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thephdivabooks's review
5.0
Have you read any of the Orphan X books by Gregg Hurwitz? I hadn’t until I had the opportunity to read Prodigal Son which I learned is actually the sixth book in the series. Let’s just say that I will now be going back to read the other five because I have to read more about Evan Smoak!
Well I’ll start off with what you are probably wondering—how was it jumping into a series on book 6? Surprisingly, it wasn’t a problem at all! While I can’t speak for all five books before this, I certainly felt this story worked as a standalone.
The book opens with a young Evan Smoak, who we learn is an orphan who was taken from foster care at the young age of 12 and trained by Jack Johns, known as the Mystery Man, to be a deadly assassin that frankly seems super-human. Part of this stems from the fact that Evan’s more human traits (empathy, caring) to make him a government-sponsored killing machine. This was all through a secretive operation known as the Orphan Program.
After years as the assassin known as Orphan X, Evan has broken free and repurposed himself as an avenger of those in need. Now, Evan has left both of these persona behind to live the life that got taken from him when he was just a boy.
When a woman calling herself Veronica LeGrande reveals herself to be Evan’s mother who gave him up for adoption, she asks for help from the boy she abandoned many years ago. Her request seems strange—she asks him to help a man who was a resident at the same foster home that Evan lived in before he became Orphan X. This man, Andrew, is not an ordinary man. His life has put him directly in the path of a deadly assassin team, and Evan is his only hope. However, helping Andrew and Veronica may mean putting his own life and freedom on the line…
Fast-paced action and heart-pounding suspense—Prodigal Son is that perfect sort of escapist thriller where you can slip into a world much different from your own. I found Evan to be a surprisingly relatable character (I mean, as much as myself, a doctoral student quarantined at home can relate to a deadly orphan assassin), which wasn’t necessary but enhanced the book for me. I found this book had a surprising amount of emotion and sensitivity, and I really felt for this boy who was taught to disregard his desire to connect with other humans. Seeing him reclaim that as an adult was wonderful, until that phone call that launches this new adventure…
Thank you to Minotaur Books and Kaye Publicity for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Well I’ll start off with what you are probably wondering—how was it jumping into a series on book 6? Surprisingly, it wasn’t a problem at all! While I can’t speak for all five books before this, I certainly felt this story worked as a standalone.
The book opens with a young Evan Smoak, who we learn is an orphan who was taken from foster care at the young age of 12 and trained by Jack Johns, known as the Mystery Man, to be a deadly assassin that frankly seems super-human. Part of this stems from the fact that Evan’s more human traits (empathy, caring) to make him a government-sponsored killing machine. This was all through a secretive operation known as the Orphan Program.
After years as the assassin known as Orphan X, Evan has broken free and repurposed himself as an avenger of those in need. Now, Evan has left both of these persona behind to live the life that got taken from him when he was just a boy.
When a woman calling herself Veronica LeGrande reveals herself to be Evan’s mother who gave him up for adoption, she asks for help from the boy she abandoned many years ago. Her request seems strange—she asks him to help a man who was a resident at the same foster home that Evan lived in before he became Orphan X. This man, Andrew, is not an ordinary man. His life has put him directly in the path of a deadly assassin team, and Evan is his only hope. However, helping Andrew and Veronica may mean putting his own life and freedom on the line…
Fast-paced action and heart-pounding suspense—Prodigal Son is that perfect sort of escapist thriller where you can slip into a world much different from your own. I found Evan to be a surprisingly relatable character (I mean, as much as myself, a doctoral student quarantined at home can relate to a deadly orphan assassin), which wasn’t necessary but enhanced the book for me. I found this book had a surprising amount of emotion and sensitivity, and I really felt for this boy who was taught to disregard his desire to connect with other humans. Seeing him reclaim that as an adult was wonderful, until that phone call that launches this new adventure…
Thank you to Minotaur Books and Kaye Publicity for my copy. Opinions are my own.
pbgurczak123's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
jen_is_booked's review
3.0
It's on me that I couldn't rate this book higher; I received and ARC of this book, not realizing at the time it was part 6 of a series. This book was good, I really liked the writing style, the characters (what I was able to learn about them anyway) and the pace of the book were all terrific. It's just the entire time I could tell I was missing something. So take this review with a grain of salt and use it to start the series with Orphan X like I'm going to. I do think based on this book that the whole series is probably great so I'm going to start at the beginning.
shannon_reidwheat's review
5.0
#6 is just as good as 1-5, maybe better. Everything Hurwitz writes is amazing.
jillyrabb101's review against another edition
5.0
Oooooh Good
I'm just a sucker for all the intimate parts, all the self-realization and growth. Lots of that, so of course I love it.
I'm just a sucker for all the intimate parts, all the self-realization and growth. Lots of that, so of course I love it.
dawn_marie's review
2.0
Prodigal Son the latest in Gregg Hurwitz's enjoyable Orphan X series picks up not to long after the events of book five's cliffhanger - that is to say after declaring he is done as the Nowhere Man Evan Smoak (aka Orphan X) receives a call for help from a woman claiming to be his mother . . . and this, as is wont to happen, causes him to be entangled in some messy business involving powerful and dangerous people.
I find Evan Smoak to be an interesting character: plucked at a young age from a group foster home and enrolled in the Orphan program - an über secretive government program that trains assassins for covert, government missions. After deciding he is tired of the government making his mission decisions, missions that do not really help the "every day" individual, Evan leaves the Orphan program and becomes the Nowhere Man. As the Nowhere Man, Evan tries to "do good" by helping those that have no where else to go . . . and he often does so by engaging in some horrific activities.
I like that the character is trying to do good while engaging in some awful behavior - it makes you (along with Evan) question what is it that defines a person as good or bad? I only wish that the supporting characters were as interesting as Evan. Joey Morales is starting to flesh out nicely and she has great potential as a character . . . the rest, not so much. They haven't grown much beyond caricatures or plot devices: grizzled ex-military man, nosey elderly neighbor, obnoxious head of condo board, sassy fellow Orphan, or single mom with a spunky nine-year old.
Mr. Hurwitz's writing style is simple and direct, which works well in this genre. He sets the tone nicely, keeping the stakes high enough to create tension, yet he weaves in quite moments so the reader can catch a breath.
While I generally enjoyed the book, I had some serious issues with it; notably with pacing and extraneous characters that brought the action/plot to a screeching halt.
However, just because Evan was unbalanced and unmoored, does not mean that the plot has to be as well. The novel started out well enough: a man (Andre Duran), through a series of unfortunate and ever compounding events finds himself embroiled in the middle of a high stakes cover up. Evan, sent by his mother to help Andre, soon learns that Andre witnessed something he shouldn't have and is now wanted dead by some very powerful people.
After that, the plot becomes convoluted . . .it isn't just that Andre was at the wrong place at the wrong time and is now wanted dead, you now have to deal with (1) a dead drone pilot, (2) a military coverup up, (3) an eccentric and somewhat homicidal tech engineer, (4) a secret military installation developing a microdrone army, (5) a visit to a fellow foster group home member in jail, (6) a specialized brother-sister assassination team, (7) a revelation that not only is your mother alive, but she knew where you were all along, and (8) you have a half brother. Ugh!
It is also overcrowded with extraneous characters to the point of ridiculousness. I understand why Evan goes to Joey for help - she is, after all super hacker teenager who washed out of the Orphan program . . . but really, did Mr. Hurwitz need to include both Tommy and Candy? A private military force with microdrones and a brother-sister duo super assassin team? A mother and a half brother?
Interspersed between action sequences are quiet moments where Evan confronts his humanity and his idea of "normalcy." These are mostly handled well, though a few linger in maudlin - especially those concerning Mia and her son. Mia is a rather boring and somewhat clichéd character: a widowed, single mother who just happens to be an LA assistant district attorney; one who claims she cannot be around Evan because of "the bad things he does" and yet is constantly interacting (and flirting) with him. I do not understand why Evan "loves" her - I think he loves the idea of Mia and Peter and what they represent. Mia and her son are a plot device to force Evan to face his life choices, his past, and challenge what he wants for the future.
These are all interesting topics for exploration . . . Mr. Hurwitz handles these topics well when it comes to the evolving relationship between Joey and Evan; their closeness seems natural and earned . . . the closeness between Mia, Peter, and Evan seems forced and heavy handed.
While mostly enjoyable, Prodigal Son was my least favorite book of the series. I still enjoy the character and I liked how the novel ended . . . a nice set up for the next book.
I find Evan Smoak to be an interesting character: plucked at a young age from a group foster home and enrolled in the Orphan program - an über secretive government program that trains assassins for covert, government missions. After deciding he is tired of the government making his mission decisions, missions that do not really help the "every day" individual, Evan leaves the Orphan program and becomes the Nowhere Man. As the Nowhere Man, Evan tries to "do good" by helping those that have no where else to go . . . and he often does so by engaging in some horrific activities.
I like that the character is trying to do good while engaging in some awful behavior - it makes you (along with Evan) question what is it that defines a person as good or bad? I only wish that the supporting characters were as interesting as Evan. Joey Morales is starting to flesh out nicely and she has great potential as a character . . . the rest, not so much. They haven't grown much beyond caricatures or plot devices: grizzled ex-military man, nosey elderly neighbor, obnoxious head of condo board, sassy fellow Orphan, or single mom with a spunky nine-year old.
Mr. Hurwitz's writing style is simple and direct, which works well in this genre. He sets the tone nicely, keeping the stakes high enough to create tension, yet he weaves in quite moments so the reader can catch a breath.
While I generally enjoyed the book, I had some serious issues with it; notably with pacing and extraneous characters that brought the action/plot to a screeching halt.
Spoiler
I understand and appreciate the fact that Evan is feeling unmoored and unbalanced because he is now forced to deal with his feelings and his past in a very real way; I also understand that Evan is conflicted over the actions of his past and wants "normalcy" - even if he doesn't quite know what that means. I think that is interesting and well worth exploring . . . . and frankly were some of the most interesting parts of Prodigal Son.However, just because Evan was unbalanced and unmoored, does not mean that the plot has to be as well. The novel started out well enough: a man (Andre Duran), through a series of unfortunate and ever compounding events finds himself embroiled in the middle of a high stakes cover up. Evan, sent by his mother to help Andre, soon learns that Andre witnessed something he shouldn't have and is now wanted dead by some very powerful people.
After that, the plot becomes convoluted . . .it isn't just that Andre was at the wrong place at the wrong time and is now wanted dead, you now have to deal with (1) a dead drone pilot, (2) a military coverup up, (3) an eccentric and somewhat homicidal tech engineer, (4) a secret military installation developing a microdrone army, (5) a visit to a fellow foster group home member in jail, (6) a specialized brother-sister assassination team, (7) a revelation that not only is your mother alive, but she knew where you were all along, and (8) you have a half brother. Ugh!
It is also overcrowded with extraneous characters to the point of ridiculousness. I understand why Evan goes to Joey for help - she is, after all super hacker teenager who washed out of the Orphan program . . . but really, did Mr. Hurwitz need to include both Tommy and Candy? A private military force with microdrones and a brother-sister duo super assassin team? A mother and a half brother?
Interspersed between action sequences are quiet moments where Evan confronts his humanity and his idea of "normalcy." These are mostly handled well, though a few linger in maudlin - especially those concerning Mia and her son. Mia is a rather boring and somewhat clichéd character: a widowed, single mother who just happens to be an LA assistant district attorney; one who claims she cannot be around Evan because of "the bad things he does" and yet is constantly interacting (and flirting) with him. I do not understand why Evan "loves" her - I think he loves the idea of Mia and Peter and what they represent. Mia and her son are a plot device to force Evan to face his life choices, his past, and challenge what he wants for the future.
These are all interesting topics for exploration . . . Mr. Hurwitz handles these topics well when it comes to the evolving relationship between Joey and Evan; their closeness seems natural and earned . . . the closeness between Mia, Peter, and Evan seems forced and heavy handed.
While mostly enjoyable, Prodigal Son was my least favorite book of the series. I still enjoy the character and I liked how the novel ended . . . a nice set up for the next book.
bchristian541's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Another great book in the Orphan X series. This book put together so many different ties in Evan's life. So many twists and turns that kept me interested. I did not want to put it down. Waiting for the next installment is going to be rough.
stevem0214's review
5.0
The Evan Smoak series is like the movies I make fun of people for watching. Crazy action, the good guy gets hurt, but nover so bad he can't keep going and the Evan, he keeps growing as a character. This series if just fun! This one takes us into a world of killer drones that have their own mind...007 stuff for sure, but fun!