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Orphan X #4
Out of the Dark
Other editions with this isbn can be found here and here
THE PRESIDENT
For President Jonathan Bennett, reaching the White House was the realization of a lifetime's ambition. He's leader of the free world and the most powerful man on earth. But public support for his administration is wearing thin. And if the terrible truth about his rise to the top was exposed it would bury him.
He will not let that happen.
THE ASSASSIN
As a boy, Evan Smoak was taken from his foster home and inducted into a top secret Cold War programme. Code-named Orphan X, he was trained to become a lethal weapon, then dispatched around the world to do whatever was required to keep his country safe. When Evan discovered the mission was rotten to the core, he got out using his skills to hide in plain sight while helping those who can't help themselves
THE RECKONING
But Evan knows about the President's dark past. And that's dangerous knowledge. To save himself and his country, Evan must ask himself one simple question: how do you kill the most well-protected man on earth? And, when he knows you're coming for him, how do you stay alive long enough to try? One thing is certain: a desperate call for help from another unfortunate in urgent need of Evan's protection isn't going to make it any easier...
THE PRESIDENT
For President Jonathan Bennett, reaching the White House was the realization of a lifetime's ambition. He's leader of the free world and the most powerful man on earth. But public support for his administration is wearing thin. And if the terrible truth about his rise to the top was exposed it would bury him.
He will not let that happen.
THE ASSASSIN
As a boy, Evan Smoak was taken from his foster home and inducted into a top secret Cold War programme. Code-named Orphan X, he was trained to become a lethal weapon, then dispatched around the world to do whatever was required to keep his country safe. When Evan discovered the mission was rotten to the core, he got out using his skills to hide in plain sight while helping those who can't help themselves
THE RECKONING
But Evan knows about the President's dark past. And that's dangerous knowledge. To save himself and his country, Evan must ask himself one simple question: how do you kill the most well-protected man on earth? And, when he knows you're coming for him, how do you stay alive long enough to try? One thing is certain: a desperate call for help from another unfortunate in urgent need of Evan's protection isn't going to make it any easier...
435 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2019
4072 people are currently reading
6906 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Hurwitz
304 books6,835 followersGregg Hurwitz is the critically acclaimed, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of 20 novels, including OUT OF THE DARK (2019). His novels have been shortlisted for numerous literary awards, graced top ten lists, and have been published in 30 languages.
He is also a New York Times Bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin). Additionally, he’s written screenplays for or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Gregg resides in Los Angeles.
He is also a New York Times Bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin). Additionally, he’s written screenplays for or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Gregg resides in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,684 reviews
November 24, 2020
3.75 stars
Too lazy to write a review!
Too lazy to write a review!
February 26, 2019
"There are no good guys. There are no bad guys. There's only what needs to be done."
Nobody writes thrillers like Gregg Hurwitz, particularly his Orphan X series. What an incredible group of books, full of pulse-quickening suspense, whip-cracking action, and at their heart, a flawed yet amazingly appealing protagonist. Like Dexter or other anti-heroes, Evan Smoak is someone you root for wholeheartedly even if you're troubled by what actions he must take.
When Evan was 12 years old, he was taken from a group home and trained to become part of the Orphan program, a deep-deep-cover operation that created intelligence assets for the U.S., assets that could be used to create all kinds of mayhem—and become assassins. Evan spent a number of years following orders across the globe as Orphan X, but after a while, he decided he needed to be free of the program.
Evan reinvented himself as the Nowhere Man, the person people turn to when they have no hope left. Evan helps one person at a time, often putting himself at great risk, but the missions give him purpose, and helping others makes him feel like he's making amends for his past sins in some way.
Although the Orphan program was discontinued a number of years ago, someone deep within the U.S. government has made it their mission to kill all of the remaining Orphans and their handlers. Evan knows he is a prime target of this person, so he has to figure out a way to strike first, to not let this person destroy all of the evidence of the chaos he had the Orphans sow. His formidable enemy? The President of the United States, who had the Orphans, particularly Evan, create chaos that was beneficial to him.
The President knows Evan is on to him, and figures the only way to catch an Orphan is with another Orphan—Orphan A, the very first Orphan the program created, and one of the deadliest. Evan must devise a plan to take down the President before he can destroy all of the evidence of his past misdeeds, but this is the biggest challenge he's ever faced—and perhaps the most dangerous.
There's a lot going on in Out of the Dark , the fourth installment of Hurwitz's Orphan X series, and it's definitely one of the best. In addition to Evan's plan to assassinate the President, which requires more intelligence, firepower, and sheer chutzpah than even he may have, as the Nowhere Man, he also has to help someone out of a desperate, dangerous situation. At the same time, he also must confront the reality that who he is, what he has done, and what he is trained to do are not the ingredients for a "normal" life, no matter how desperate he may crave some normalcy.
Evan Smoak is one of my favorite characters of late. He's smart and dangerous, although principled, and he really has a good heart despite not always knowing how to handle his feelings. I love how Hurwitz balances his strength, intelligence, and potential danger with his more vulnerable side. But for the most part, this is a book with a tremendous amount of action and suspense. It's amazing to watch Evan face off with other Orphans.
Although this is the fourth book in the series, you could start by reading Out of the Dark if you don't want to read the series in order, as Hurwitz gives you enough information for things to make sense. But this is one of the strongest series out there over the last few years, so it definitely will be worth your while to read all of them when you can.
It's a mark of how terrific this book is—and how nice it was to have a holiday Monday—that I read the entire 400-page book today. I just couldn't get enough.
NetGalley and Minotaur Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.
Nobody writes thrillers like Gregg Hurwitz, particularly his Orphan X series. What an incredible group of books, full of pulse-quickening suspense, whip-cracking action, and at their heart, a flawed yet amazingly appealing protagonist. Like Dexter or other anti-heroes, Evan Smoak is someone you root for wholeheartedly even if you're troubled by what actions he must take.
When Evan was 12 years old, he was taken from a group home and trained to become part of the Orphan program, a deep-deep-cover operation that created intelligence assets for the U.S., assets that could be used to create all kinds of mayhem—and become assassins. Evan spent a number of years following orders across the globe as Orphan X, but after a while, he decided he needed to be free of the program.
Evan reinvented himself as the Nowhere Man, the person people turn to when they have no hope left. Evan helps one person at a time, often putting himself at great risk, but the missions give him purpose, and helping others makes him feel like he's making amends for his past sins in some way.
Although the Orphan program was discontinued a number of years ago, someone deep within the U.S. government has made it their mission to kill all of the remaining Orphans and their handlers. Evan knows he is a prime target of this person, so he has to figure out a way to strike first, to not let this person destroy all of the evidence of the chaos he had the Orphans sow. His formidable enemy? The President of the United States, who had the Orphans, particularly Evan, create chaos that was beneficial to him.
The President knows Evan is on to him, and figures the only way to catch an Orphan is with another Orphan—Orphan A, the very first Orphan the program created, and one of the deadliest. Evan must devise a plan to take down the President before he can destroy all of the evidence of his past misdeeds, but this is the biggest challenge he's ever faced—and perhaps the most dangerous.
There's a lot going on in Out of the Dark , the fourth installment of Hurwitz's Orphan X series, and it's definitely one of the best. In addition to Evan's plan to assassinate the President, which requires more intelligence, firepower, and sheer chutzpah than even he may have, as the Nowhere Man, he also has to help someone out of a desperate, dangerous situation. At the same time, he also must confront the reality that who he is, what he has done, and what he is trained to do are not the ingredients for a "normal" life, no matter how desperate he may crave some normalcy.
Evan Smoak is one of my favorite characters of late. He's smart and dangerous, although principled, and he really has a good heart despite not always knowing how to handle his feelings. I love how Hurwitz balances his strength, intelligence, and potential danger with his more vulnerable side. But for the most part, this is a book with a tremendous amount of action and suspense. It's amazing to watch Evan face off with other Orphans.
Although this is the fourth book in the series, you could start by reading Out of the Dark if you don't want to read the series in order, as Hurwitz gives you enough information for things to make sense. But this is one of the strongest series out there over the last few years, so it definitely will be worth your while to read all of them when you can.
It's a mark of how terrific this book is—and how nice it was to have a holiday Monday—that I read the entire 400-page book today. I just couldn't get enough.
NetGalley and Minotaur Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.
December 20, 2019
Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz is a 2019 Minotaur Books publication.
Outstanding!
Although my taste in thrillers usually leans towards different styles and directions, this series grabbed my attention right away and has quickly become one of my favorites.
This fourth installment opens with Evan Smoake-AKA "Orphan X”, plotting the assassination of the president of the United States- for good reason. It’s a kill or be killed kind of situation.
Unfortunately, for Evan, the president has a new girl on his team named, Naomi, and she’s giving Evan a good run for his money.
Meanwhile, a young man on the autism spectrum dials into the infamous ‘Nowhere Man’ hotline, just as Evan is battling his most formidable opponent to date.
So, fasten your seatbelts folks and prepare for an orphan against orphan showdown that will leave you holding on for dear life!
The Orphan X series may be long on action, but the story doesn’t depend on it or hide behind it. This is a stylish series, smart, and expertly plotted, with a nice emotional depth blended in to ensure our attachment to Evan and other recurring characters, as well.
I’m especially impressed with the way Hurwitz manages to create a dual storyline, both of which are suspenseful and urgent, amid all the chaos. While the ‘Nowhere Man’ threads are often secondary to the main plot, they are always compelling, and I love meeting the new characters and circumstances introduced in each chapter of the series. I also like the psychology behind the concept and the way good deeds are paid forward. The story featured in this chapter was especially poignant, giving Evan a chance to practice his humanity skills.
Because this is not the type of thriller I'm normally drawn to, I was afraid it could quickly and easily flame out.
However, so far, each installment has been equally riveting – but, I must say, this one just might be my favorite book in the series to date.
“Into the Fire” is slated for release in January 2020- I can’t wait!!!
Outstanding!
Although my taste in thrillers usually leans towards different styles and directions, this series grabbed my attention right away and has quickly become one of my favorites.
This fourth installment opens with Evan Smoake-AKA "Orphan X”, plotting the assassination of the president of the United States- for good reason. It’s a kill or be killed kind of situation.
Unfortunately, for Evan, the president has a new girl on his team named, Naomi, and she’s giving Evan a good run for his money.
Meanwhile, a young man on the autism spectrum dials into the infamous ‘Nowhere Man’ hotline, just as Evan is battling his most formidable opponent to date.
So, fasten your seatbelts folks and prepare for an orphan against orphan showdown that will leave you holding on for dear life!
The Orphan X series may be long on action, but the story doesn’t depend on it or hide behind it. This is a stylish series, smart, and expertly plotted, with a nice emotional depth blended in to ensure our attachment to Evan and other recurring characters, as well.
I’m especially impressed with the way Hurwitz manages to create a dual storyline, both of which are suspenseful and urgent, amid all the chaos. While the ‘Nowhere Man’ threads are often secondary to the main plot, they are always compelling, and I love meeting the new characters and circumstances introduced in each chapter of the series. I also like the psychology behind the concept and the way good deeds are paid forward. The story featured in this chapter was especially poignant, giving Evan a chance to practice his humanity skills.
Because this is not the type of thriller I'm normally drawn to, I was afraid it could quickly and easily flame out.
However, so far, each installment has been equally riveting – but, I must say, this one just might be my favorite book in the series to date.
“Into the Fire” is slated for release in January 2020- I can’t wait!!!
October 4, 2020
I don’t know about Evan – but frankly I’m exhausted! This was an all-out commitment to reclaim his life with the hope of someday living in relative peace! Nothing’s going to stand in his way this time...I hope!🤞
Evan has discovered who the mastermind was behind the attempted extermination of the entire Orphan program. Not in his wildest dreams could he have imagined just how high up the ranks this entity was embedded.
This is going to take everything Evan has. With the massive scope of his mission, he may need to recruit help from some “special” friends along the way! So expect some suprising cameos from earlier books!
And as for his love interest Mia? Well.... I don’t want to add any spoilers so I’ll just say it’s a work in progress. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope Evan will finally find love.
A binging-buddy read with Susanne. As we are now deep into book five Into The Fire.
Evan has discovered who the mastermind was behind the attempted extermination of the entire Orphan program. Not in his wildest dreams could he have imagined just how high up the ranks this entity was embedded.
This is going to take everything Evan has. With the massive scope of his mission, he may need to recruit help from some “special” friends along the way! So expect some suprising cameos from earlier books!
And as for his love interest Mia? Well.... I don’t want to add any spoilers so I’ll just say it’s a work in progress. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope Evan will finally find love.
A binging-buddy read with Susanne. As we are now deep into book five Into The Fire.
January 12, 2019
This is the fourth novel in the Orphan X series. Again, you could read it as a stand alone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Evan Smoak was plucked out of an orphanage at the age of 12 and trained to be able to kill anyway you could possibly imagine while remaining totally off the grid.
The elements of an Orphan X novel is that Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, aka The Nowhere Man, has a lot on his plate that mysteriously he never needs to get sleep for. In this one, he has to kill the President of the United States, a selfish man with a history of underhanded dealings. Evan has to do this while being hunted by another Orphan who wants him dead. Also, as the Nowhere Man, he helps out someone who desperately needs his help, in this case a kid who’s on the spectrum (autism maybe) who follows the rules and therefore did not allow a shipment of $18 million worth of drugs smuggled via fish. (He didn’t know about the drugs, just about the shipping irregularities.) Unsurprisingly, this did not go over well with the drug cartel he interfered with.
Evan is an assassin who tries to do good for others and only kills known bad guys. (Naturally, he has access to all manner of intelligence to ensure he only gets true bad guys.) I find these novels super fun and fast-paced. The descriptions of fight scenes are incredibly well done. I never understand anything about all the weapons Evan manages to use, but Hurwitz does a great job of getting you to wonder how Evan will prevail, even though you strongly suspect that, in the end, he will.
Thanks so much for the ARC from Minotaur Books. This novel RELEASES JANUARY 21, 2019.
The elements of an Orphan X novel is that Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, aka The Nowhere Man, has a lot on his plate that mysteriously he never needs to get sleep for. In this one, he has to kill the President of the United States, a selfish man with a history of underhanded dealings. Evan has to do this while being hunted by another Orphan who wants him dead. Also, as the Nowhere Man, he helps out someone who desperately needs his help, in this case a kid who’s on the spectrum (autism maybe) who follows the rules and therefore did not allow a shipment of $18 million worth of drugs smuggled via fish. (He didn’t know about the drugs, just about the shipping irregularities.) Unsurprisingly, this did not go over well with the drug cartel he interfered with.
Evan is an assassin who tries to do good for others and only kills known bad guys. (Naturally, he has access to all manner of intelligence to ensure he only gets true bad guys.) I find these novels super fun and fast-paced. The descriptions of fight scenes are incredibly well done. I never understand anything about all the weapons Evan manages to use, but Hurwitz does a great job of getting you to wonder how Evan will prevail, even though you strongly suspect that, in the end, he will.
Thanks so much for the ARC from Minotaur Books. This novel RELEASES JANUARY 21, 2019.
July 16, 2019
This was brilliant - absolutely brilliant. I remember reviewing book one and making snide comments about Evan and his vodka fetish and the living wall. Well these things are still very much in evidence and I don't care any more. Evan is amazing anyway!
What a book. Absolute non stop action, two great stories running simultaneously, a superb and unexpected ending. So good. Evan is like a young, modern Jack Reacher. Even surrounded by numerous armed thugs and unarmed himself he still wins. Ridiculous sometimes but so entertaining. And don't we always love a hero who always wins against the odds.
So suspend belief, ignore the vodka made from fog (!) and sit back and enjoy a few hours of pure unadulterated entertainment. This should be made into a movie.
What a book. Absolute non stop action, two great stories running simultaneously, a superb and unexpected ending. So good. Evan is like a young, modern Jack Reacher. Even surrounded by numerous armed thugs and unarmed himself he still wins. Ridiculous sometimes but so entertaining. And don't we always love a hero who always wins against the odds.
So suspend belief, ignore the vodka made from fog (!) and sit back and enjoy a few hours of pure unadulterated entertainment. This should be made into a movie.
February 27, 2019
This was headed for 5 stars until a bit of excessive bad-guy violence (on the good people), prevented it. I prefer more bad guys getting what they deserve in a righteous pounding, instead of the decimation of innocents. This is a continuing theme in the previous 3 Orphan stories as well. Still, 8 of 10 stars
April 6, 2019
3.5~4★
“Evan waited for two of them to cross by the front gate. Then he seated the accelerator against the floor. The Ram shot forward, 240 horses and 420 pound-feet of torque powering more than two tons of Detroit Steel through the perimeter fence. The gate smashed down, crushing both men.”
A scene for the good ol’ boys among Hurwitz fans. Then there are highly choreographed battles between Evan (mostly alone) and a dozen or so bad guys with no redeeming features, so we won’t worry too much about their being crushed by a gate. He does his best to avoid or minimise collateral damage, but it’s going to be hard this time, when his target is the President of the United States.
Mind you, this isn’t political. President Bennett used to be the head of the department that set up the secret Orphan Program under which Evan was “recruited” (at 12) and trained as an assassin for the US. I am always reminded of the old Mission Impossible TV series with Peter Graves in the telephone box getting his orders from a nameless voice which said something like “Good luck with your mission, Jim, and as always, if you are caught, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.” I’m sure other fans will remember the exact words.
Back to Evan Smoak. The president is trying to eradicate all the remaining Orphans, especially Evan, because the president was personally implicated in one of Evan’s earliest missions, revelations of which would not only wipe out his reputation and presidency but also land him in jail – or worse. So, of course, Evan is out to eradicate him first, and the set-up and action are fascinating. Look what he’s up against!
“The limo was designed to take a direct hit from a bazooka. Evan had a Dr Pepper Big Gulp. If need be, Cadillac One could serve as a self-sustained, fully functional emergency bunker. Bottles of the president’s blood were stored beneath the rear seats. At an instant’s notice, a designated backup oxygen supply fed the air-conditioning vents. Firefighting gear stowed in the trunk was accessible through a hatch behind the armrest. The gas tank self-sealed, preventing combustion. Encrypted comms gear maintained continuous contact with federal and state law enforcement.”
I have to say, Evan doesn’t have a limo like this, but he does have vehicles and safe-houses and weapons and special suppliers everywhere. Here he’s juggling three cases. This Orphan case, his Nowhere Man work, and as a brief sideline, attending to an unjust court ruling in a kind of vigilante action. He’s also accidentally acquired a few people he cares about and who care about him, a novel situation for a boy who grew up with only his recruiter, Jack, as a surrogate father figure, albeit one who trained him as a killer.
Caring about people makes him vulnerable in ways he hasn’t been in the past, but it does allow us to enjoy him as a man, at least now and then. And it helps him understand the vulnerability of the people who call the Nowhere Man on his special Roam-Zone phone. That has a secret number to be used only by someone who has been given it by the last desperate person he helped.
His tangled web gets more and more criss-crossed when the Roam-Zone rings during a battle, or when the various deadlines for his activities start conflicting. I quite liked his exasperation in this scene.
“Evan . . . sat in the rear of the dark auditorium as the PowerPoint continued, urged glacially onward by a matronly headmistress who seemed intent on reading every last bullet point.
Evan had once sat a sniper post in a tree in Sierra Leone for fifteen hours without moving. He’d lain in wait beneath a bridge in Kirkuk, sipping from a CamelBak, eating protein bars, and pissing on the same spot on the wall for three days. But this? This was actually going to kill him.”
We don’t call it Death by PowerPoint for nothing! He flies around the world on his cases, occasionally getting “home” to his fortress-like flat in a building where Mia and son Peter live, two people he’s come to care for.
No time for that! Trevon is an anxious young man, “high-functioning”, he says, who is depending on the Nowhere Man for help. Trevon’s mama raised him with rules, and he always obeys the rules. Trevon was kidnapped and threatened by really nasty dudes, and now he’s all alone with a bad case of the Scaredy-Bugs, trying hard to be brave. Evan has no choice but to make good on his promise to help, all while carrying out his personal assignment.
I am fascinated by the tech that Hurwitz describes, the fingerprint transfers, the overall cleverness. Again, it’s over the top but compelling stuff. How about finding the image of the shooter reflected in the pupil of the eye in the photo the shooter took of the victim? Good stuff.
I often skim the bloody bits, but sometimes I read every step to visualise the action. It is completely unbelievable, but I’ve got to say, Hurwitz makes it sound almost believable. Hanging on to roof flashing by a fingernail, scrabbling for a foothold while sliding down something, all while ducking machine gunfire. Weapons enthusiasts will be checking every code number for errors, I'm sure, but they mean nothing to me.
Full on action, the stuff of cinema blockbusters, and this is one that the fans will love. For that, I give it four stars, although the blood and guts is getting too much for me now.
Thanks to #NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
“Evan waited for two of them to cross by the front gate. Then he seated the accelerator against the floor. The Ram shot forward, 240 horses and 420 pound-feet of torque powering more than two tons of Detroit Steel through the perimeter fence. The gate smashed down, crushing both men.”
A scene for the good ol’ boys among Hurwitz fans. Then there are highly choreographed battles between Evan (mostly alone) and a dozen or so bad guys with no redeeming features, so we won’t worry too much about their being crushed by a gate. He does his best to avoid or minimise collateral damage, but it’s going to be hard this time, when his target is the President of the United States.
Mind you, this isn’t political. President Bennett used to be the head of the department that set up the secret Orphan Program under which Evan was “recruited” (at 12) and trained as an assassin for the US. I am always reminded of the old Mission Impossible TV series with Peter Graves in the telephone box getting his orders from a nameless voice which said something like “Good luck with your mission, Jim, and as always, if you are caught, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.” I’m sure other fans will remember the exact words.
Back to Evan Smoak. The president is trying to eradicate all the remaining Orphans, especially Evan, because the president was personally implicated in one of Evan’s earliest missions, revelations of which would not only wipe out his reputation and presidency but also land him in jail – or worse. So, of course, Evan is out to eradicate him first, and the set-up and action are fascinating. Look what he’s up against!
“The limo was designed to take a direct hit from a bazooka. Evan had a Dr Pepper Big Gulp. If need be, Cadillac One could serve as a self-sustained, fully functional emergency bunker. Bottles of the president’s blood were stored beneath the rear seats. At an instant’s notice, a designated backup oxygen supply fed the air-conditioning vents. Firefighting gear stowed in the trunk was accessible through a hatch behind the armrest. The gas tank self-sealed, preventing combustion. Encrypted comms gear maintained continuous contact with federal and state law enforcement.”
I have to say, Evan doesn’t have a limo like this, but he does have vehicles and safe-houses and weapons and special suppliers everywhere. Here he’s juggling three cases. This Orphan case, his Nowhere Man work, and as a brief sideline, attending to an unjust court ruling in a kind of vigilante action. He’s also accidentally acquired a few people he cares about and who care about him, a novel situation for a boy who grew up with only his recruiter, Jack, as a surrogate father figure, albeit one who trained him as a killer.
Caring about people makes him vulnerable in ways he hasn’t been in the past, but it does allow us to enjoy him as a man, at least now and then. And it helps him understand the vulnerability of the people who call the Nowhere Man on his special Roam-Zone phone. That has a secret number to be used only by someone who has been given it by the last desperate person he helped.
His tangled web gets more and more criss-crossed when the Roam-Zone rings during a battle, or when the various deadlines for his activities start conflicting. I quite liked his exasperation in this scene.
“Evan . . . sat in the rear of the dark auditorium as the PowerPoint continued, urged glacially onward by a matronly headmistress who seemed intent on reading every last bullet point.
Evan had once sat a sniper post in a tree in Sierra Leone for fifteen hours without moving. He’d lain in wait beneath a bridge in Kirkuk, sipping from a CamelBak, eating protein bars, and pissing on the same spot on the wall for three days. But this? This was actually going to kill him.”
We don’t call it Death by PowerPoint for nothing! He flies around the world on his cases, occasionally getting “home” to his fortress-like flat in a building where Mia and son Peter live, two people he’s come to care for.
No time for that! Trevon is an anxious young man, “high-functioning”, he says, who is depending on the Nowhere Man for help. Trevon’s mama raised him with rules, and he always obeys the rules. Trevon was kidnapped and threatened by really nasty dudes, and now he’s all alone with a bad case of the Scaredy-Bugs, trying hard to be brave. Evan has no choice but to make good on his promise to help, all while carrying out his personal assignment.
I am fascinated by the tech that Hurwitz describes, the fingerprint transfers, the overall cleverness. Again, it’s over the top but compelling stuff. How about finding the image of the shooter reflected in the pupil of the eye in the photo the shooter took of the victim? Good stuff.
I often skim the bloody bits, but sometimes I read every step to visualise the action. It is completely unbelievable, but I’ve got to say, Hurwitz makes it sound almost believable. Hanging on to roof flashing by a fingernail, scrabbling for a foothold while sliding down something, all while ducking machine gunfire. Weapons enthusiasts will be checking every code number for errors, I'm sure, but they mean nothing to me.
Full on action, the stuff of cinema blockbusters, and this is one that the fans will love. For that, I give it four stars, although the blood and guts is getting too much for me now.
Thanks to #NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
August 24, 2022
What can I say about this series Out Of The Dark the fourth book 📚 in the Evan Smoak series was fabulous it was fast paced , energy jumping out at you the whole way through.
I enjoyed every minute, but for me Hurwitz concentrated on the political side which for me I found being Australian I don’t understand the ins & outs of American politics hence the rating.
Evan had a mission he had to kill the president of the USA which he didn’t want to do he also had another orphan after him wanting him dead, he knew the secret service well the plan to kill president Bennett, people in the know knew about Bennett shady dealings but he had his fingers in the pie more than once.
Will Evan complete his assignment?
I enjoyed this book but just thought it went on too long in Australia it’s 434 pages was gripping & a entertains read a lot is going on in this book my head ached. 4 ⭐️
I enjoyed every minute, but for me Hurwitz concentrated on the political side which for me I found being Australian I don’t understand the ins & outs of American politics hence the rating.
Evan had a mission he had to kill the president of the USA which he didn’t want to do he also had another orphan after him wanting him dead, he knew the secret service well the plan to kill president Bennett, people in the know knew about Bennett shady dealings but he had his fingers in the pie more than once.
Will Evan complete his assignment?
I enjoyed this book but just thought it went on too long in Australia it’s 434 pages was gripping & a entertains read a lot is going on in this book my head ached. 4 ⭐️
October 1, 2020
Evan Smoak: You are Crazy, Brave and totally Fierce and what you have planned is InFREAKINGsane!
Dude, in “Out of the Dark,” Evan Smoak had me in fear for his life. (I know, I know, he puts his own life in his hands all of the time, but THIS TIME?!).. Frak. Just frak. I can’t even.
Here, the life of Evan Smoak and all other Orphans (including Joey Morales, the one whose life he saved in “Hellbent”) are on the line and it’s up to Evan to save them from the man who is out to kill them. The problem? It’s the one man in the nation who it is impossible to kill and get away with. Like freaking impossible - and yet, Evan has come up with a plan to do exactly that.
Didn’t I just say that this book was INSANE?!
Just writing this review has made my pulse start pounding thinking about the plot of this ridiculous book and yet I LOVED every second of it.
“Out of the Dark” is a brilliantly plotted (terrifying), character driven novel that made my pulse skyrocket and my heart catch in my throat.
Kaceey and I read this together (of course) and I kept texting her like “Omg, doesn’t he know he can’t get away with this? No one ever has before! This is absurd”.. In true Kaceey fashion, she just laughed and laughed at how entwined I became in the storyline and in the characters. Out of all of the series we’ve read together, this just might be my favorite. Thanks for sharing in the fun with me Kaceey!
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the e-book.
Published on Goodreads on 10.1.20.
Dude, in “Out of the Dark,” Evan Smoak had me in fear for his life. (I know, I know, he puts his own life in his hands all of the time, but THIS TIME?!).. Frak. Just frak. I can’t even.
Here, the life of Evan Smoak and all other Orphans (including Joey Morales, the one whose life he saved in “Hellbent”) are on the line and it’s up to Evan to save them from the man who is out to kill them. The problem? It’s the one man in the nation who it is impossible to kill and get away with. Like freaking impossible - and yet, Evan has come up with a plan to do exactly that.
Didn’t I just say that this book was INSANE?!
Just writing this review has made my pulse start pounding thinking about the plot of this ridiculous book and yet I LOVED every second of it.
“Out of the Dark” is a brilliantly plotted (terrifying), character driven novel that made my pulse skyrocket and my heart catch in my throat.
Kaceey and I read this together (of course) and I kept texting her like “Omg, doesn’t he know he can’t get away with this? No one ever has before! This is absurd”.. In true Kaceey fashion, she just laughed and laughed at how entwined I became in the storyline and in the characters. Out of all of the series we’ve read together, this just might be my favorite. Thanks for sharing in the fun with me Kaceey!
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of the e-book.
Published on Goodreads on 10.1.20.
October 27, 2019
I am a huge fan of Gregg Hurwitz and his Evan Smoak novels. In his new release “Out of The Dark”, Hurwitz delivers. Evan Smoak is one of my favorite characters. He is adorable and his inner thoughts are hysterical.
One can read this without reading the previous Orphan X stories, as Hurwitz provides enough background for this to be a stand-alone story. That said, if you have read the previous novels, you will enjoy the nuances of his relationship with the people in his residential building and other orphans.
In this story, a high government official is trying to eliminate all the living members of the now defunct Orphan program (a government sanctioned espionage program). And Evan is number one on the list. Yet, it mystifies Evan as to why all the orphans need to be eliminated.
Evan also has a side “business” as the Nowhere Man where he helps people who are at their last resort and desperate. Evan is a man the reader roots for. He’s like Superman, conquering evil at every step.
As with the other Orphan X novels, other orphans are involved, some evil and making a returning appearance, and some good.
This is a counterintelligence thriller with layers of intrigue and misdirection. I loved it.
I listened to the audible format narrated by Scott Brick. He is an excellent narrator adding tension when needed, and whimsy at times. He definitely added to the story.
5 strong stars!!!
One can read this without reading the previous Orphan X stories, as Hurwitz provides enough background for this to be a stand-alone story. That said, if you have read the previous novels, you will enjoy the nuances of his relationship with the people in his residential building and other orphans.
In this story, a high government official is trying to eliminate all the living members of the now defunct Orphan program (a government sanctioned espionage program). And Evan is number one on the list. Yet, it mystifies Evan as to why all the orphans need to be eliminated.
Evan also has a side “business” as the Nowhere Man where he helps people who are at their last resort and desperate. Evan is a man the reader roots for. He’s like Superman, conquering evil at every step.
As with the other Orphan X novels, other orphans are involved, some evil and making a returning appearance, and some good.
This is a counterintelligence thriller with layers of intrigue and misdirection. I loved it.
I listened to the audible format narrated by Scott Brick. He is an excellent narrator adding tension when needed, and whimsy at times. He definitely added to the story.
5 strong stars!!!
August 23, 2021
3.5 stars
In this 4th book in the "Orphan X" series Evan Smoak - also known as Orphan X - plans to kill the President of the United States, Jonathan Bennett. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the series is a plus.
*****
When Evan Smoak was a child Jonathan Bennett - then working for the Department of Defense - oversaw a black ops program that trained orphans to be highly skilled assassins.
The children were stripped of their names and designated alphabetically: Orphan A, Orphan B, Orphan C....and so on. Evan, dubbed Orphan X, was trained for seven years and performed his first mission at the age of nineteen.
The Orphan Program has now been discontinued and Bennett is determined to wipe out the still-living Orphans because they 'know too much.' Bennett is especially eager to kill Orphan X because of something connected to Evan's first mission - the assassination of an eastern European foreign minister twenty years ago. Evan doesn't know why the mission is so problematical, but he means to find out.
In addition to targeting the President, Evan is continuing his self-assigned mandate as 'The Nowhere Man' - a sort of superhero who helps deserving people in trouble. Evan carries an untraceable RoamZone phone, where a desperate person can call and ask for assistance.
A good deal of the book is a cat-and-mouse game between Orphan X and the team POTUS assigned to kill him, which is composed of: the still-loyal Orphan A - who's as well-trained as Orphan X; Wade and Ricky Collins - murderous rapists who've been released from prison for the purpose; and several of the Collins' gangster cousins. The clashes of these foes results in much death and destruction.
Between fights with the President's kill team Evan gets a RoamZone call from a mentally-challenged port employee called Trevon Gaines. Trevon inadvertently interfered with a drug shipment headed for crime boss Russell Gadds, and the thug threatened to kill Trevon's entire family and make his life miserable forever. So in addition to targeting POTUS, Evan plans to decimate Gadds' whole operation.
All this is a lot to do and Evan gets help from his protégé, a teenage girl named Joey. Joey - who escaped the Orphan program and is now 'hiding out' in a Swiss private school - is a world-class hacker who can penetrate the deepest darkest files of the Department of Defense and the Secret Service. Thus Joey is uniquely capable of delivering information Evan needs to kill the President, who's EXTREMELY well-protected. Hurwitz describes the Secret Service's security measures for POTUS in detail, and they are VERY thorough.
During his rare moments of relaxation, Evan sometimes visits his downstairs neighbors, single mother Mia Hall and her nine-year-old son Peter. Evan and Mia hover on the precipice of a real romance, but - given Evan's circumstances- this is an extremely dangerous proposition.
For readers familiar with the series, former Orphan Candy McClure makes an appearance - and she's as sexy and capable as ever.
I enjoyed the book, which has numerous exciting combat scenes. I do have one quibble however. Though Orphan X is ostensibly a brilliant strategist, he occasionally does foolish things that allow his enemies to catch up with him - like registering for three rooms (in a single hotel) under the same name or strolling up to his childhood home in broad daylight. I know the 'bad guys' have to encounter Evan for plot purposes, but I would have liked Hurwitz to come up with more inventive ways to orchestrate these encounters.
I'd recommend the book to readers who enjoy thrillers, especially fans of the 'Orphan X' series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Gregg Hurwitz), and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
April 9, 2022
I have enjoyed every book in this series, but this book, is my favorite!
Evan, the nowhere man, specialized to help those in need, has his own need in this book: Take down the president of the United States. The president has some dirty laundry and believes killing Evan and the remaining Orphans (code names) will resolve his problems. The president calls in Orphan A, a mean SOB, to take care of Evan. So it’s Orphan against Orphan. The secondary story was also really good and enjoyable.
Full of action, adventure and some great technology, this cat and mouse chase is exciting and riveting! I felt like I was on an amusement park ride full of twists and upside down turns. Not a surprise that I held my breath at times, holding my iPad way too tight. One of the orphans from a previous book also drops in for a visit and it’s not what you’d think.
The ending is spectacular and I ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ it!
As in all the books, Evan is clever, fierce and courageous. And I can’t wait to read the next one.
These are available on Kindle Unlimited.
Evan, the nowhere man, specialized to help those in need, has his own need in this book: Take down the president of the United States. The president has some dirty laundry and believes killing Evan and the remaining Orphans (code names) will resolve his problems. The president calls in Orphan A, a mean SOB, to take care of Evan. So it’s Orphan against Orphan. The secondary story was also really good and enjoyable.
Full of action, adventure and some great technology, this cat and mouse chase is exciting and riveting! I felt like I was on an amusement park ride full of twists and upside down turns. Not a surprise that I held my breath at times, holding my iPad way too tight. One of the orphans from a previous book also drops in for a visit and it’s not what you’d think.
The ending is spectacular and I ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ it!
As in all the books, Evan is clever, fierce and courageous. And I can’t wait to read the next one.
These are available on Kindle Unlimited.
December 26, 2022
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Orphan X series. It’s in the vein of James Bond and the Jason Bourne novels… your highly trained super-agent who can’t be beaten, and half the fun is seeing what crazy stuff Gregg Hurwitz is going to come up with next. In this one, Evan (Orphan X) is out to assassinate the US president, who is not a good guy and has ordered the termination of the “Orphan” program and for all former orphan agents to be killed. So pretty much, kill or be killed.
Told in multiple perspectives, we get to watch events unfold from the perspective of the president, from Evan, from a secret service agent, and the backstory here (without getting into spoilers) works really well. It’s also fun the way characters from previous books (some former enemies) come into play now as allies. This was probably my favorite Orphan X book today and I can’t wait for book 5!
Told in multiple perspectives, we get to watch events unfold from the perspective of the president, from Evan, from a secret service agent, and the backstory here (without getting into spoilers) works really well. It’s also fun the way characters from previous books (some former enemies) come into play now as allies. This was probably my favorite Orphan X book today and I can’t wait for book 5!
August 21, 2023
If I was Evan Smoak, I’d be so drained living this type of life, always on the look out with no hope for a more or less normal life, living constantly with people trying to end you. This fourth book in the series felt like Evan was also exhausted from this type of living, almost hoping for a more normal life.
This time around, the MC is going up against the very very big gun, you might think this task impossible, even for mister Smoak but he always got something up his sleeve.
I liked the story, so many crazy fights scene, mind blowing plans and full on actions, so basically the usual in the Orphan series. We also dive a little deeper into Evan’s relationship with Mia and her son, it is not that interesting to me but we get to see a little bit of the MC’ softer side.
3.75 🌟
This time around, the MC is going up against the very very big gun, you might think this task impossible, even for mister Smoak but he always got something up his sleeve.
I liked the story, so many crazy fights scene, mind blowing plans and full on actions, so basically the usual in the Orphan series. We also dive a little deeper into Evan’s relationship with Mia and her son, it is not that interesting to me but we get to see a little bit of the MC’ softer side.
3.75 🌟
September 26, 2024
Fantastic book and series!
Out of the Dark is the 4th book in the Orphan X series. It’s just as entertaining, fast paced and tense as the other books in the series.
I’m glad that I finally started this series.
Series are a huge commitment because of the amount of books to read, along with ongoing plots and characters. This one is easy to commit to since each plot is engaging, the assassin spyware and weaponry is awesome, and it has a complex main character to cheer for.
Revenge and having evil/bad people get their due diligence is a great plot in a book!
Out of the Dark is the 4th book in the Orphan X series. It’s just as entertaining, fast paced and tense as the other books in the series.
I’m glad that I finally started this series.
Series are a huge commitment because of the amount of books to read, along with ongoing plots and characters. This one is easy to commit to since each plot is engaging, the assassin spyware and weaponry is awesome, and it has a complex main character to cheer for.
Revenge and having evil/bad people get their due diligence is a great plot in a book!
October 6, 2025
Lethally fitting and just so damn fun! Seems to me of late that I have to actually make more and more notes as I am going through a book just to keep things straight. Seems a lot of authors are now on a bent to stymie the reader so to speak. Well author Gregg Hurwitz can keep things simple and oh so damn interesting at the same time. This is the fourth in the Orphan X series and I have enjoyed non Orphan related books by this author as well. He is one of my favourites.
I have to admit that I am not a black ops or secret agent type fan but I do read this series as well as the Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry as a change of pace to my horror reading. Both are fantastic series but of the two Orphan X is my favourite.
So Orphan X is a product of a secret government program where the operatives like X are used to do the dirty work of the U.S. government. The program has given X great wealth and power along with a lot of regret. Due to the regret he has lent himself for hire to people in need. In the prior book we learn that the President of the U.S. is hell bent on destroying each and every last operative from the Orphan program. But why? On that note I should state it is helpful to have read the series but this is a stand alone book. Hurwitz backfills what you need to know neatly and easily.
So X is on two missions here. He wants to assassinate the President as its a battle between X living and not living and he takes on a mission to save a challenged person who due to his screw up with a drug lord has that drug lord killing each and every member of said persons family.
The plot is straight forward yet there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Everything is kept out in front of the reader so to speak but I was on edge the whole way through. It was an easy yet intricate read with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Just as a backdrop on who X is, the Orphans are an assuming type. Average in every way so they don't stick out. They are lethal though and think things out well in advance like ten moves ahead. I have no issue buying into this at all and it works in so many ways and makes sense in so many ways as well. The action scenes are detailed and yet easy to understand. It is not rocket science.
I actually thought this book would lead into the next in the series and I only had a handful of pages left. The thought of having to go into another X book right after reading this one was not an issue at all because this book was so good but oh did things come together so nicely at the end!
If I had an issue with this book its that based on the previous three in the series X drinks a lot of high end vodka. Like expensive stuff you never hear about. In the Ledger series Mr. Church eats a lot of cookies so I had cravings for cookies. In anticipation of being bombarded with vodka drinking scenes I picked up a bottle of Grey Goose which in a country like Canada is one of the premiere vodkas that one can actually get. But you know what, the vodka references were minimal in the book and I didn't even get into my bottle of GG :)
This is an easy five stars. About an 85-90 out of 100. Great series but I don't want to blow through it either as there are currently only two more left. I have to savour this series like one would savour a high end vodka. Enjoy the read, its highly recommended!
I have to admit that I am not a black ops or secret agent type fan but I do read this series as well as the Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry as a change of pace to my horror reading. Both are fantastic series but of the two Orphan X is my favourite.
So Orphan X is a product of a secret government program where the operatives like X are used to do the dirty work of the U.S. government. The program has given X great wealth and power along with a lot of regret. Due to the regret he has lent himself for hire to people in need. In the prior book we learn that the President of the U.S. is hell bent on destroying each and every last operative from the Orphan program. But why? On that note I should state it is helpful to have read the series but this is a stand alone book. Hurwitz backfills what you need to know neatly and easily.
So X is on two missions here. He wants to assassinate the President as its a battle between X living and not living and he takes on a mission to save a challenged person who due to his screw up with a drug lord has that drug lord killing each and every member of said persons family.
The plot is straight forward yet there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Everything is kept out in front of the reader so to speak but I was on edge the whole way through. It was an easy yet intricate read with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Just as a backdrop on who X is, the Orphans are an assuming type. Average in every way so they don't stick out. They are lethal though and think things out well in advance like ten moves ahead. I have no issue buying into this at all and it works in so many ways and makes sense in so many ways as well. The action scenes are detailed and yet easy to understand. It is not rocket science.
I actually thought this book would lead into the next in the series and I only had a handful of pages left. The thought of having to go into another X book right after reading this one was not an issue at all because this book was so good but oh did things come together so nicely at the end!
If I had an issue with this book its that based on the previous three in the series X drinks a lot of high end vodka. Like expensive stuff you never hear about. In the Ledger series Mr. Church eats a lot of cookies so I had cravings for cookies. In anticipation of being bombarded with vodka drinking scenes I picked up a bottle of Grey Goose which in a country like Canada is one of the premiere vodkas that one can actually get. But you know what, the vodka references were minimal in the book and I didn't even get into my bottle of GG :)
This is an easy five stars. About an 85-90 out of 100. Great series but I don't want to blow through it either as there are currently only two more left. I have to savour this series like one would savour a high end vodka. Enjoy the read, its highly recommended!
March 28, 2023
the setup…
We learned in the last book who really was behind the mission to eliminate the remaining Orphans in the program…Jonathan Bennett, the President of the United States. He’s the man who created the program and Evan Smoak, Orphan X, is his next target. But Evan is turning the tables on him, putting him on notice that he’s coming after Bennett. The President knows his only chance for survival is Orphan A, Judd Holt, who he activates from prison. It’s an unevenly matched battle as Bennett has the full resources of the Secret Service and law enforcement behind him but Evan is prepared to die trying.
the heart of the story…
Well, now. This was the ultimate showdown! I was riveted from the start and the story never let up. Going after a sitting US president is a formidable, seemingly impossible task and Evan was sorely challenged and engaged with some unusual bedfellows. The action was over the top and über exciting, utterly breathtaking at times. Bennett and Orphan A knowing his moves and logic made things even more dicey for Evan with a lot of point/counterpoint.
the narration…
Scott Brick was in his element as there were multiple points of view and he shifted easily. I’m really glad I chose to listen to this story as he is particularly skilled at ramping the tension up and down with perfection.
the bottom line…
I was edgy about listening to this story because I knew it would be nerve wracking and it was that and more. Everything about it surpassed my expectations with nothing the least predictable. The motive behind Bennett’s obsession with eliminating Orphan X was more explosive than I’d imagined, too. And! He was also juggling a Nowhere Man request at the same time. This is my favorite so far and that’s saying something.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
We learned in the last book who really was behind the mission to eliminate the remaining Orphans in the program…Jonathan Bennett, the President of the United States. He’s the man who created the program and Evan Smoak, Orphan X, is his next target. But Evan is turning the tables on him, putting him on notice that he’s coming after Bennett. The President knows his only chance for survival is Orphan A, Judd Holt, who he activates from prison. It’s an unevenly matched battle as Bennett has the full resources of the Secret Service and law enforcement behind him but Evan is prepared to die trying.
the heart of the story…
Well, now. This was the ultimate showdown! I was riveted from the start and the story never let up. Going after a sitting US president is a formidable, seemingly impossible task and Evan was sorely challenged and engaged with some unusual bedfellows. The action was over the top and über exciting, utterly breathtaking at times. Bennett and Orphan A knowing his moves and logic made things even more dicey for Evan with a lot of point/counterpoint.
the narration…
Scott Brick was in his element as there were multiple points of view and he shifted easily. I’m really glad I chose to listen to this story as he is particularly skilled at ramping the tension up and down with perfection.
the bottom line…
I was edgy about listening to this story because I knew it would be nerve wracking and it was that and more. Everything about it surpassed my expectations with nothing the least predictable. The motive behind Bennett’s obsession with eliminating Orphan X was more explosive than I’d imagined, too. And! He was also juggling a Nowhere Man request at the same time. This is my favorite so far and that’s saying something.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
July 27, 2023
UPDATE 28/07/2023 - Such a great narrator!
How has this series not made it to the big screen? Evan Smoak is an hot vigilante action blockbuster movie hero waiting to be realised. This one had some fairly far fetched scenarios but I genuinely didn't care. Super entertaining with a side of feels.
How has this series not made it to the big screen? Evan Smoak is an hot vigilante action blockbuster movie hero waiting to be realised. This one had some fairly far fetched scenarios but I genuinely didn't care. Super entertaining with a side of feels.
August 1, 2022
Another fast-paced adventure with Evan Smoak!
December 7, 2023
What a rocking ride. Evan Smoak was very cool in this latest instalment. Heading against his adversary, who just happened to be the American President. And what a well written character this man was. Rotten to the core, a sociopath to the highest degree.
Now he is the Nowhere Man, helping sincere cases in need – so not only is he just doing this amazing and selfless task, but he is also undertaking the hardest thing possible. He is after the US President. The evil and vile man who has been involved with the killing off of the Orphans. Those who he once created. What a mess!
Evan is one man against the massive security component. How does he manage any of this? With his superior and modern day weaponry, his armoury contacts, and another one of our favourite Orphans.
Gregg Hurwitz not only creates a compelling and intricate character in Smoak, he gives us substantial side characters such as the man who provides his weaponry, and the high ranking security official tasked with securing the president. All excellent parts of this riveting and fast moving story.
His Nowhere Man gig this time was fabulous as well, Evan stepped outside of his emotional capabilities and really helped a young man in need. Obviously in the physical sense, but emotionally as well. I loved these scenes. The author makes the reader become acquainted with such strong feelings, which is brilliant and a sign of success I believe.
For me this is the best so far, loved the audio as always and loved every moment. This book does not stop, nor does Evan and his brilliant mind and body.
I pumped through this via the Libby platform and my public library. Next please!
Now he is the Nowhere Man, helping sincere cases in need – so not only is he just doing this amazing and selfless task, but he is also undertaking the hardest thing possible. He is after the US President. The evil and vile man who has been involved with the killing off of the Orphans. Those who he once created. What a mess!
Evan is one man against the massive security component. How does he manage any of this? With his superior and modern day weaponry, his armoury contacts, and another one of our favourite Orphans.
Gregg Hurwitz not only creates a compelling and intricate character in Smoak, he gives us substantial side characters such as the man who provides his weaponry, and the high ranking security official tasked with securing the president. All excellent parts of this riveting and fast moving story.
His Nowhere Man gig this time was fabulous as well, Evan stepped outside of his emotional capabilities and really helped a young man in need. Obviously in the physical sense, but emotionally as well. I loved these scenes. The author makes the reader become acquainted with such strong feelings, which is brilliant and a sign of success I believe.
For me this is the best so far, loved the audio as always and loved every moment. This book does not stop, nor does Evan and his brilliant mind and body.
I pumped through this via the Libby platform and my public library. Next please!
February 8, 2019
Note this is Book 4 of the Orphan X series but I had not read the previous 3 and was great as a stand alone ( although am going to buy and read the other 3 now )
Having seen the authors name for the last few years and the Orphan X books I now, after reading this, regret not taking notice before and for it taking me so long to discover this series
‘Out Of The Dark’ deals with Orphan X’s personal mission to kill the President!, this is due to things the President did in his murky past that ultimately led to Orphan X having the life he did, it is really difficult not to say too much and thus give the book and the series away ( although this is Book 4 you get a taste of what has come before)
The writing is ferocious and powerful in its delivery and intricate
in detail, the parts dealing with the President’s security and protocols
mind boggled me and I re read parts such was the fascination of what I was reading
The story, well stories as there are a few sub stories are brilliantly told
and laid out and it was like being in a
high energy ( was going to say octane but who says that ) film and was tense, exhilarating and so fast moving I felt I had been to the gym after a few chapters, intense doesn’t do it justice
Orphan X is complex, from
brutal to sensitive and I really liked him and would cheer him on in all he did....well almost all
The other characters in the book are very well portrayed from President to Orphan A ( not X but A! ) and every character you were introduced to was imaginable within seconds
The ending of the book was as superb as all that came before it, did Orphan x manage to kill the President?......you will find out when read it 😎
Brilliant, just brilliant and an instant fan and cant wait to read the previous 3 books
One of the easiest 10/10’s and 5 Stars ever given
Having seen the authors name for the last few years and the Orphan X books I now, after reading this, regret not taking notice before and for it taking me so long to discover this series
‘Out Of The Dark’ deals with Orphan X’s personal mission to kill the President!, this is due to things the President did in his murky past that ultimately led to Orphan X having the life he did, it is really difficult not to say too much and thus give the book and the series away ( although this is Book 4 you get a taste of what has come before)
The writing is ferocious and powerful in its delivery and intricate
in detail, the parts dealing with the President’s security and protocols
mind boggled me and I re read parts such was the fascination of what I was reading
The story, well stories as there are a few sub stories are brilliantly told
and laid out and it was like being in a
high energy ( was going to say octane but who says that ) film and was tense, exhilarating and so fast moving I felt I had been to the gym after a few chapters, intense doesn’t do it justice
Orphan X is complex, from
brutal to sensitive and I really liked him and would cheer him on in all he did....well almost all
The other characters in the book are very well portrayed from President to Orphan A ( not X but A! ) and every character you were introduced to was imaginable within seconds
The ending of the book was as superb as all that came before it, did Orphan x manage to kill the President?......you will find out when read it 😎
Brilliant, just brilliant and an instant fan and cant wait to read the previous 3 books
One of the easiest 10/10’s and 5 Stars ever given
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April 19, 2022
5-Stars - Again!
17/04/2022 - Heard For the SECOND Time
Out of the Dark (Orphan X, #4) - by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
Audiobook - 12:48 hours - Narrated by Scott Brick
Finished listening for the Second time @ 17/04/2022
Wonderful, tense, exciting writing, superbly narrated by Scott Brick.
I can't wait to start re-listening to #5, “Into the Fire”
Following comments relate to my FIRST hearing of this book: 16/04/2020
Out of the Dark (Orphan X, #4) - by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
Audiobook - 12:48 hours - Narrated by Scott Brick
A written review will follow in due course, but I can say that my 5-Stars rating is richly deserved. “Out of the Dark” was another excellent “Orphan X” novel, probably the best to date in my opinion. I have awarded 5-Stars to each of “Orphan X” #1, #2, #3, #4.
I eagerly await listening to #5, “Into the Fire” 🤩!
17/04/2022 - Heard For the SECOND Time
Out of the Dark (Orphan X, #4) - by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
Audiobook - 12:48 hours - Narrated by Scott Brick
Finished listening for the Second time @ 17/04/2022
Wonderful, tense, exciting writing, superbly narrated by Scott Brick.
I can't wait to start re-listening to #5, “Into the Fire”
Following comments relate to my FIRST hearing of this book: 16/04/2020
Out of the Dark (Orphan X, #4) - by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
Audiobook - 12:48 hours - Narrated by Scott Brick
A written review will follow in due course, but I can say that my 5-Stars rating is richly deserved. “Out of the Dark” was another excellent “Orphan X” novel, probably the best to date in my opinion. I have awarded 5-Stars to each of “Orphan X” #1, #2, #3, #4.
I eagerly await listening to #5, “Into the Fire” 🤩!
March 8, 2019
The fourth Orphan X novel works well as a stand alone story even though the third book does lead into it. Orphan X was part of a government program to raise orphans to be assassins. After a time, his conscience got the better of him. He went off on his own as the Nowhere Man, setting up a service to help those in dire straights with nowhere left to turn to. In this novel, he's also being hunted by the President. He used to be in charge of the Orphan program and is now hunting down the Orphans before they can expose his involvement. Orphan X is now trying to kill the President before the President finds him. Since this is an Orphan X story, there's also the added element where a mentally handicapped man also needs the Nowhere Man's help. Orphan X has to juggle both missions at the same time without getting killed.
This is my favorite book of the series so far. It doesn't spend as much time reflecting on the past, instead focusing on X's current missions. I really liked Mia and Peter's interactions in this outing as well. Mia is X's long standing will they, won't they partner. X is torn between keeping them safe and actually having a personal relationship.
Received a review copy from St. Martin's and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned
This is my favorite book of the series so far. It doesn't spend as much time reflecting on the past, instead focusing on X's current missions. I really liked Mia and Peter's interactions in this outing as well. Mia is X's long standing will they, won't they partner. X is torn between keeping them safe and actually having a personal relationship.
Received a review copy from St. Martin's and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned
November 24, 2023
Evan Smoak is always - often to a fault - 100% authentic. Listening to him describe his social insecurities/inadequacies as they pop up (mostly) when he is attempting to navigate the "real" world, is both endearing and comical at the same time.
In Out of the Dark, we are afforded excellent insight into his psyche when he is with his (on again/off again) lawyer girlfriend and her 9-year-old son. These interactions are some of my favorite scenes throughout the series, and perfect for providing some of the much sought after balance and normalcy Smoak has been seeking.
That being said, Smoak is also undoubtedly one of the most admirable, finely tuned and fierce killing machines out there when it comes to fighting for justice and holding the miscreants of society accountable.
The narration by Scott Brick is (as always) perfection. Highly recommend.
In Out of the Dark, we are afforded excellent insight into his psyche when he is with his (on again/off again) lawyer girlfriend and her 9-year-old son. These interactions are some of my favorite scenes throughout the series, and perfect for providing some of the much sought after balance and normalcy Smoak has been seeking.
That being said, Smoak is also undoubtedly one of the most admirable, finely tuned and fierce killing machines out there when it comes to fighting for justice and holding the miscreants of society accountable.
The narration by Scott Brick is (as always) perfection. Highly recommend.
January 30, 2019
Evan Smoak is a trained assassin known as Orphan X. He was part of the Orphan Program until he broke with it and used everything he had learned to reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man. Now he helps those that are desperate and have no one else to turn to. However, now someone is killing off all the Orphans, someone very high up in the government. Evan decides to strike back to take out the man behind the killings, the man who started the program, the President of the United States.
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
July 4, 2022
4.5 Stars for Out of the Dark: Evan Smoak, Book 4 (audiobook) by Gregg Hurwitz read by Scott Brick.
Another action packed episode of Orphan X righting wrongs and helping the desperate. His main focus this time is revenge against the President who’s been trying to kill him. And helping an autistic young man. I’m really enjoying this series and Scott Brick is such a pleasure to listen to.
Another action packed episode of Orphan X righting wrongs and helping the desperate. His main focus this time is revenge against the President who’s been trying to kill him. And helping an autistic young man. I’m really enjoying this series and Scott Brick is such a pleasure to listen to.
June 30, 2024
OUT OF THE DARK [2019] AN ORPHAN X NOVEL
My Review 4.5 Stars Rounded To 5
I finished last year's fourth installment in the Orphan X series a couple of nights ago on January 7th and was not disappointed. I had been nervous about the premise of this particular book in that Evan's goal was to assassinate the President of the United States. However, Hurwitz is evidently a pretty smart guy, since he said pointedly in an interview that "his President" was not intended to depict Trump. I carefully breathed a happy sigh of relief because frankly I am so discouraged and disgusted by authors injecting their own personal political views with generous helpings of "Trump bashing" that I could vomit. I have no idea how many readers are like-minded but I feel confident it is the silent majority.
But back to the emotionally vulnerable loner that is our anti-hero of the Orphan X books, Evan Smoak. I find that I am increasingly interested (and vested) in the character's arc and the incredible writing style of Gregg Hurwitz. HELLBENT I must confess remains my favorite, but the author manages to inject multiple likeable, sympathetic characters, give some "screen time" to the enigmatic and lethal yet fascinating Orphan Y (Candy McClure), and even treats the reader to an appearance by the lovable would-be Orphan computer genius Joey.
I have read a number of novels from the espionage genre, or are we terming these books "assassination thrillers", international thrillers", or in the case of Orphan X "Vigilante Justice" novels? But anyone reading gets my drift, "spy novels" by Ludlum in particular, but also some Tom Clancy. In my teens I gobbled up every Ian Fleming 007 Novel that was ever written. I have also read Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche 007. In any case I feel that Gregg Hurwitz is on par with these big names when it comes to non-stop action thrillers. His state of the art technology that is employed in his writing only gives his books extra points for interesting and educational. Beyond that, though, his books are dominated by not only a main character you can learn to love, but other fictional decent human beings that you quickly like and develop a vested interest in their futures in the series. The villains are fleshed out and their character development is impressive as well. Hurwitz has proven (repeatedly now) that he can write an unforgettable, unputdownable, action-packed thriller that will meet all of your expectations.
Oh, one final note. As a member of the medical profession I particularly enjoyed the author's use of the formerly infamous MAO Inhibitors and their side effect profile in his novel...how "novel"...I loved it. I'm wild about the series, and can hardly wait for the new installment to be released later this month.
My Review 4.5 Stars Rounded To 5
I finished last year's fourth installment in the Orphan X series a couple of nights ago on January 7th and was not disappointed. I had been nervous about the premise of this particular book in that Evan's goal was to assassinate the President of the United States. However, Hurwitz is evidently a pretty smart guy, since he said pointedly in an interview that "his President" was not intended to depict Trump. I carefully breathed a happy sigh of relief because frankly I am so discouraged and disgusted by authors injecting their own personal political views with generous helpings of "Trump bashing" that I could vomit. I have no idea how many readers are like-minded but I feel confident it is the silent majority.
But back to the emotionally vulnerable loner that is our anti-hero of the Orphan X books, Evan Smoak. I find that I am increasingly interested (and vested) in the character's arc and the incredible writing style of Gregg Hurwitz. HELLBENT I must confess remains my favorite, but the author manages to inject multiple likeable, sympathetic characters, give some "screen time" to the enigmatic and lethal yet fascinating Orphan Y (Candy McClure), and even treats the reader to an appearance by the lovable would-be Orphan computer genius Joey.
I have read a number of novels from the espionage genre, or are we terming these books "assassination thrillers", international thrillers", or in the case of Orphan X "Vigilante Justice" novels? But anyone reading gets my drift, "spy novels" by Ludlum in particular, but also some Tom Clancy. In my teens I gobbled up every Ian Fleming 007 Novel that was ever written. I have also read Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche 007. In any case I feel that Gregg Hurwitz is on par with these big names when it comes to non-stop action thrillers. His state of the art technology that is employed in his writing only gives his books extra points for interesting and educational. Beyond that, though, his books are dominated by not only a main character you can learn to love, but other fictional decent human beings that you quickly like and develop a vested interest in their futures in the series. The villains are fleshed out and their character development is impressive as well. Hurwitz has proven (repeatedly now) that he can write an unforgettable, unputdownable, action-packed thriller that will meet all of your expectations.
Oh, one final note. As a member of the medical profession I particularly enjoyed the author's use of the formerly infamous MAO Inhibitors and their side effect profile in his novel...how "novel"...I loved it. I'm wild about the series, and can hardly wait for the new installment to be released later this month.
December 13, 2018
He’s your last, best hope, but who can Evan Smoak turn to when he is out of options and his life is on the line? Orphan X is back and he is even more larger than life, more seemingly invincible, yet even more vulnerable and “human.” And. He. Is. A. Target.
OUT OF THE DARK is Gregg Hurwitz’s latest razor-sharp tale of Evan Smoak, a product of a life of being trained to kill, no questions asked, but somewhere along the line, Orphan X began to ask questions, and he became a threat to be eliminated. Until then, he is the last resort for those in need, he has found his moral compass and he is looking to pay it forward to those responsible for what he became. Vengeance will be his…
Non-stop action, explosive tension and through it all, Evan still finds time for hope and love, if only he could get free of the clutches of his past, but it doesn’t’ stop him from seeing to another orphan’s future freedom…
Evan is an over-achiever, the best of the best, but can he stay one step ahead of his fellow orphans gunning for him? High energy action, moments of sweet connections and gut-deep revelations make this addition to the Orphan X series another powerful, and magnetic read!
In a world of anti-heroes, Orphan X has set the bar for greatness and Gregg Hurwitz has created a fine line for Evan to balance between good and evil, justice and justifiable a she becomes something between a saint with tarnished wings and a sinner with a crooked halo.
I was invited to receive a complimentary ARC edition from Minotaur Books!
Series: Orphan X - Book 4
Publisher: Minotaur Books (January 29, 2019)
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: Vigilante Justice | Suspense
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
OUT OF THE DARK is Gregg Hurwitz’s latest razor-sharp tale of Evan Smoak, a product of a life of being trained to kill, no questions asked, but somewhere along the line, Orphan X began to ask questions, and he became a threat to be eliminated. Until then, he is the last resort for those in need, he has found his moral compass and he is looking to pay it forward to those responsible for what he became. Vengeance will be his…
Non-stop action, explosive tension and through it all, Evan still finds time for hope and love, if only he could get free of the clutches of his past, but it doesn’t’ stop him from seeing to another orphan’s future freedom…
Evan is an over-achiever, the best of the best, but can he stay one step ahead of his fellow orphans gunning for him? High energy action, moments of sweet connections and gut-deep revelations make this addition to the Orphan X series another powerful, and magnetic read!
In a world of anti-heroes, Orphan X has set the bar for greatness and Gregg Hurwitz has created a fine line for Evan to balance between good and evil, justice and justifiable a she becomes something between a saint with tarnished wings and a sinner with a crooked halo.
I was invited to receive a complimentary ARC edition from Minotaur Books!
Series: Orphan X - Book 4
Publisher: Minotaur Books (January 29, 2019)
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: Vigilante Justice | Suspense
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 2, 2019
Update 3/2/19: Having just finished Orphan X #3.5 The Intern, which was awful, I am upgrading this to 4 stars. I realized that I liked the current stories in this book, and my earlier lower rating attributable to the old assassination story (see below), which lacked the context and intrigue of the greats, like John Le Carre or Len Deighton.
Evan Smoak (Orphan X) and President Bennett are out for blood: each other's, stemming from Orphan X's first job, an assassination in Eastern Europe pinned on a local rival. Bennett frees Orphan A from prison (who also wants Evan smoked) and offers Orphan A whatever assistance he needs. As Evan plots Bennett's assassination, he partners with an old adversary, a female Orphan, since she is also part of Bennett's intended clean-up of the black ops program, which created the Orphans. There is an interesting cat and mouse game with the Secret Service officer running point on stopping the assassination. Meanwhile, in his role as the Nowhere Man, a savior of people who have lost everything, he agrees to help a high-functioning, but developmentally disabled man, Trevon Gaines, whose family is slaughtered by a ruthless gangster because Trevon did not know the gangster's container was supposed to be protected. Good, but not great.
Evan Smoak (Orphan X) and President Bennett are out for blood: each other's, stemming from Orphan X's first job, an assassination in Eastern Europe pinned on a local rival. Bennett frees Orphan A from prison (who also wants Evan smoked) and offers Orphan A whatever assistance he needs. As Evan plots Bennett's assassination, he partners with an old adversary, a female Orphan, since she is also part of Bennett's intended clean-up of the black ops program, which created the Orphans. There is an interesting cat and mouse game with the Secret Service officer running point on stopping the assassination. Meanwhile, in his role as the Nowhere Man, a savior of people who have lost everything, he agrees to help a high-functioning, but developmentally disabled man, Trevon Gaines, whose family is slaughtered by a ruthless gangster because Trevon did not know the gangster's container was supposed to be protected. Good, but not great.
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