Series: Orphan X: 8
My version: Hardback
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Minotaur Books, Penguin Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House
First published: 2023
ISBN: 978-0-241-40290-0
Pages: 340
Bought
From the cover:
A heavily-armed counter-assault team, a convoy of tactical vehicles plus decoys, air support, a sedative more commonly used to knock out large animals, arm and leg restraints, a hood, mouthguard, and a Secret Service agent asking for a selfie.
This was not your average invitation to meet with the President.
But then Orphan X is not your average guest. The last survivor of the off-the-books programme that raised and trained him, Evan Smoak was sent around the world to do his government’s dirty work. Until he escaped.
Now once again in need of his particular skill set, the President tracks him down and offers him a deal: kill a man she deems too dangerous or be executed himself.
Evan must decide whether to accept. He’s spent years trying to atone for his former life. But if by taking on the mission he must betray the very principles he now lives by, what is left?
One thing becomes clear to the President soon enough: no one should ever try to force Evan’s hand. Because putting Orphan X in an impossible slot only makes him more dangerous…
The Last Orphan, Gregg Hurwitz is another electrifying installment in the Orphan X series, centering around the enigmatic protagonist Evan Smoak, also known as Orphan X or The Nowhere Man. Now… for someone who supposedly worked, undercover, for the top, top, topper than top, black ops/you know the sort of shadowy, doesn’t exist assassin type programme – how on earth is he known as The Nowhere Man? He shouldn’t be known at all, outside the Orphan programme. Those who do know him, or about him, are dead, are also Orphans or are the people he associates with in his apartment block. Who know him as Evan. But there we are…
The novel immerses readers in a high-stakes world of espionage, where the line between hero and anti-hero blurs nicely.
Hurwitz’s storytelling is getting better all the time. His narrative pacing is relentless, ensuring that readers are gripped from the first page to the last. The character of Evan Smoak continues to evolve, revealing layers of complexity that make him both relatable and formidable. Gregg Hurwitz’s prose is sharp and evocative, painting vivid images of the covert operations and intense confrontations that define Smoak’s life. The plot is intricate, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing most, if not all, the way through.
The Last Orphan is not just a thriller; it’s a deep dive into the psyche of a man forged by his past, struggling to redefine his future. The themes of redemption, moral ambiguity, and the quest for personal justice are woven seamlessly into the action-packed storyline.
Fans of the Orphan X series will find this latest installment satisfying and thought-provoking, while newcomers to the series will be captivated by the compelling world Hurwitz has created – and looking forward to the next installment.
You can buy The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz from Amazon
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