By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz #BookReview #Thriller #5starReview

Evan Smoak returns in The Last Orphan, the latest New York Times bestselling Orphan X thriller–when everything changes and everything is at risk.

As a child, Evan Smoak was plucked out of a group home, raised and trained as an off-the-books assassin for the government as part of the Orphan program. When he broke with the program and went deep underground, he left with a lot of secrets in his head that the government would do anything to make sure never got out.

When he remade himself as The Nowhere Man, dedicated to helping the most desperate in their times of trouble, Evan found himself slowly back on the government’s radar. Having eliminated most of the Orphans in the program, the government will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat they see in Evan. But Orphan X has always been several steps ahead of his pursuers.

Until he makes one little mistake…

Now the President has him in her control and offers Evan a deal – eliminate a rich, powerful man she says is too dangerous to live and, in turn, she’ll let Evan survive. But when Evan left the Program he swore to only use his skills against those who really deserve it. Now he has to decide what’s more important – his principles or his life.

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What’s it about (in a nutshell):

The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz (Orphan X #8) is the continuation of a series where each book can be read as a standalone but would be a richer reading experience if read in order. In this series installment, the US government caught Evan, and the president wants him to complete a task for her as one of the last remaining operatives from the long-disbanded Orphan program. If he completes the task, she will pardon him for past crimes and let him live without government interference. If not, he’ll be held accountable for all past crimes committed.

Actual Reading Experience:

Every book in the Orphan X series is as fast-paced as fast-paced can get. The nonstop action and thrills and short chapters keep it that way from start to finish. And the impossible situations that Evan encounters kept me on the edge of my seat. This is one of the aspects that I absolutely love about each book in this series.

But the aspect that makes this series different from all the other action-adventure thriller series is the characters, particularly the main character, Evan Smoak. 

He’s not just any action-adventure hero; instead, he has layers of subtle complexities that make him much more. Growing up in the Orphan program, Evan trained as a killing machine who could blend in anywhere and beat the most impossible odds. But this expertise came at the expense of his humanity, for to be that skilled of a fighter, he had to shut off the humanity within effectively.

Once he was free from the program, and in each book in the series, cracks appeared, and out of those cracks slowly emerged small bits and pieces of his humanity looking to escape from its confines and make Evan whole again. Watching him grapple with his emerging humanity makes this series stand out above all the rest. Not only is he a hero, but he is also a person who is relatable and sympathetic and, oh, so easy to rally behind.

In this episode of the series, a more significant chunk of his humanity comes into play, and it has him asking lots of questions and spending a considerable amount of time weighing his choices. When morality comes into play, nothing is easy, and everything must be given the weight it deserves. Evan must face the most prominent aspects of his humanity, yet I loved watching him grapple with it and the importance of him doing so.

Read if you like:

  • Action-packed Thill Rides
  • Complex characters
  • Good versus Evil stories

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

32 Replies to “The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz #BookReview #Thriller #5starReview”

  2. Louise H says:

    Great review Tessa. I have this series on my TBR after reading your review of the previous book – hopefully I can fit it in my schedule soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      There’s only minimal romance because that’s part of the humanity he lost in the way his training effected his upbringing but he’s such a complex character that he’s compelling without it. And very fast-paced! I’m also getting my husband into it – I love it that much.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Mae Clair says:

    I’m not familiar with this series, but it does sound like an intriguing one.
    Small parts of it also made me think of the television series Nowhere Man. Do you remember that one?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      The second book in the series is called Nowhere Man but the main premise of the series is very different from the show. I do wonder with the connection though, if the author was giving a nod to the very short run show.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. energyrae says:

    I really need to start this series, I love that they can be read alone and together. Great review!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. D. Wallace Peach says:

    This sounds really good, Tessa. My initial reaction is that I can’t add another book to my kindle until I read a few. But… but my husband would enjoy this. He likes Stephen Hunter and Lee Childs. The pace sounds perfect and the story is really appealing. Thanks for the recommendation!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. WendyW says:

    I have this series on my tbr. I know you like your fast-paced books!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I definitely do and this is one of the fastest. But it has lots of appeal for other reasons too.

      Like

  12. Mark says:

    Since I’m not going to make the signing this week, I really need to order my copy of the book. I can’t wait to find out for myself what Evan faces in this one. The series is so fantastic.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I love it too and now I’ve got my husband reading it. I love watching Evan grapple with his long suppressed humanity and the fact that he faces his morality in this book is just excellent.

      Like

  14. Carla says:

    Oh my, I can’t wait to get to this one. I agree, Evan’s humanity is what makes this series a standout for me as well. Wonderful review, Tessa.

    Liked by 1 person

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