It is a fantastic story, exhilarating plot, well developed characters, and a well executed shocking ending. I read in one day, unputdownable and very addictive. Recommend to every thriller reader.

This was just so much fun. I’ve been recommended the orphan x series by a very close friend of mine and I was happy when I received an ARC from Netgalley. So thanks, Netgalley!
I wasn’t sure whether I’d like the book, and in fact the series, because I am a little wary of all out action thrillers. I like a little juice to the story. But, to my great delight, this is far from a mindless action thriller. I think that the characters that appear in this book are well fleshed out and have well developed personalities. I think Greg Hurwitz does a great job of ensuring that the breakneck pace of the action does not mar from an excellent background story.
The premise of the story is relatively simple- Evan Smoak the titular orphan, is rescued from a foster home and becomes part of a clandestine program to train super spies and assassins who do off the books wet work for the government. The story picks up when Evan has broken from the program and now offers his service on a freelance basis to those in need as opposed to serving those in power. While this is hardly
new terrain, the true strength of the novel lies in the way in which the story is told. There’s a whole host of people around Evan, and their personalities and interactions with Evan inform choices he makes and his own rumination about his place in the world.
I love the book, and at the time of writing, I am already up to the fourth book in the series. This is a must read for fans of Jason Bourne and his like and is a tribute to the best traditions of Robert Ludlum. I don’t think I can pay a bigger compliment than that.

If you love thrillers and men of mystery you will love Orphan X. This book was published 8 years ago and I hope it will get the attention it deserves in this reissue. Orphan X is the story of a program that was created to fulfill a need. The need was for those who could easily solve complex issues off the grid. They were children recruited who had no family, and no known people who cared about them. These were smart, athletic children who were groomed to be experts in weapons, cultures, languages, and other ways of integrating themselves inside otherwise closed organizations. They had several created aliases and could slip from one identity to another. Well-paid and knowledgeable on investment strategies most prospered financially. Personal adjustment was out of the question as relationships had to remain distant. One of these orphans was known inside the organization as Orphan X. He was the best and was raised by a man who was in many ways a father to him but was also a tough operator himself. Orphan X is being pursued by another of the organization's best "Orphans". This twisty, well-written tale is a good one and Hurwitz can compete in writing talent with the best of the best-selling authors of our time. Love this book and look forward to reading more.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a thrilling read, reminiscent of James Bond with its high-stakes action and espionage, but with more backstory. We learn about the protagonist, Evan Smoak, both in his childhood and his rigorous training. Now, as Orphan X, he is "on call" for emergencies via a dedicated phone line. This lifeline has rules that Evan must follow, which are tested when he questions whether he's aiding the correct person.

The book was engaging and fast-paced, with action that held my attention throughout. I look forward to exploring more of the series.

I recommend this book to those who appreciate Action, Fantasy, Fiction, and Thrillers.

The book under review offers an action-packed narrative, bearing striking similarities to the classic James Bond stories with their characteristic high-stakes action and espionage. However, it provides an extra layer of depth by offering a more detailed backstory.

The protagonist of the story, Evan Smoak, is meticulously fleshed out. The narrative delves into his past, his childhood, and his rigorous training, providing readers with an intimate understanding of his character. In his current role as Orphan X, he operates an emergency response system via a dedicated phone line.

This unique setup comes with a set of rules that Evan must adhere to. These rules are put to the stern test when Evan begins to question the validity of his mission, injecting an element of suspense and intrigue into the story. It raises questions about morality and the grey areas in between right and wrong, adding a philosophical underpinning to the high-octane plot.

The book is expertly crafted to be engaging and fast-paced. The relentless action sequences hold the reader's attention captive, making it a page-turner. The promise of more books in the series to explore further adds to the allure of this novel.

For those with a penchant for genres including Action, Fantasy, Fiction, and Thrillers, this book comes highly recommended. It offers a blend of exciting elements that are sure to cater to the tastes of a diverse range of readers, making it a worthy addition to their reading lists.

I read this years ago, devoured would be the right word actually. I became obsessed with Orphan X, Evan Smoak, with the reading of this book, which I had checked out of the library. I ended up reading all the books in the series the next couple of days, which sadly at that time were only books two and three! Ever since then, I've waited anxiously for the next saga of the Nowhere Man. Excellent series!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just reviewed Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz. Thank you to Netgalley for the ebook.

This genre of writing is not usually my cup of tea, or iced vodka which is the case here. However I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the story is split in timelines, from childhood to adulthood of the main character. He is reacheresque in nature which tells you all you need to know, there were a few highly detailed physical combat sequences which I ended up skimming through, as I said not my favorite genre, but the whole story was so worth the effort. Touché, now I know why this is available on Netgalley so long after original release, first of a long series.. I think I’m now off down an Orphan X rabbit hole!!

The only thing better than seeing a Gregg Hurwitz book up for grabs, is GETTING that Gregg Hurwitz book. I am a huge fan of this series and love nothing more than a lazy weekend with one of them.

This book is fast-paced with lots of actions AND characters that you really connect to. The Nowhere Man is both realistic and likeable and you can't help but root for him (and his crew).

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

•Fast Paced
•Action-Packed
•Intense Setting
•Realistic and Likeable Character
•Past and Present POV.

This is a high octane thriller. I liked the world building and intense setting. The book is action-packed and suspenseful. The author has created such a mysterious characters. Evan is such an interesting character. Also known as Nowhere man. He had a dangerous past and been trained for an Orphan Program. The description and the little details gripped me from page one. The author has added mystery and suspense. This book is a real page turner and a little different from what I usually read. But this is brilliant. I was intrigued by the Orphan program and learning about Evan’s identity and how the circumstances in his past have shaped him. I loved his character as despite how he has been trained, he still has kindness in him. The book is so engrossing and mostly kept me on the edge of my seat. I was trying to figure out what is going to happen next the whole time and the ending satisfied me.

Many Thanks to the Author, publisher and Netgalley.

This has got to be the quickest I’ve read a book in a long time, Evan Smoak is an Orphan, an orphan is a child recruited by a clandestine government agency to be trained in all the ways to kill, he’s also an orphan in the literal sense of the word.
Orphan number ten (or Orphan X) is the best of the Orphans and is…..
He’s awesome, he lives his life by 10 commandments, he’s badass and I’ve official got myself a man crush on a fictional character (Bot my first either lol)
This is a 5 star book for me and absolutely worth checking it out.

Just wow! My first ever Gregg Hurwitz read but definitely not my last! This one hooked me at the very beginning and did not let go until the end. This was packed with thrills, chills and tension. The characters were captivating. Not one full moment of lag time. The punches kept rolling and rolling. Loved it!
Thank you Netgalley and, Gregg Hurwitz for the opportunity to read and review this cracker of a book.

Very realistic and interesting characters. Fast-paced plot that kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. Enjoyed every page of it!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Having recently read the most recent Orphan X book, it was a pleasure to have the original pop up for review and an even bigger pleasure to go back to the beginning and compare how Evan Smoak has grown and changed. Hurwitz wrote a great character in Evan from his relationship with his mentor and father-figure, Jack, who implants his moral center, to his love of special vodka as his only passion in a solitary life, to his ongoing relationship with Mia and Peter who show him what a normal life could be, and Joey and Tommy who give him his own version of a normal life. I recommend this series often and thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to revisit the beginning.

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz is a favorite series of mine and OX is an exciting and very entertaining story.
This was such an exceptional and exhilarating ride, that provided hours of pure entertainment.
There are so many twists and turns in it that it kept my attention and on the edge of my seat.
I’m excited to start Lone Wolf!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Greg Hurwitz, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I like the premise of this series and this story - orphans trained from an early age to covertly take care of bad guys around the world. The Nowhere Man is a great concept. There were stretches where the character didn't act as I would have expected (babysitting?) but otherwise this was a quick and enjoyable read. If Reacher or Bourne are in your wheelhouse, give this series a shot.

Review posted to Goodreads manually due to link problems.

This is the first in the hugely successful series, and I’m positive I’d read it years ago…
Evan was chosen and trained, and has spent his life becoming. ‘The Nowhere Man.’
after being a highly trained and effective assassin. We now must read his evolution.
This book is really good, and revolutionary for its time, so it was interesting to read
some of the components I had not thought about for nearly 2 decades. It is nice to
have the origin story for the legion of fans who came to the cause late in the series.
Highly recommend and many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the download
copy for review purposes.

Purposely selected and adopted as a young boy, Evan, is intensely trained in immersive tactical, strategic and weapons combat; extreme survival skills; and next-level high-tech surveillance techniques to become an unstoppable invisible threat as a government off-book operative in Gregg Andrew Hurwitz’s fast-paced novel, “Orphan X,” that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

Unlike others in the Orphan program—who Evan has never met—is raised by a strict yet caring man—his adoptive father and handler, widower, Jack. As a result, although precise and consistent in Evan’s stringent training, Jack makes a point to assure that Evan never loses his humanity nor empathy due to the nature of the work that he’s required to perform.

Evan’s caring nature just may result in his downfall later in life when several helpless people call upon him for assistance. Learn all about the fascinating Orphan program; what happens to special operatives when their services are no longer required; and how one orphan tries to leverage his skills to more positive outcomes in Gregg Hurwitz’s “Orphan X.”

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Gregg Andrew Hurwitz, and Publisher Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martins Press / Macmillan Corporation for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy of Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz. I have heard great things about this series for many years so I thought I would try the first book to check it out. Maybe if I had read it in 2016 when it came out I would have liked it more, because Evan Smoak feels like a throwback to books in the 90s when tough men would always save helpless women. It wasn’t a bad book, and I understand why it’s so popular. I might check out his more recent books to see if there are any strong women characters. If you love Jack Reacher books you would probably like this series too.

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

386 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Release Date: January 19, 2016

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Action, Adventure

Evan Smaok was found in a group home. He was a small skinny boy playing with the other boys while a man stood outside the fence watching. Evan approaches the man hoping he would pick him. The man really wanted the biggest toughest boy, but Evan pleaded his case. The man explained that there would be love but there would be toughness. The man became a father figure to Evan.

Evan became an assassin for the government, He was asked to do a job that affected him. He began questioning his role and what is morally right and wrong. Today he is known as the Nowhere Man. He uses his skills to help those in need, but someone wants to stop him permanently. I see Evan as a cross between Jason Bourne, James Bond, and the Equalizer. If you enjoy action books, or vodka, you will like this book. This is the first book in the Orphan X series. I have read them all and wait, with impatience, for the next one.

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 alone novel! I love this author's style of writing and his characters kept me engaged and entertained until the end of the book!! Evan's antics were a little far fetched 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!!! There were moments I laughed out loud with comments and antics of people around Evan. ... and his reaction to said humor was priceless! Now I will do what I do with any really good story ... go back the last 6 chapters and savor it all over again! Kudos to the author!!

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)

Title: Orphan X
Author: Gregg Hurwitz
Release Date: January 19th, 2016
Page Count: 367
Start Date: January 6th, 2020, February 8th, 2022, and January 22nd, 2023
Finish Date: January 6th, 2020, March 2nd, 2022, and January 11th, 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

Evan isn't your normal man. He's more commonly known as nowhere man. If somebody is in trouble, all they have to do is call a number that they are given by somebody else who was in trouble in the past. He comes in and saves the day, so to speak. Everything is going smoothly for him until somebody starts hunting him. They use his need to protect people against him to lure him out. Soon he discovers he's not the only Orphan left.
I enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I would. I knew I'd enjoy it. It kind of gave off a Dean Koontz kind of vibe. It's not really as dark as I would picture a Dean Koontz book. It's very well written. I wound up getting a credit to it to listen to it on audio as well. Thank goodness for doing that. I had a headache so I couldn't read, so I wound up listening to audio most of today.
I'm not really sure if I can give an accurate description of all of the characters. With the exception of Evan himself. He's like Agent 47 from the Hitman series. That's the parallels I was drawing through the book. I can't wait to see more of him through the rest of the series. To see what he gets into as the series progresses.
This book was narrated by Scott Brick. He did a pretty amazing job with it. I'm almost sure that my cat was listening to the audiobook as well. I'd shout out names of people I thought were about to die and he'd have an alarmed look on his face. I mean I could be wrong, but who knows?
I wouldn't say I had high expectations of this book. I also wouldn't say that my expectations were low either. I thought I'd enjoy it. I didn't know that I would LOVE it and crave more. I'm glad I did. I can't wait to proceed with the rest of the series. I know that book five will be coming out later this month. Maybe I'll have the first four done before then so I'm ready for it!