From the Bookshelf of 2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2…

Out of the Dark (Orphan X, #4)

Gregg Hurwitz

Start date: March 1, 2023

Finish date: March 31, 2023

Discussion: Out of the Dark

Discussion leader: Jonetta

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Out of the Dark

* Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz
By Jonetta · 1 post · 8 views

last updated Feb 28, 2023 04:28AM

Question G
By Jonetta · 5 posts · 3 views

last updated Jun 28, 2023 11:40AM

What Members Thought

Jul 15, 2019 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

This was brilliant - absolutely brilliant. I remember reviewing book one and making snide comments about Evan and his vodka fetish and the living wall. Well these things are still very much in evidence and I don't care any more. Evan is amazing anyway!

What a book. Absolute non stop action, two great stories running simultaneously, a superb and unexpected ending. So good. Evan is like a young, modern Jack Reacher. Even surrounded by numerous armed thugs and unarmed himself he still wins. Ridiculo ...more

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Mar 27, 2023 Jonetta rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2023-audiobook-challenge, audiobook, 3500-2022, 2023-beat-the-backlist, mystery-suspense-thriller, 2023-library-love, group-read, nc-br-digital-library

the setup…
We learned in the last book who really was behind the mission to eliminate the remaining Orphans in the program…Jonathan Bennett, the President of the United States. He’s the man who created the program and Evan Smoak, Orphan X, is his next target. But Evan is turning the tables on him, putting him on notice that he’s coming after Bennett. The President knows his only chance for survival is Orphan A, Judd Holt, who he activates from prison. It’s an unevenly matched battle as Bennett ha ...more

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Mar 27, 2023 Robin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2023, suspense, kindle-unlimited

At an early age, Evan Smoak was taken from a children's home and trained as an assassin, becoming Orphan X. After years of killing on behalf of the government, Evan went off the grid as he stepped away from the program. Now he has become the Nowhere Man, a guy who helps those who can't help themselves.

Now someone is picking off the former orphans and their handlers. President Jonathan Bennett originated the Orphan program when he was part of the Department of Defense. Now he wants it eliminated ...more

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Nov 28, 2020 Wendy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5000-2020, dec-20

Gregg Hurwitz is one of my all-time favourite authors and a go to author if I need little sleep as a result of not being able to put his book down. Out of the Dark is the 4th book in his "Orphan X" series and it is definitely one of those books. Tons of fun and a page-turning, exciting thriller!
12 yr old Evan Smoak (Orphan X) was taken from a group home and trained as an assassin in the Orphan Program. Many years later someone is trying to kill all of the "Orphans", many already dead. Evan plans ...more

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Jan 14, 2019 Darcia Helle rated it liked it

Shelves: review-copies, ebooks, fiction, suspense-thriller-mystery

'Out of the Dark' is the fourth Orphan X novel. While you could essentially read this one as a stand-alone, I think this is the type of series that almost requires you to start at the beginning. Evan Smoak's character evolves in specific ways as the series goes along, and threads of various story lines carry over from one book to the next.

I loved the first three in this series. Unfortunately, this fourth one didn't wow me the way the others did.

We have the main plot of Evan up against the presi 'Out of the Dark' is the fourth Orphan X novel. While you could essentially read this one as a stand-alone, I think this is the type of series that almost requires you to start at the beginning. Evan Smoak's character evolves in specific ways as the series goes along, and threads of various story lines carry over from one book to the next.

I loved the first three in this series. Unfortunately, this fourth one didn't wow me the way the others did.

We have the main plot of Evan up against the president and all the president's resources. Then we have three subplots: Evan taking on an organized crime ring to help a man in trouble, Evan's complicated love life, and Orphan A's relentless pursuit to find and kill Evan for his own personal reasons. Despite all this activity, the first half of the story moves slowly. Not much happens as Evan wanders around, deciding and planning. When the action does finally get going, the various subplots clash more than complement one another. The story feels chaotic.

While thrillers of this sort tend to stretch the boundaries of plausibility, this one goes overboard. Evan is able to heroically take on large groups of trained killers all at once, while also avoiding capture by a desperate president using every resource at his disposal.

Evan is also much more brutal in the way he kills in this book, which makes him less of a sympathetic character.

The constant dropping of brand names, from fancy liquor to high-end weapons, grated on my nerves. In the midst of chaos, Evan would stop for meals including "cauliflower mousse," while looking through his "Steiner tactical binoculars." A little name-dropping goes a long way, and this one went way too far.

The pacing during the second half is consistent with the feel of the first three books. Unfortunately, the lull of the first half, combined with the implausible and annoying factors, left me less committed. While I enjoyed moments, this one never held me riveted like the others did.

*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*

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Mar 12, 2023 Charlene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: crime, alzheimer-s, public-library, rated-not-reviewed, adult-themes, law-enforcement, series-by-author, follow-this-series, mystery, differently-abled

This one had me on the edge of my seat (when my cat wasn't crowding me in) and holding my breath for nearly the duration. Well written, good story, character(s) I liked, more that got what they deserved [in Evan Smoak's world]. Shifts between LA and DC. I wonder what Book #5 can possibly do that surpasses this one....

==re-read. July 31-Aug 1, 2023
Same 5 * rating, but there was so much more to this book than I retained before. I find myself
wondering about the surprise demise of the Mystery Man. I ...more

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Jun 29, 2023 Sharon Kallenberger Marzola rated it it was amazing

Shelves: great-support-characters, challenge-read, love-hero, buddy-read

Out of the Dark is my favorite in the series so far. Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, is on the hunt for President Bennett. Bennett is the person behind killing all the Orphans from the covert group of assassins who were kidnapped as children and trained for super-secret activities. Bennett commissions Orphan A, Judd Holt to take down Evan. Orphan A and Orphan X have a history and A hates X.

What a tense and exciting story!! Evan finds himself in the fight of his life on two fronts. Not only is he t Out of the Dark is my favorite in the series so far. Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, is on the hunt for President Bennett. Bennett is the person behind killing all the Orphans from the covert group of assassins who were kidnapped as children and trained for super-secret activities. Bennett commissions Orphan A, Judd Holt to take down Evan. Orphan A and Orphan X have a history and A hates X.

What a tense and exciting story!! Evan finds himself in the fight of his life on two fronts. Not only is he taking on the President, but his “Nowhere Man” case is also very dangerous. The Nowhere Man is Evan’s attempt to make up for the jobs he did as Orphan X. Trevor Gaines is a mentally challenged young man who was doing his job when a suspicious shipment was checked in. Trevor reports it to the authorities, and the incident leads to his entire family being brutally slaughtered.

Out of the Dark is a fast-paced, on-the-edge-of-your-seat story. Every page has something happening to Evan or the people surrounding him. Trevor is a sweet and lovable character. His loss brought out my need for revenge much more than I expected. Out of all the Nowhere man’s “jobs” in this series, I wanted the people who made Trevor suffer to suffer exponentially more.

I found Evan’s mission to take down the President full of anxiety. Bennett knew how the Orphans operated and tried to beat Orphan X at his own game. Evan was also off his game several times due to unexpected events, both personal and professional. Also, I wondered how much of this story is based on true covert missions, excluding the killing of the President. I hurt for Evan as he deals with the fact that a “normal” life is not in his future.

I highly recommend this series if you are interested in espionage, covert activities, etc. I listen to this series via Kindle Unlimited or Audible. Scott Brick continues to make these characters real in my mind. He understands the story and translates the words on the page to real pain, tension, and loss for the listener. Five stars all around, in my opinion.
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