Buy a Bullet

An Orphan X Story (Evan Smoak)

By: Gregg Hurwitz

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 37 mins

Publisher's summary

The Nowhere Man is a figure shrouded in secrecy - a near legendary figure who helps those lucky few who are given the means to reach out to him. Before he was the Nowhere Man, Evan Smoak was a highly trained government operative known to a few as Orphan X. This is the story of Smoak's first outing as the Nowhere Man, where after completing a mission in Northern California, he happens to spot a young woman at a coffee shop. Brutalized and under the control of a very powerful, unscrupulous man, her life is in danger if she doesn't escape. And the only person that can help her do that is a man with the background and skills of the Nowhere Man.

©2016 Gregg Hurwitz. (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Short and sweet

Highly enjoyable read. The writing is tight and Scott Brick's narration is awesome as usual. I do think it would be better if you read the previous book so you have some idea of the character since there isn't any sort of intro on this one. I'm hoping it is being released in anticipation of a formal sequel soon.

Perfect keystone to Orphan X

Hurwitz spun a masterful story when brought Evan Smoak to life. This short story was perfectly written for the reader wanting to understand who Evan is.

Short but satisfying!

Cool to hear about how it began. Scott Brick is the perfect narrator for this series,

not bad

not a bad short story, though I thought it could have been a little more detailed

Short story - overpriced

This is book 1.5 of the Evan Smoak series. While it doesn’t contain spoilers to book 1, Orphan X - it’s brevity would best be enjoyed after that background. This review may contain spoilers to previous books.

Short story of a self-identified case that restarts Evan’s “career” as The Nowhere Man. Surveillance and then rescue. Enjoyable hour.

I enjoyed it, but this really should have been included as a bonus in another novel or all the shorts bundled into one - $4 for a 35 min audiobook is too much.

Narration:
Scott Brick was great.

This is a FUBAR, To be a book require to be at least 4 hrs, this is not more than than 6 pg, this is an insult to the word BOOK

This is a FUBAR! Wherever this is 6 pgs is an insult to the word “BOOK “

To the point

Greg gets todays reader sometimes it just has to be to the point short and sweet

My third short story of today

I'm not a fan of very short stories of less than 2 hours in length, but after listening to the 38 minute Buy a Bullet by Gregg Hurwitz and the 27 minute Second Thoughts by Steven James, both today, I may change my mind. Both stories are wonderful (the third short story today is the 84 minute The 4th Man by Lisa Gardner which is excellent, but not as good as the others.)

Before Orphan X I was not a big fan of Gregg Hurwitz. His earlier novels are very good, but I listened as much to hear Scott Brick's narrations as for the content. The beginning of the Orphan X/Evan Smoak series changed that. Buy a Bullet will tide me over until the release of Nowhere Man in two weeks.

Caution - Novella Prequel

What did you like best about Buy a Bullet? What did you like least?

Just finished the original book (Orphan X) in the series, and was looking for the next book in the series. Purchased the book the audible app on my phone, so I wasn't aware it was a novella until after partway into the book.

Story was just ok, it provided some limited, additional background to the original. Not anywhere close in quality to the original book though, and in hindsight (having heard the story and knowing it was a novella), I would not have purchased this. Overall felt like the author was running a bit low on funds, and decided to write a quick novella for a bit of extra cash.

Would you be willing to try another book from Gregg Hurwitz? Why or why not?

I enjoyed the original book in the series, and so am going to buy the second full length sequel. Will not purchase any future novellas though.

Would you be willing to try another one of Scott Brick’s performances?

Definitely. Scott Brick did a great job of bringing the character to life.

Could you see Buy a Bullet being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Potentially yes. In many ways this book reminded me of Robert Ludlum's original Bourne books.

The transformation from Orphan to Nowhere Man

"Who are you?" He hesitates. He hasn't used the name, not in several years and never in this context.
"The Nowhere Man."

Buy a Bullet is a novella prequel to Orphan X and tells the story of Evan Smoak's first case that led his transformation from the disenfranchised Orphan to the boogeyman Nowhere Man, savior of the helpless and nightmare to those who never see him coming from the shadows.

I'm not into novellas. I find them to be a gimmick for authors to gain more revenue by releasing little clips of world building or character building that don't really add to the main story-line, but were just little ideas that kept haunting the author. I prefer to just ignore them and not really pay attention, but Audible was doing their 50% off sale and this 40 minute novella was like a dollar and I'm a sucker for 99 cent deals.

Buy a Bullet in my opinion, did add a little to the richness of the Evan Smoak story and I appreciated seeing the first 'mission' that led to Smoak's creation of his persona as the Nowhere Man outside of the Orphan organization. We see Smoak's code of ethics and Ten Commandments at work and his 'white knight' persona as he strives to save a woman very much in distress (an action that will cause him to slip in the later years and sabotage his own missions and life focus). His rote of "Don't make it personal." seems to be at odds with the choice of missions he takes and the people he helps, but to Evan, it makes sense and works within his sphere of knowledge and training that he was given.

Scott Brick was the narrator again for this little novella, and again, I really appreciate the voice he brings to life as Evan Smoak. The little pauses, breaths he takes, and the tone of voice all adds to an atmosphere of suspense and enjoyment from listening to a good spy tale being told.

While this novella doesn't necessarily add to the story-line or impact it in any major way, I did appreciate seeing the beginning of the Nowhere Man and his very first mission. I think it helps explain some of the actions of Smoak in Orphan X and how the problems he encounters in the first novel. White Knights don't know how to be anything but White Knights and sooner or later, it'll be their downfall. Excellent little story to keep the reader/listener chomping at the bit for the next good chunk of story from Gregg Hurwitz.