Out of the Dark

Gregg Hurwitz only gets better. I really liked, "Out of the Dark". 4.4 stars. I recommend you start your Evan Smoak journey with "Orphan X", which made Mr. Hurwitz one of my favorite authors. Then get through "The Nowhere Man", then put on your seat belt for "Hellbent" and "Out of the Dark".

Four books into a series even the official sales blurbs are spoilers, so if you want to enjoy this book without preconceived impressions from this review, it's time to move along. If spoilers only encourage you, lets get with it.

Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz

For president Bennett it has been calm and peaceful for over six months since Orphan X had informed him that he intended to exterminate him. When the president's limo makes a sudden left turn, Bennett thought, "Orphan X". Seconds later the secret service agent sitting next to the president lifted his hand to the earpiece. He then informed the president a threat had been identified, and they were changing course.

When Charles Van Sciver, Orphan Y, killed Jack Johns, Evan's mentor, dearest friend, and father figure, Evan became Hellbent on eliminating Van Sciver, his life long nemesis. Evan was going to shut down the Orphan project that Orphan Y was now running, once and for all.

By the time Evan Smoak survived and satisfied his compulsion for vengeance he had learned Van Sciver's determination to kill all the Orphans still alive may not have been as personal as he imagined. He learned that Van Sciver was taking orders from the man who created the program decades ago, and who was now president. He had also learned the president would not relent with his determination to kill everyone who may have known about the Orphan program.

When Orphan X confirmed President would not relent on his determination to kill the few remaining people who knew of the Orphan program that had eliminated all of Evan's options regarding the president. Evan had obligations to his mentor, Jack Johns, who had been murdered by the president's command. One of those obligations was an orphan program reject that Jack Johns had mentored as he mentored Evan. As long as Evan's charges were in danger from the president, the president had to die.

Unfortunately, the president of the USA is the hardest person in the world to kill, and this president started the Orphan program and wasn't sitting around waiting for assassination attempts. He still had one Orphan loyal to him. One who already wanted to kill Orphan X.

I thought this was one of the best Orphan X novels yet. I enjoy rather mindless action-adventure thrillers or suspense stories which are primarily plot driven stories. I believe Orphan X has been primarily character driven. Of course, killing a president would always be a difficult novel to write: Can the reader "suspend disbelief" with the information the author supplies - point of view? Much of the Orphan X novels are actually about Orphan X, how he copes with his unusual life. He wants things that are impossible if he continues his way of life which is all he really knows. He believes he can give up this lifestyle, then just as he is committing to the new way of life, "The Nowhere Man" phone rings. He's needed and this is what has driven his life for years.

I read/listened to this book between August 22 and August 24, 2019.

See my Goodreads reviews here.