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By  Gregg Hurwitz 

Evan Smoak #1

ASIN: B010M4T5C2

Publisher:  St Martin's Press/Minotaur

Publication Date:  1/19/2016

Format: Other

My Rating: 5 Stars 

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Classic. Bold. Innovative. Action-Packed Adventure. Explosive. Suspenseful. Impressive. Non-Stop thrills. Electrifying. My New Hero!

Loved the author's note: “To all the bad boys and girls, rule breakers and vigilantes, for being so wicked that they’re good.”

For centuries, notable orphans and foundlings include world leaders, celebrated writers, entertainers, figures in science and business, as well as innumerable fictional characters in literature and comics. We love and root for them.

However, wait until you meet Gregg Hurwitz’s latest new hero and series, (Evan Smoak #1) ORPHAN X.

Strikingly different and unconventional. Fearless. Daring. Courageous. First Class! Yes, it is worthy of all the hype, and the movie deal with possible Bradley Cooper (which is no surprise)! Think, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), a CIA assassin in the action spy thriller film by Robert Ludlum.

An orphan represents the powerlessness of a childhood. At the same time, many literary orphans are resilient characters, who despite their relative lack of power, find the emotional resources to beat the odds, and make their way in the world. Resilient, ten-fold!

Orphan X The new 2016 Super Star. Up there with Lee Child’sJack Reacher, David Baldacci’s Will Robie, James Bond, and the "best of the best". High-octane thriller!

Evan Smoak is a twelve- year- old boy, from East Baltimore, an orphan, the smallest of the kids, the last one picked for sports. It was only through a savage set of challenges that he found his way into this seat (with Jack, the Mystery Man); that he’d managed to get himself chosen. He destination is unknown. However, anything is better than the present.

A top-secret government operation, The Orphan Program, trained by the US military as killers. Mission: to assassinate government’s designated enemies. He is trained, skilled, intelligent, and resourceful.

Now, left with no handler, no contacts inside the government, no nation that wasn’t actively hunting him, even the one he served. He was in a word, untethered. He recalls Jack’s voice, “Get over yourself, son. There is no emotion more useless than self-pity.”

Evan moves to LA, getting away from DC, an operational alias built with pieces of his true self. A cover. He stayed mission ready, kept fit, and trained. He never knew who would come looking. He stayed alert, vigilant, kept his ear to the ground to listen for underworld tremors. Word had filtered back to him, the Orphan Program had been dismantled, the operators scattered to the four winds. He had not learned the fate of the other Orphans; however, he imagined they sold their specialized services to the highest bidder, or had retired to a beach in a quiet corner of the world. Neither option appealed to him.

So, he decided to put his training to personal use. A pro-bono freelancer, helping others who could not help themselves. Evan is flying solo—with the perks at his fingertips. A dangerous past, highly trained skills, and resources. Nowhere Man. A personal mission--to help those with nowhere else to turn.

The Tenth Commandment loomed above all else. Never let an innocent die.

A man with a dangerous past. A savior of the victims, innocent ones—from corruption to sex slaves, while saving himself. However, he may be targeted and these people are no slouches. Someone knows him. Someone wants him eliminated.

WOW! A James Bond / Jason Bourne type-thriller; the adventure, sex, action, adrenaline-fueled and as an added bonus, the psychological side--emotional human dynamics, making for an absorbing page-turner.

Entertaining! Skillfully crafted, twist and turns, with a great cast of well-developed secondary characters and an unstoppable main protagonist.

Hurwitz’s most exhilarating book yet! Super star “author” and “new hero” will be at the top of book and movie lists, for years to come. Can’t wait for Evan Smoak #2 - his next adventure.

Loved this recent review quote by Patrick Anderson Washington Post, 1/6/2016. Sums up the novel, perfectly:

“It’s a strong story, one that allows for an abundance of conflict and suspense, but Hurwitz’s work is especially striking in the level of detail he lavishes on people, weapons, food, drink, sex, violence and just about everything else. I’ve always thought that one reason for Tom Clancy’s success was the endless detail he provided about military hardware, and that the James Bond novels benefited from the loving attention Ian Fleming devoted to the martinis, expensive cars and gorgeous women he so admired. Hurwitz outdoes both writers in intricate descriptions.”