behind Evan’s back, been supplying weapons to an assassin who killed a teenager as well as a mastermind criminal involved in human trafficking. This breaks one of Orphan X’s fundamental rules of engagement. He sets to figure out whether Tommy deserves to die for these infractions or whether their friendship can survive it.

Amid repeat confrontations with Tommy trying to sort this out, Evan finds himself a target in a deadly ambush at Tommy’s headquarters, against a slew of professional killers and a sniper. Evan assumes Tommy has ordered the hit on him, and chases Tommy to a remote small town where Tommy has responded to an SOS by the son of a fellow war combatant who Tommy vowed to protect as the man’s dying wish. The son and his late teen friends have formed their own racist militia against the perceived invasion of Mexicans a town over. They foment conspiracy theories (aka Proud Boys) and have decided to take vengeful action on their own that leads to a death. All this rachets up to a breath-taking thrilling plot with danger lurking on every front.

Evan’s internal tug of war between the stoic deadly assassin Orphan X he was raised and the emerging more emotive man continues to powerfully play out. Unexpected emotions triggered over his friendship with Tommy ravage Evan, who’s slowly learning to manage instead of constantly suppress his feelings. Evan’s left wrestling between the commandments he’s lived by as an assassin and the fragile friendships he’s forged since stepping out of service to the U.S. government. With each evolution of the Orphan X series, we see the humanity bursting forth in Evan, which is exactly what his trainer in the Orphan X program hoped to preserve.

His protegee, Joey Morales, also finds herself in an intense, moving internal struggle between her roles as computer genius and Evan’s back-up to being a college student looking to make friends her age for the first time.

Another outstanding addition to this best-of-thrillers series by Hurwitz.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

This is an Orphan X book but it is really Tommy Stojack’s story. He is X’s armorer - we have met him on many occasions throughout the series. He has led a rough life, wise-cracking through it all with a bottle of Beam alongside his lawn chair. He has provided the armaments and munitions that have allowed the story to move forward, in the fight to replace hope and wipe out the hurters that bring meanness and evil, but now he has made a serious mistake. Evan Smoak, Orphan X is never far out of sight or missing from the action but this story is a serious nod to another character that has served and protected the notion of The Nowhere Man throughout many previous installments.

There is a fairly pedestrian painting on a wall “suffused with a cozy glow.” We are reminded that none of that was a known commodity for this Orphan. The commandments and relationships are tested and tested again. There is sophisticated social commentary, much of it blistering. The description of death and mayhem have reached a new crescendo.

Hurwitz, who is a Master at this genre, has once again done extraordinary research and written an explosive installment that has me wondering where he is going next. So many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC.

Evan Smoak was “rescued” from a childhood that was going nowhere to become Orphan X, a trained killer with a conscience. After escaping the Orphan program, he took on the Nowhere Man persona - working to help one person at a time by their calling 1-800-2-Nowhere and then having that person pass the number on to another person who needs his help. In this 10th book in the series, Evan must deal with Tommy Stojack, his long-time armorer, who has betrayed him by working with some criminals that Evan had encountered in the past. When he goes to confront Tommy, he runs into a sniper and a number of killers short-circuiting his desire to close the book on his old friend. But the ambush was not for Evan - and the result of this encounter comes out as the story goes forward.

A totally different Orphan X/Nowhere Man thriller. Yes, there is plenty of the action we have come to expect from Evan Smoak (especially in the latter stages of the book), but this is also (almost more so) a psychological dive into his mindset. Moving from Orphan X to the Nowhere Man to the current day, his relationships with Jack (from the past) and now Joey, the young technology guru he is “tutoring,” along with some self soul-searching are explored. So this was not quite the novel I was expecting - it seemed tedious from time to time. But I feel confident that the next edition in this great series will return to my expectations.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I am a long-time fan of Gregg Hurwitz' Orphan X novels, and was very excited to get an ARC of Nemesis. The books have become quite serialized, building on prior books, and Nemesis is very much in this vein. Evan only has a few people in his world that he trusts, and one of those is his armorer, Tommy Stojkavek. But in the last novel we learned that Tommy had provided weapons to a human trafficker and murderer and this caused a moral quandary for him.

Nemesis is unique in this series as it is told both from the perspective of Tommy and Evan. I'll be honest, I did not find the Tommy storyline to be as persuasive as I wanted. He is helping the criminal sons of a former military comrade, and Evan has decided that the "nowhere man" needs to exact justice for their crimes. It gets sticky from there. Evan and Tommy are adversaries, and then they are not. It's a complex book, and by the end changes the Evan story forever. Was this my favorite Orphan X novel? No. Do I want to see where it goes from here? Yes.

Evan Smoak is back, this time in a story that’s personal.

Estranged from his arms supplier and best friend Tommy, and on the outs with Joey, Evan is struggling, not sure which way to turn. Joey on the other hand is having trouble fitting in at school, and is learning a few hard truths about loyalty and friendship.

When Evan is confronted by Tommy, and put in danger by the one man he’s relied on forever, Evan questions everything. Pitted against each other, Nemesis is a battle of wills and a battle for survival, that’ll keep you glued to the pages.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc.

Evan Smoak is back in this latest installment in the Orphan X/Nowhere Man series. Evan is still out there, saving good people from bad, but this time there’s a twist…his best friend Tommy, if not his only friend, has broken one of Evan’s “Commandments”, and has given bad guys things he hasn’t. Now Evan has to take him down. But there are things Evan doesn’t know about exactly what it is that Tommy did and why. In the meantime Tommy has gone out into the middle of nowhere, a place that seems to consist primarily of racists, corrupt law enforcement and a vibrant Hispanic community that seems to be everyone’s favorite target, to keep a promise to a friend. What Tommy finds when he arrives are four young men angry at the world for some unknown reason, including the son of his friend. As Tommy digs into what’s going on and figures out what he’s going to do about it he is also aware that Evan is looking for him to administer the appropriate punishment (whatever that might be) for Tommy’s violation of the rules. But Evan is not alone in looking for Tommy, and as usual there are people looking to kill Evan as well.

Nemesis is full of what we’ve all come to expect from Gregg Hurwitz: great writing, his usual cast of brilliant and uniquely flawed characters like Joey the amazing hacker , his oblivious neighbors and even her wonderful support Rhodesian Ridgeback Dog, as well as seriously nasty villains to take out before they take out him. And then there’s the technology he acquires and uses in his quest to rid the world of evil. This is one of those books that I couldn’t put down. Don’t miss this one!

This is one of my absolute favorite series and this latest book did not disappoint! The failure of the relationship between Evan & Tommy made me sad but hopefully, they can come back from it...I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in the series!

Another action packed X adventure!

This one felt ultra intense with some scenes that gave me "fight or flight" feelings with a rush of adrenaline. Oh, my heart went out to the situation between Evan and Tommy Stojack. They have been best friends and now something bad has happened and they are both watching their backs.

This is #10 in the series and one of the most heart racing imo. The conflicts, the good vs evil, and the anticipation of how things would play out had me on edge for much of the book.

Uhhhh, whatever you are expecting of this book....well, if you're anything like me, you will be completely and utterly wrong. And drawn in, unable to put the book down until you know what the heck is happening and how it all turns out!!

I love Evan, but I really love seeing Evan struggle with his humanity, with his past, and with who he is/wants to be. It is heartbreaking seeing him and Tommy battle each other - two friends who I would have thought would have each other's back forever. But when Tommy sells weapons to evil people, Evan has to stand on his morals and make sure that can't happen again.

On a side note, I loved seeing Joey's struggle with some very grown up problems, pushing back against Evan as she tries to figure her own path forward as well.

All in all, this was amazing. Captivating from the very beginning, at times heartbreaking, but always keeping me on the edge of my seat!

Another action packed X adventure!

This one felt ultra intense with some scenes that gave me "fight or flight" feelings with a rush of adrenaline. Oh, my heart went out to the situation between Evan and Tommy Stojack. They have been best friends and now something bad has happened and they are both watching their backs.

This is #10 in the series and one of the most heart racing imo. The conflicts, the good vs evil, and the anticipation of how things would play out had me on edge for much of the book.

I'm still thinking about the end. My 🩷

I think Evan will be back in full force for book eleven! Recommend reading this series in order!

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.

Oh gosh, I've really enjoyed this series, but I just did NOT like this one. There were three main storylines going on, and I just absolutely could not get behind two of them. The story that kicks things off is the conflict between Evan and Tommy, which is set up in the previous book in the series. And the second main story is basically Tommy trying to redeem the poor misunderstood racist. I just couldn't. Evan honestly came off as overly simplistic, completely unable to understand the nuance of real life, so it was really tough to root for him in literally any part of the book. And Tommy...like I get where he's coming from, but it was also just too simple.
*
The third plotline (which I won't mention to avoid spoilers) was good - it was exciting and more of what I was looking for with this series.
*
I've seen a bunch of great reviews, so I could absolutely be the outlier. But I couldn't get behind it. The good news (if you start this and also don't love it) it does absolutely nothing to advance the story arc of the series. Read the last two chapters and skip the rest.

This is my first book in the Orphan X world. When Evan is betrayed by one of his closest friends, he ends his friendship with an all-out war. This is very action-packed book, which I liked. I also enjoyed learning more about these characters and I am going to pick up the rest of the series soon.

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.
"How you do anything is how you do everything."
"If you don't know what to do, do nothing."


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

4.5 ⭐️ This is my first Orphan X book and won’t be my last! Can’t wait to read the previous books!

Fast paced and edge of your seat action! I enjoyed “Nowhere Man” , Evan and his friend Tommy’s relationship and the race to bring justice to a wronged group in town before a group of assassins take them out.

Great storyline, characters and writing. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

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.

Orphan X, a.k.a. the "Nowhere Man," has been a favorite character over the course of several books (this is the tenth in the series). I've loved every single installment, and (no surprise to me!), this one follows the same pattern. There's just something about watching Evan Smoak - who I'd describe as a nearly super-human Jason Bourne - grow up and (in his own way) prosper.

An escapee from the government "X" program that made him what he is - a practiced assassin who now plies his trade for the good of humankind, if you will, Evan lives in a highly fortified mansion with all the bells and whistles he can find (or buy or create). Many of his high-tech goodies (a.k.a., weapons) came from his good friend Tommy Stojack. But when Evan learns that, at least in his own mind, Tommy has betrayed him, all bets are off. Now, he's out to get his former best bud and render him, well, dead - or at the very least, seriously incapacitated).

He gets some help from his young protegee, Josephine (a.k.a., Joey), who's a computer whiz to put it mildly. But even with her in his corner - well, at least when she's not mad at him - it's hard to keep him out of serious trouble. His tracking down of Tommy quickly turns into a battle for their very lives, prompting Evan to double efforts to find Tommy, who in turn has promised to find and protect the wayward son of someone to whom he owes a big favor.

Uh, oh - do readers get a sense that something's gotta give? It's kind of hard to miss, although the details turn out to be quite an exciting reading experience, albeit with a bittersweet ending.

As for me, I loved it - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

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 and Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy

Gregg Herwitz continues the hot streak for Evan Smoak in the latest Orphan X novel, Nemesis!

Nemesis starts strong with Evan’s conundrum stemming from the previous book when he discovered his gunsmith Tommy Stojack provided weapons to the Lone Wolf. This kicks off the duel between Evan and Tommy, a man he met years ago and one whom Evan has leaned on to utilize his weapon resources and as a friend. Wracked by his sense of justice stemming from the Ten Commandments he grew up on to become Orphan X, Evan hits a crossroad. He realizes Tommy must pay for his hand in the Lone Wolf’s treachery.

Nemesis starts strong by building the connection between Evan and Tommy, even by providing extra depth for Evan as he advises Joey, in her own albeit drastically low stake concerns. However, Joey provides a beating heart to Evan’s struggle of taking down Tommy even if Evan doesn’t want to admit killing a friend will be difficult.

The story sets up a subplot of Janus, who is a deliciously evil villain you as a read wants to see meet a devious ending. Janus wants to take out Tommy and even uses The Four Horseman, his infamous heavy hitting assassins, for his dirty work.

The story provides a complex layer as Tommy ends up as a quasi mentor for an old acquaintance’s son. This is where the story hits a bit of a snag. While in its own way, the story aids in adding tension and purpose to the head on collision in wait between Evan and Tommy, I felt the story meanders a bit. While the themes and storylines complement the spaghetti western duel, the story tapers off in pacing and plods around before we find out why Evan has a place in this small town mess between an innocent Mexican family and Hick and his cronies aided by corrupted law enforcement.

Gregg Herwitz knows how to write, no question there. His writing style and voice are clear and evident, even if a bit methodical and sterile, though I mean that in the best way. It’s punchy without being wordy, meaningful without over exaggeration. You read it and it pulls you in, page turn after page turn.

The ending hits hard. Each moment in the last forty to fifty pages lands well and makes up for the meandering of the middle section. How things play out between Evan and Hick, Evan and Janus and his Four Horseman, and most importantly Evan and Tommy, the ending is one of the best I’ve read in awhile. I’m not one to cry at reading books, especially thrillers despite my love for them, but the end scene plunked my heartstrings hard.

Additionally, I may be harder given the previous success of the series. But given Herwitz strengths as a writer and with the series overall, Nemesis is not the strongest outing for Orphan X. Nor is Nemesis a bad outing by any means.

Overall, Nemesis is a fantastic outing, despite the moments of lost focus given the story’s unconscious slow burn in the middle. The ending hits the emotional depths and the action in a perfect crescendo. I rate this 4 stars out of 5.