Evan Smoak is a man with many identities and a challenging past. As Orphan X, he was a government assassin for the off-the-books Orphan Program. After he broke with the Program, he adopted a new name and a new mission—The Nowhere Man, helping the most desperate in their times of trouble. Having just survived an attack on his life, and the complete devastation of his base of operations, as well as his complicated (and deepening) relationship with his neighbor Mia Hall, Evan isn't interested in taking on a new mission. But one finds him anyway.

Aragon Urrea is a kingpin of a major drug-dealing operation in South Texas. He's also the patron of the local area—suppyling employment in legitimate operations, providing help to the helpless, a rough justice to the downtrodden, and a future to a people normally with little hope. He's complicated—a not completely good man, who does bad things for often good reasons. However, for all his money and power, he is helpless when one of the most vicious cartels kidnaps his innocent eighteen year old daughter, spiriting her away into the armored complex that is their headquarters in Mexico. With no other way to rescue his daughter, he turns to The Nowhere Man.

Now not only must Evan figure out how to get into the impregnable fortress of a heavily armed, deeply paranoid cartel leader, but he must decide if he should help a very bad man—no matter how just the cause.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

Listening Length

15 hours and 7 minutes
Author

Gregg Hurwitz
Narrator

Scott Brick
Audible release date

February 8, 2022
Language

English
Publisher

Macmillan Audio
ASIN

B094DPKFHX
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	15 hours and 7 minutes
Author	Gregg Hurwitz
Narrator	Scott Brick
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	February 08, 2022
Publisher	Macmillan Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B094DPKFHX
Best Sellers Rank	#2,359 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #85 in Crime Thrillers (Audible Books & Originals) #279 in Suspense (Audible Books & Originals) #4,295 in Crime Thrillers (Books)

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4.6 out of 5

8,494 global ratings

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F Goldie

Dark Horse

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 14, 2022

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Even Smoak is a 5 star hero, as always. I gave the book 4 stars because I completely don't like stories involving drug cartels. It took me many months to read the book because of that. If you don't mind the cartel brutality, then you're sure to enjoy another impeccable Evan Smoak superbly written story.

5 people found this helpful

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Diane Dicke

Great Series!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 3, 2023

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One of my favorite series that just keeps getting better! Evan Smoak is back with a new mission and a moral dilemma.

One person found this helpful

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Tim

best x book yet

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 1, 2023

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Didn’t want to put this one down. Full of action as always, along with good messaging. Can’t wait for his next book

2 people found this helpful

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Joanna J

Not as good as the previous ones in this series

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 1, 2022

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Orphan X is one of my favourite series, but I found this one rather a slog - partly because it’s not the story I’ve been waiting a year for, after the cliffhanger ending of the previous book. I bought this a while ago, and previously would’ve dropped everything to read it straight away, but kept putting it off, perhaps intuiting that I might be heading for another disappointment. Overly long, Dark Horse has Evan Smoak infiltrating an evil Mexican drug lord’s base of operations to rescue the daughter of another Mexican drug lord who is merely bad not evil. There’s the usual action, guns, gadgets and human complications in the form of Evan’s enlarging surrogate family of friends and associates, but some of the tricks are getting a bit stale.

After surviving the attack on his penthouse apartment at the end of book six (I’ve forgotten who was responsible for that and this plot line goes nowhere) Evan is rebuilding - you’d think that since they know where he lives he would move, but he’s unnaturally attached to his annoying neighbours. When his Roamphone rings his next mission begins, taking him to the wilds of Texas where “unconventional businessman” Aragon Urrea, whose teenage daughter has been kidnapped and taken to the lair of insane cartel boss Raùl Montesco. Evan has other things on his mind, like meeting Mia’s brother and keeping Joey out of trouble, but a promise has been made, so off he goes to Mexico to enter the lion’s den…

I so loved the early books in the series that these last two have suffered by comparison. I love one-warrior-fighting-impossible-odds type stories, but this was so implausible and the outcome never felt in any doubt. The set-up, to show us just how horrible Montesco was, as he casually kills a variety of people in excessively gory ways, took a long time, but the ease with which Evan gains his trust just didn’t make sense. Apparently this is only 452 pages, but it felt a lot longer, partly because I had to keep stopping to look up the meaning of words - some in Spanish, some in made up English eg:“Rumbling upslope and down as the terrain dimensionalized.” The last quarter was at least exciting enough to pull me in, wrap up the central story, then leave us with another annoying cliffhanger.
I do still want to continue the series - the next one’s not out until February 2023, but hope we can get back to the main Orphan storyline. 3.5 rounded down .

4 people found this helpful

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DMc

An Excellent Read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 28, 2022

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Thus is the series I can't let go of! This book reminds me of the Clint Eastwood movie, a Fistful of Dollars, where the 'man with no name' infiltrates two gangs and convinces both sides he's looking out for them. His goal is to take them both down. In this book, his goal is to take one cartel down willingly, the other, not so much.
It was fun to observe him manipulate the bad, bad guys (as opposed to the good, bad guys), and convince them he is protecting their interests.
A few plot twists are included to catch you of guard.
This was Evan Smoak at his diabolical, intriguing best. As calculating as ever, and as entertaining as ever.
Now the wait begins for the next (last?) iteration. I can't wait!

4 people found this helpful

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Sheri

Not something I would normally read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 5, 2022

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Once in awhile I browse thru different genres in the Kindle store looking for something new to read. If I find something interesting, I make note of the author as who to read.
On this browse-thru, I stumbled upon Orphan X. I wrote down the author's name and continued browsing.
I have a few favorite authors, only 2 are "big names"(Stephen King & James Rollins). The other 3 I discovered in the Kindle store & read them because the 1st book was free. I have read all of Mark Tufo's "Zombie Fallout", all of Chris Philbrook's "Adrian's Undead Diary " and Sam Sisavath's "Purge of Babylon".
Now I've made Gregg Hurwitz a favorite author and have read the "Orphan X" series twice. Next year is too long to wait for the next book!!!
Action, suspense, this was PACKED with both! (It takes awhile, but it's nice to know that the Nowhere Man has a sense of humor.) I can honestly say I enjoyed ALL the characters and although the books aren't a continuation of each other, they don't go so far afield to make you think, "Ok, I'm not finishing this, there's no connection or continuity here." I read a book a few years ago that was 1st in a series. The only thing connecting the 1st with the 2nd was the main character. I didn't get 1/4 of the 2nd book read before deciding it wasn't worth it to continue.
Yes, this is a bit long, but I hope I've made myself clear enough that you'll at least read the first book!! Highly unlikely, but my fingers are crossed that the next book comes out early!! Highly recommended!

2 people found this helpful

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Pierre David

I was disappointed

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 11, 2022

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It’s as usual very very well written.. I just didn’t like the world of this plot as much as the previous Orphan X stories… I felt the world wasn’t as overall exciting as previous books. Felt more like a Winslow novel, but not as compelling. I’m still a huge Hurwitz fan, and I hope the next one covers a larger canvass, more exciting and propulsive….

One person found this helpful

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Randy Bates

So very good.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 13, 2022

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I don't know how Gregg Hurwitz continues to keep writing these Orphan X novels at this level, but I'm sure glad he does. I never grow tired of Evan and company. Just keep them coming. This was another excellent installment in the series. If you're not reading them you should be!

2 people found this helpful

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vicki.reads.books

I think I'll always love Evan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 4, 2022

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I always look forward to the release of a new Orphan X book and again this one didn't disappoint. Dark Horse contains the usual violence, dry wit and fully rounded characters that Gregg Hurwitz does so well, this time with a focus on drug cartels.

What I particularly liked about this installment was the further peeling back of the layers of Evan's humanity. His mission to find the kidnapped daughter of an 'unconventional businessman' takes him to places in his own mind that he doesn't normally go, making him feel emotions he doesn't normally feel, leaving him struggling to stick to the ten commandments he has always lived by.

There are some fantastic characters introduced in this book, especially Aragon Urrea whom Evan is enlisted to help. There are also developments with much-loved series characters, which again pull Evan further from his Orphan X persona. If I was to be picky, there is one character who was hinted at towards the end of Prodigal Son and the start of Dark Horse who never materialises - hopefully they will feature in an upcoming chapter, as I think they would really develop Evan's character arc.

As usual the settings in Dark Horse are vividly described, and the writing is accomplished and gripping. I couldn't put the book down, and the ending (again) made me excited for more!

3 people found this helpful

Lagoon

Orphan X goes to war.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 19, 2022

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Being an assassin for hire, Evan Smoak can’t easily lay claim to the moral high ground. So when a man of somewhat dubious character seeks to engage Evan to bring back his kidnapped daughter, Evan doesn’t overthink his decision.

And then there is the kidnapping itself. In order to fulfil his mission, Evan must penetrate a drug cartel. And Evan is a man who doesn’t do things by halves. Throughout the book, we see a very human side of Evan. Never too busy to take a break from close combat to listen to the concerns of those around him. But this doesn’t overshadow the very visceral and highly orchestrated violence that Evan brings to the game.

Plenty of sassy dialogue, richly imagined settings and always a smattering of humour to create a fully rounded offering. Oh, and then there is the ending. Just have to see that for yourselves I’m afraid.

3 people found this helpful

Disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 6, 2022

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Books in the Orphan X series are generally excellent but this one left me underwhelmed. The soap opera storyline and philosphical/psychological musings at regular intervals were highly irritataing to say the least.
The flashes of humour seen previously in this series were few and far between. Most of the characters were thoroughly annoying - even, dare I say it, X himself (at times)! No complaints about Dog though.

3 people found this helpful

riggs

so disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 19, 2022

Verified Purchase

I looked forward to this book. Sadly I felt it was so poorly written that I even felt as if Hurwitz had used a ghost writer. He seems to be copying Lee Child's method of describing every action he is going to take.
Introducing Mia's family served no purpose - although I expect it was to make us think of Evan's struggle with "people's normal behaviour" - but we already knew that from previous books. I suspect with the amped up relationship with Mia that The Nowhere Man will no longer be able to live as he has - he'll be going nowhere.
Wait till you can buy this used - not worth the full price!

2 people found this helpful

Steve Rogers

Another One Bites the Dust

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 24, 2022

Verified Purchase

At the back of the book the author acknowledges dozens of people who ;helped' in the creation of this story. So that confirms the old adage about the number of cooks and broth. I can't help wondering why one of them didn't say
'its a bit rubbish isn't it? or
'really Romeo & Juliet but with drug cartels? '
or ' Do you really think its plausible that if a human being falls on the floor packs of rats will descend on him and eat him alive?' 'You Live in LA and the homeless are everywhere yet the rats are not eating them'
and yet...
that's not the worst part of this book.
In a desperate attempt to tempt hollywood (IMHO) he has sent his character woke.
We have already lost Reacher when Lee Child gave the keys to his Idiot brother, Movies are unwatchable virtue signalling rubbish and now Evan Smoak has bit the dust too.

One person found this helpful

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Dark Horse: An Orphan X Novel (Orphan X, Book 7) Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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