Another book in the Orphan X series. I've not read them all, but you get enough information to just enjoy the story. Evan Smoak has seemingly retired as Orphan X. The story starts with flashbacks to his past at a group home before he was picked for the Orphan program. We find out a lot more about his past than ever in this story. Even though he's retired, he still checks his Nowhere Man phone and has had someone attempt to contact him. After a short while realising he's bored with "normal" life, he decides to make contact and ends up learning more about himself than he intended or even dreamed possible. Lots of action, professional killers, micro killer drones with AI...Enjoyable read if you liked the previous books and it's nice to see Evan having to accept his short comings and why he is the way he is. Look forward to the next story.

I started reading Prodigal Son almost immediately after I had finished Into The Fire (review). Into The Fire had reminded me how much I enjoy the character, so it was fortunate that I had the next book lined up immediately.

At the end of the previous book Evan has retired, he is looking forward to this, but at the same time doesn’t seem to know what it will entail – and then he gets that all important phone call. His birth mother wants his help and despite everything (he has not seen her since he was a week old) he rushes to her side to see what it is she wants.

Of course, in true Orphan X fashion, she wants Evan to help someone – someone she has been looking after for a long time and who has seemingly disappeared.

Again, with Orphan X, things are never as simple as just dropping by to check in on somebody, and this book takes things up a notch. Evan finds himself in a constant battle throughout, all the while making it look like he hasn’t continued working.

Prodigal Son was incredibly enjoyable, and probably my favourite of the recent books. It was filled with the usual action sequences, and advanced military tech, but the book is also chock full of reveal after reveal and I could not wait to see where it was going.

This is definitely one for action/thriller fans – as before it is not essential to have read any of the previous books. The author fills in any blanks that you may have. In saying that, I highly recommend the series as a whole as there are some recurring characters that you may get a better grasp of with more information at hand.

A great read – highly recommended.

My thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Prodigal Son’ by Gregg Hurwitz in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 6 in Hurwitz’s Orphan X highly successful series of high octane political thrillers. While I still have not caught up on the early books, I have enjoyed the last few, including this latest. For those new to the series Hurwitz does provide some background.

I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Scott Brick, whose deep, gravely voice is perfect for this kind of action thriller.

At the end of Book 5 there was a teaser that provided the opening for ‘Prodigal Son’. Even if Evan Smoak has been forced into retirement he was unable to resist this request to protect a complete stranger, who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet the trail he follows leads him to discover a deadly threat to the nation's security.

While there was plenty of action, this was accompanied by quieter moments that continued to explore Evan’s quest to integrate into normal life. This includes expanding his protective role of teenage hacker, Joey, who continues to be a delight along with her rescue dog, Dog.

There are also flashbacks to Evan’s youth, before he was taken into the Orphan programme, that fills in his backstory and includes some major revelations.

So, while this novel (and series) has plenty of action and thrills, it also delivers on characterisation. The snappy banter between Evan and Joey was especially fun. There’s quite a cliffhanger of an ending that is going to have me counting the days until Book 7 is published.

It’s great escapism and a clear five star read in its genre.

This is a riveting, addictive and twist-laden thriller with a compelling and immersive plot full of creepiness and an unsettling undertone throughout. It's compulsive and fast-paced with a well-crafted plot and an intriguing and engaging cast of characters. This is well-written and highly readable fiction with a plethora of twists, turns and red herrings to throw you off the scent and right from the beginning I was hooked. The author creates an effortlessly flowing style of writing which never fails to engage you. An easy, entertaining read with enough happening to keep you satisfyingly turning the pages. Highly recommended.

This latest installment in the Evan Smoak series does not disappoint. This thriller gives a tantalizingly scary glimpse into militarized drone technology which may already be a reality behind closed doors. Full of action and intrigue we see Smoak out of retirement finishing with a fantastic cliffhanger. Overall a great read.

⭐⭐⭐💫
I am a HUGE fan of Greg Hurwitz and was so excited to read this book which is the 6th in the Orphan X series. For some reason, I just couldn't get into the book. Normally I rush through his books but with this 1 I found myself getting distracted. Into the Fire was 1 of my top reads for 2020 and I loved the fast-paced action. The pace lacked a bit for me in this 1. I also wanted more from Evan meeting his mom. We were left on such a knife-edge in Into the Fire and I've been looking forward to meeting his mom for a year! I felt a bit let down.
I think I will have to read this 1 again. I see I'm definitely in the minority with everyone loving the book. It's maybe just me.
I will still get everything written by Greg Hurwitz because he's an amazing writer and I always call him the gift that keeps on giving. I just wish I loved this 1!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK, Micheal Joseph for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Another great Orphan X roller coaster ride. A retired Evan decides to take on one final mission. But who is the mystery woman and what is the connection with the man she wants him to help? Gregg Hurwitz takes us on another breathtaking ride exploring the life of Orphan X. Keeping the reader on their toes with snappy chapters that keep you wanting to read "just one more ". Another novel I couldn't put down and just wanted to know what happened next. Fingers crossed for the next one!

Prodigal Son, the 6th in the Orphan X series follows Evan Smoak, aka ex Government Assassin Orphan X, aka the Nowhere Man into his retirement. But when the call comes from the person he least expects, his mother, he answers. Even with an unofficial Govt pardon on the table, he answers. Retired or not he’s still the Nowhere Man and this time the soul he saves may well be his own.

This is not just a high octane, adrenaline packed, fist in the gut book from page one, it is all that but it’s more too. In this episode we start to get a proper feel for Evan’s past and what made him ‘chosen’ for the Orphan program. In between the lines of rocket fuel writing that make Orphan X books so great there is real heart, loved, loved, loved it. And OMG that ending ... bring on book 7.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of the Orphan X books, but this one didn't really work for me. It feels a bit like the series has run its course and is being stretched too thin. There are only so many times I need to read the same description of Evan's apartment. Also, the books have always been high-tech but it gets pretty silly in this one, with completely unrealistic drones. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

8/10

This was a great outing into the now "retired" Orphan X looking into his past and doing what he does, helping those who have no helpers. After 6 outings now I can firmly say that this series is very enjoyable in a number of ways; the writing, the characters, the humor lying just beneath the surface. It all adds up to good fun, which is what you want from a series like this. Some efforts are stronger than others but this is up there with the best in the series.

This entry marked a change for the series as an overarching plot from the previous books came to a close in the last outing so things feel fresh for Evan, nice and retired and getting to grips with what retired people do. Only he's not retired from a desk job so life doesn't stay quiet for long. There are some nice flashback scenes which flesh out the characters and the world further which was a nice addition and didn't feel like it detracted from the main story. Evan as a character is nicely done and has developed over the series but not too much so he's not recongnisable, his budding relationships make him seem all the more relatable and vulnerable but you know underneath he's a badass.

I highly recommend the series and I had fun with this one, probably one of my favourites in this series. Things are left on a somewhat of a cliffhanger so I'm keen to see what happens next in this series.

One of the masters of adventure, Gregg Hurwitz, is back with this the 6th in the successful Orphan X series, you can read as a stand alone but increasingly l think you need to know the previous stories to fully appreciate the newer ones
Evan is also back ( of course he is the leading man ) and with him some of the characters we have previously met and a host of new ones in this book which for me veered more to his private life than any previous book, we learnt about his pre Orphan X life and the complex Veronica, his Mum and also I felt saw way more of his emotional side, we met more of the real Evan, the story wrapped around all this is as always fast paced, hi tech and thrilling
Which altogether when you’re a fan of his books as well as addicted to the series make for a near perfect 461 pages of brilliance
Roll on Book 7

10/10
5 Stars

The Orphan X (Evan Smoak / Nowhere Man) series by Gregg Hurwitz is a must-read for me. His latest, Prodigal Son, takes readers on a slightly different 'journey'. Although Evan has supposedly retired from helping the helpless - a promise he made to the US President because of collateral damage from memory - here he gets a request from someone he just can't refuse.

I actually liked that Hurwitz didn't belabour the introduction of Evan's birth mother Veronica. I'd commented in my review of Into The Fire (book #5) that I liked that the overarching plot regarding the Orphans and Black Ops program that trained (and then tried to kill) them was done and dusted in the previous instalment, as some of those conspiratorial backstories can drag on. And on.

Here we're taken back in time to the boys home to Evan's recruitment into the Orphan program. I wondered about the point of the backstory but we soon see as we learn how he got recruited and meet some of his contemporaries (ie. other foster kids) who were - or weren't - so fortunate.

More importantly we meet his mother. I felt Hurwitz could have given us a little more context as she felt a little under-done in some ways. She explains why she had to give Evan up and the fact she'd intended for him to be adopted - but that hadn't worked and, though she learned about the Orphan program she didn't know what it entailed (ie. becoming trained assassins).

Veronica seems to be doing well for herself though... or has managed to hook up with a stream of wealthy or well-connected dudes, though 'how' was a bit light on. Perhaps there's more to come, but it's unlikely.

Again I loved spending time with Orphan program dropout Joey, teenage genius and smart-arse. Her relationship with Evan changes here as he reflects on his with his mother and his paternal instincts kick in.

We also (again) meet his neighbours Mia and her son Peter. There continues to be the tease of romance around Mia and Evan but Evan knows it's almost impossible to leave his (old) life behind.

I really loved the non-case-related stuff happening in this book. In some ways this is one of my favourites in the series in that respect.

But this book felt long. Not belaboured but it seemed to take a long time to get to the crux of the plot and I think the pacing or set-up could have done without some of the padding. It's a tad convoluted but essentially Evan becomes involved because someone's life is at risk. Someone who's inadvertently witnessed a murder. And in protecting him - someone from his past - Evan discovers Department of Defence use of drones (or microdrones the size of insects) with the power to track, swarm and kill... and think for themselves. 

Again Hurwitz excels when it comes to the inclusion specifics: the dark web and technology; weaponry; fighting techniques; and there's the usual gruesome detail of exactly what punches are thrown and which knives are used in action sequences.

We're introduced to a couple of hired killers (part of the aforementioned padding for me) but it's their employer who's of interest. And we potentially meet that person. I assumed - cos I found them likeable - that they weren't THE baddie known as doctor, but just someone who has a PhD or three.

The 'doctor' is very Silicon Valley / Elon Musk-like. But though he's a genius who recognises his technology is being used for not-good, he also believes it can have beneficial uses. Like I said... he seemed likeable so I found it hard to picture him as a supervillain and waited for the arrival of some far-more-evil puppeteer.

Pacing wise, given we take so long to get to that point, the final showdown is over pretty quickly and with minimal fanfare, which I appreciated. Of course Hurwitz throws in a cliffhanger to keep readers riveted (and on edge) which means I'll be very impatiently waiting for the next instalment in the series.

I mentioned that this series is a must-read for me. What draws me to it are the characters and the way their lives are playing out rather than the plot of each novel. Indeed, as I read this it felt comforting, like coming home to old friends.

Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X aka Evan Smoak has retired but then someone claiming to be his mother starts trying to contact but is she really his mother and why now?

Prodigal Son is another excellent fast moving thriller in this series and definitely keeps the pages turning as the action mounts

Highly recommended

When I need escapist entertainment, I just can't go wrong with a bit of Orphan X! Another action-packed gripping adventure from the Hurwitz pen - disbelief duly suspended, seatbelt fastened for the ride.

In Prodigal Son we see far more of the emerging humanity and emotional development of Evan, and the story takes up where the previous book left off...interesting to get a lot more of the backstory.

The writing - ⭐⭐⭐
The story - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is exactly what you expect from an Orphan X novel, very Jack Reacher-esque, a bit cheesy (I mean that bit when he literally takes out the trash...) but massively enjoyable. Each of the novels builds on Evan's character and this one is no different. Evan has always pulled back from vulnerability and anything emotional but in this book his relationships and his history come together and he finally starts to see himself as connected to others and starts to express himself. I really enjoyed that this development over the series had a payoff and we can see Evan struggle with it but actually embrace the change to his compulsive behaviour.

And then, as standard, there's someone who needs his help, lots of asses to kick, lots of Joey sass, a Candy cameo, drones and a cliffhanger. Get it read.

Fave Quote - 'Drones were what the DoD had hoped would make the Orphans defunct, but they'd learned soon enough that human operators were still required on the ground. Those who would beat the risk and the cost. Those willing to get close enough to feel the warmth of the blood, to hear the suck of the lungs through a slit throat, to smell the wreckage of voided bowels, the last hot fumes of life expiring.'

Fave Moment - Moment....s for this one! I liked the flashbacks to Evan's childhood in the group home and how he ends up in the Orphans program.

Brilliant. In theory, with all the blood and guts and high tech detail I shouldn't like these books, but once started, I can't stop reading. I've read all in the series and they are great escapism. This time, Evan is reunited with his mother and discovers other family members. We get the soft side of Orphan X. Joey is a great character too. I can't believed these have not been made into a film series.

Another outing for the Orphan X characters and this time his back history is revealed as well as the help mission he takes on. All the previous characters are included with lots of futuristic technology used in offensive and defensive action scenes with a classic evil mastermind to confront. There are numerous shock personal revelations and an ending with a huge question mark. More to come or is there? Excellent!

Gregg Hurwitz once again delivers in this stunning sixth outing of The Orphan X series! Following on from the cliffhanger ending of Into The Fire, Prodigal Son is Evan's most personal challenge yet! Melding pinpoint detail with thrilling pace, Hurwitz once again sets the bar for high-octane thrillers! I loved the use of drone tech/AI in this one, and can only hope that we have not seen the last of such a captivating series that keeps on hitting new heights with each follow up!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant book

the last book in this series ended on a cliff hanger and this one carried it on from there

orphan x or evan takes a phone call from his mother... but hangs up on her

this book also goes into evans childhood and explores many avenues of his life but its the continuing phone calls from a woman claiming to be his mother that leads evan into dangerous waters.....

this book frightening me because if half the stuff is true and not a figment of the authors mind we are in deep deep trouble...

and that ending...cant wait for the next book in this amazing series...i am hooked...brilliantly written as alway and cant wait to see where the next book leads us

Our supposedly retired hero, aware of the consequences of returning to the “dark” side, takes a call he can’t resist and on to a job he can’t refuse. Shaking out some childhood memories as he goes he is on the point of deciding some people just can’t be helped when yet another facet of his orphaned upbringing and background drops into place leaving him no choice but to take on an enemy that threatens to swarm all over him. Along the way it opens him up from some of the self seclusion he has lived with all this time and perhaps some raw emotions. Meanwhile he is as active as ever with the job in hand using both high tech equipment and people to stop a weapon (and it’s maker), that once programmed thinks for itself, has no regard for collateral damage and doesn’t know when to stop……..
An explosive ending continues to leave you wanting more.