Gregg Hurwitz

Who is Orphan X? The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It’s said that when he’s reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them. But he’s not merely a legend. “Excellent...A smart, stylish, state-of-the-art thriller...might give Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books a run for their money.”—The Washington Post Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as an Orphan, an off-the-books black box program designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence asset: An assassin. Evan was Orphan X—until he broke with the program and used everything he learned to disappear. But now someone is on his tail. Someone with similar skills and training who will exploit Evan’s secret new identity as the Nowhere Man to eliminate him. “Hurwitz melds nonstop action and high-tech gadgetry...in this excellent series opener.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A Novel

Orphan X

'OUTSTANDING IN EVERY WAY' Lee Child *** 'Do you need my help? It was always the first question he asked. They called him when they had nowhere else to turn. As a boy he was chosen, then taken from the orphanage he called home. Raised and trained as part of a top secret programme he was sent to the worst places in the world to do the things his government denied any knowledge of. Then he broke with the programme, using everything he'd learned to disappear. He wanted to help the desperate and deserving. But now someone's on his tail. Someone who has issues with his past. Someone who knows he was once known simply as Orphan X *** Praise for Orphan X: 'Orphan X blows the doors off most thrillers I've read and catapults the readers on a cat-and-mouse that feels like a missile launch. Read this book. You will thank me later' David Baldacci 'Orphan X is his best yet-a real celebration of all the strengths Gregg Hurwitz brings to a thriller' Lee Child 'Orphan X is the most gripping, high-octane thriller I've read in a long, long time!' Tess Gerritsen 'Orphan X is most exciting new series character since Jack Reacher. A page-turning masterpiece of suspense' Jonathan Kellerman 'Mind blowing! A perfect mix of Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher' Lisa Gardner 'Orphan X is the most exciting thriller I've read since The Bourne Identity ... A new thriller superstar is born!' Robert Crais 'Orphan X is not good. Orphan X is great. Whatever you like best in a thriller - action, plot, character, suspense - Orphan X has it' Simon Toyne 'A new series character to rival Reacher . . . anyone reading Orphan X won't be surprised that a cadre of peers, from Tess Gerritsen to Lee Child, have lined up to praise it' Independent 'Orphan X is outstanding . . . a smart, stylish, state-of-the-art thriller. It's also the start of a series, one that might give Lee Child's Jack Reacher books a run for their money' Washington Post 'A masterpiece of suspense and thrills . . . Turn off the real world and dive into this amazing start to a new series' Associated Press

Gregg Andrew Hurwitz

The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It's said that when he's reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them. But he's no legend. Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He's also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets--i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X. Evan broke with the program, using everything he learned to disappear. Now, however, someone is on his tail. Someone with similar skills and training. Someone who knows Orphan X. Someone who is getting closer and closer.

Luke Harkness

A brilliant first in a new series I'm excited for

This book had two very important differences to the many other series like it: it had heart and it was written almost poetically. This is the first book I've read in this action hero genre where we found out so much about the main characters history, had him bonding with characters and had him actually suffering. This made me keep reading as it added a whole new layer to the action, fights and gadgets that I usually read these stories for. Also the series has a really cool premise that I'm excited to read more of. As aforementioned, its also written in a way that, at times, I found almost poetic with metaphors and similes galore.

""Orphan X is the most gripping, high-octane thriller I've read in a long, long time. Hang onto your seat because Gregg Hurwitz will take you on a dizzying ride you'll not soon forget!" -Tess Gerritsen The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It's said that when he's reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them. But he's no legend. Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He's also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets--i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X. Evan broke with the program, using everything he learned to disappear. Now, however, someone is on his tail. Someone with similar skills and training. Someone who knows Orphan X. Someone who is getting closer and closer. And will exploit Evan's weakness--his work as The Nowhere Man--to find him and eliminate him. Grabbing the reader from the very first page, Orphan X is a masterful thriller, the first in Gregg Hurwitz's electrifying new series featuring Evan Smoak"--

Cheri Fuller

I'd go 3.5 if I could. This was a pretty dang enjoyable book. It was no more believable than a Hollywood action flick but just as fun. 

We have our emotionally damaged super assassin who helps those who really need it, one at a time. So when he ends up with two - which shouldn't ever happen - he has to figure out who is the plant and why he's a target for assassination, himself. 

Of course, there has to be some suspension of disbelief since Evan is damn near perfect and has the coolest gadgets ever. None of that took away from me having a very good time reading it. I ended up feeling for the guy and truly wanting him to succeed and to find some people to connect with. Hopefully in a way that won't get him - or them - killed though. I guess I'll find out how that works out in the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for hooking me up. I'll be diving into the next two books - also thanks to NetGalley - soon.

Part of me wishes I hadn't reread this one. I mean, I still enjoyed it but I did get caught up more in the bullshit moments and with just how bad Evan's judgement was. It was pretty bad. I still plan to keep rereading the next two books in the series so I can dive into the fourth. It's been out for a while now and I've been staring at the ARC paperback the publisher sent me. It's taunting me as a symbol of just how far behind I am in my ARC reading. Just so many books and so little time...

Keernan Lanismore

Perhaps a tad too close to a Marvel Comic hero, but the true test is that I couldn’t put it down which, at the end of the day, is all that matters. I’m already looking forward to book two.

Caitlin Snyder

Santosh Singh

Entertaining and fast paced. Nothing great about the character but somehow I liked it.

“Brilliantly conceived and plotted ... Read this book. You’ll thank me later.” -- David Baldacci The first in the international bestselling series! Who is Orphan X? The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It’s said that when he’s reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them. But he’s not merely a legend. “Excellent...A smart, stylish, state-of-the-art thriller...might give Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books a run for their money.”—The Washington Post Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as an Orphan, an off-the-books black box program designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence asset: An assassin. Evan was Orphan X—until he broke with the program and used everything he learned to disappear. But now someone is on his tail. Someone with similar skills and training who will exploit Evan’s secret new identity as the Nowhere Man to eliminate him. “Hurwitz melds nonstop action and high-tech gadgetry...in this excellent series opener.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Beth Hagerman

I always forget how much I love a good action movie book. This one had a classic tortured hero, cool spy stuff, and a couple of great plot twists. I took off half a star because sometimes the descriptions of the knives and guns were a little hard to follow, but I guess that just means I need to learn more about weaponry.

Orphan X A Novel

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