NEMESIS

5 stars out of 5

Orphan X, a.k.a. the "Nowhere Man," has been a favorite character over the course of several books (this is the tenth in the series). I've loved every single installment, and (no surprise to me!), this one follows the same pattern. There's just something about watching Evan Smoak - who I'd describe as a nearly super-human Jason Bourne - grow up and (in his own way) prosper.

An escapee from the government "X" program that made him what he is - a practiced assassin who now plies his trade for the good of humankind, if you will, Evan lives in a highly fortified mansion with all the bells and whistles he can find (or buy or create). Many of his high-tech goodies (a.k.a., weapons) came from his good friend Tommy Stojack. But when Evan learns that, at least in his own mind, Tommy has betrayed him, all bets are off. Now, he's out to get his former best bud and render him, well, dead - or at the very least, seriously incapacitated).

He gets some help from his young protegee, Josephine (a.k.a., Joey), who's a computer whiz to put it mildly. But even with her in his corner - well, at least when she's not mad at him - it's hard to keep him out of serious trouble. His tracking down of Tommy quickly turns into a battle for their very lives, prompting Evan to double efforts to find Tommy, who in turn has promised to find and protect the wayward son of someone to whom he owes a big favor. 

Uh, oh - do readers get a sense that something's gotta give? It's kind of hard to miss, although the details turn out to be quite an exciting reading experience, albeit with a bittersweet ending.

As for me, I loved it - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz (Minotaur Books, February 2025); 464 pp.

THE LAST ORPHAN

5 stars out of 5

Well, wow. Just when you think a series can't get any better - well, let me amend that; every single one I've read has been impossible to top, and 5 stars is the highest rating I can give. So let's just say that this, the eighth book featuring "Nowhere Man" Evan Smoak (a.k.a. Orphan X), is every bit as good as its predecessors.

After taking his once government-sanctioned assassin talents private, Evan and the government powers-that-be have honored a truce of sorts - although it's no secret that those powers would capture him in a heartbeat if they could. And one fine day, they do. As a condition of his release and possibly an official pardon (or at least looking the other way), none other than the U.S. President offers him a "job": kill a man she claims is so dangerous that his continuing to live and do his dirty work threatens the very fabric of the country. Evan, though, isn't convinced; after all, based on past experiences he doesn't trust the government either. Besides that, his rationalization for going private is to eliminate only those people who have done irreparable (but demonstrable) harm to others and truly, in his opinion, deserve to be removed from this earth.

In this case, the target for rubbing out is a filthy rich guy named Luke Divine who lives on Long Island in a palatial home called Tartarus. He's fond of throwing no-holds-barred parties that have, at least in one known instance, resulted in the deaths of young people. The President's concern, though, lies more in upcoming environmental legislation she favors and he does not. Not knowing who to believe - and in some respects, not caring - Evan sets out, with help from some uber-talented friends who will be familiar to loyal readers, to investigate. And it is there that my description must end if other readers are to get full enjoyment out of the book (and trust me, there's plenty to be had, plus a bit of a cliffhanger that no doubt will factor into the next installment). In short, another winner from a very talented author for which I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me the pleasure of reading and reviewing.

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz (Minotaur Books, February 2023); 352 pp.