Out of the Dark

Publisher's Summary

When darkness closes in - he's your last, best hope. Evan Smoak returns in Gregg Hurwitz’s #1 international bestselling Orphan X series.

Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets - i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan's past in the Orphan Program is reaching out to him.

Someone at the very highest level of government has been trying to eliminate every trace of the Orphan Program by killing all the remaining Orphans and their trainers. After Evan's mentor and the only father he ever knew was killed, he decided to strike back. His target is the man who started the program and who is now the most heavily guarded person in the world: the President of the United States.

But President Bennett knows that Orphan X is after him and, using weapons of his own, he's decided to counter-attack. Bennett activates the one man who has the skills and experience to track down and take out Orphan X - the first recruit of the program, Orphan A. 

With Evan devoting all his skills, resources, and intelligence to find a way through the layers of security that surround the President, suddenly he also has to protect himself against the deadliest of opponents. It's Orphan vs. Orphan with the future of the country - even the world - on the line.

©2019 Gregg Hurwitz (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing Inc., all rights reserved.

Just some comments

WOW! OUT OF THE DARK was released 2 and 1/2 days ago and there are already 10 reviews and 96 ratings. The fourth novel in the Orphan X/Evan Smoak series is a clear winner. With this series Gregg Hurwitz places himself among the best of the espionage series authors. Evan Smoak is a unique character among espionage novel protagonists. It was narrator Scott Brick who originally led me to Hurwitz's novels, but Evan Smoak will keep me following this author.

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

SMOAKIN' HOT!!!!

As the forth book in the Orphan X series this book does not disappoint. Gregg Hurwitz has written another winner with a super storyline. Although each of the books in this series can be listened to as a stand alone, I would suggest listening to them in the order which they were written for continuity and background info. This book starts out with a glimpse into Evan Smoak's beginnings. At the age of 19 he's sent out into the world as a trained killing machine. He's well trained but his handler has given him one thing 25 other well trained killing machines do not have, a conscious.
Fast forward and Evan is long out of the agency formed by the US government. The creator of the Orphan program is now the POTUS and he's eliminating all members of his anonymous (even to each other) team. He's using them to kill each other. Evan sees clearly what is going on and realizes he must take out the head for any of them to be safe.
Meanwhile in what has become a formula for the Orphan X series, while Evan is battling his demons he continues to be a beacon for people with no one else to turn to but in more trouble than they can handle.
So Evan is being pursued when he receives a call from Trevon, a young autistic man who has gotten himself on the wrong side of a drug cartel. They've murdered almost his entire family and are setting him up to take the fall.
This is book is so far the best in this series. I believe Hurwitz has raised his own bar so high, I can't begin to imagine what his next book will be!

Scott Brick's narration is as always amazing.
This book has my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS!
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Thank You.

31 of 35 people found this review helpful

A Time to Kill

Out of the Dark is the 4th fantastic book in the Evan Smoak series of page-turning adventures by The New York Times best-selling thriller writer Gregg Hurwitz. When I reviewd Orphan X a few years ago, I fell instantly in love with Gregg‘s work and I found myself backtracking through many of his previously released ”on the edge of your seat” thrillers, enjoying them very much and now I am glad to be able to say that I listened to all of the them.

Spoken about only in whispers, it is said that when the Nowhere Man is reached by the truly desperate, he can and will do anything to save them, but now, he is the one who puts the fear of God into his enemies.

The story follows Evan Smoak  a.k.a The Nowhere Man. He is a skilled assassin trained in the, now defunct, off the books, Orphan program. Usually, Evan uses his knowledge, resources and talents to help desperate people that have nowhere else to turn, to find solutions for their, seemingly, unsolvable problems, but now everything is personal. The most deadly assassin in the World is hunting the most unavailable and well protected man in the World, but, at the same time, this man is hunting Evan as well...

Filled with non stop, over the top action, Out of the Dark is unputdownable and you’ll find yourself holding your breath from time to time as you cheer Evan on his quest. Gregg Hurwitz did a great job preparing this book for first timers to the series, but I highly suggest that you treat yourself to all other previously released books, as there are great and you will understand the story arc better.

As always, Scott Brick is the narrator of choice for almost all Gregg Hurwitz’s thrillers and he delivers another amazing performance in Out of the Dark. The entire book is filled with anxiety, tension, urgency, drama and paranoia. Scott will make you feel and live all of them. I found myself holding my breath, feeling anxious and, at some points, scared. I felt sad and angry, I smiled and almost cried… Out of the Dark is definitely better experienced as an audiobook, in the detriment of its paperback or Kindle Edition.

Scott Brick is one of the best narrators in the Audiobook Industry and every book recorded by him is great! He gives life to all the characters and, at the same time, he paints a vivid picture of everything happening in the story. The immersion is total, while his narration is mesmerizing and unparalleled.

If you like thrillers, if you like The Bourne Identity, One Shot, Back Blast, The English Spy and American Assassin, you’ll love what Gregg Hurwitz has done with Out of the Dark. I listened to the entire audiobook in the last 24 hours because I could not stop! Now, I will await the next adventure. The good news is that Mr. Hurwitz has signed a deal for three more Orphan X novels!

16 of 19 people found this review helpful

Outstanding

Legitimately one of the best series of books I’ve read. I can’t express plainly enough how incredible this book is. So simply enough, read it, you won’t be disappointed in the slightest!

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

The Perfect Thriller!!

Gregg Hurwitz has outdone himself!! I loved this book! Several stories intertwined, non-stop thrills and a very satisfying ending. And as always, perfect narration from Scott Brick. I can’t wait for the next one!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Solid addition to the series

I like Evan Smoak as a character - he's compassionate, but deadly. These books are fun stories for the road - not too graphically violent, and enough twists to keep me engaged. Unfortunately, either I am getting tired of Scott Brick's over-dramatization or he is becoming more overly-dramatic in his reading style. I was distracted by his narration in this book, as I have not in the past. He.Says.Each.Word.With.A.Dramatic.PAUSE! Not only during the more intense scenes, but even when the main character is pouring a shot of vodka.
As for the story, it was just as solid as the other books, and worth the wait. I am looking forward to the next installation already.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Wow, Orphan X strikes again

The initial reviews of the pre-release was starting to scare me. I wondered if there could seriously be a bad OX book. They were dead wrong, this book is another incredible thrill ride of a story. Orphan X is my favorite and I listened so fast because I NEEDED to know. Now I am sad that I finished it. Buy this book, buy this series!! G. Hurwitz - thank you for your books, I enjoy them all and cannot wait to start another one. Scott Brick - Best freakin audio book narrator. Nobody, I mean absolutely nobody can touch you.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

An all-night listen

I don't know how Gregg Hurwitz does it, but I hope he keeps on! He keeps ramping up the intensity of the Orphan X novels, each one surpassing what seem to be unsurpassable levels of plotting excellence and character development. If you enjoy espionage thrillers, you NEED to check out this series!

Scott Brick, as always, IS the voice of Evan Smoak, but in this book, he provided another voice, one much more innocent than before. New characters and old friends - Out of the Dark has it all!

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Soooo Good!

I really hope there will be more to this series. I have come to really enjoy Evan Smoke and I think there is so much more to explore with this unique character.

I was really looking forward to listening to this book and it did not disappoint. I want more Gregg Hurwitz!

By far my favorite series and each book gets better. What a great movie it could make!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

My Hero

I have a huge man crush on Evan Smoak. Thank you Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Brick for bringing The Nowhere Man to life. This is a great book in an unbelievably good series.