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A review by jbeen21
Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
2.0
Thank you to the Goodreads First Reads giveaways program for a hardcover copy of Gregg Hurwitz’s thriller, “Orphan X.”
The book began with a promising premise: twelve-year-old Evan, an orphan, was recruited into a top-secret assassin training program, his identity unknown by all but his handler, Jack. Under Jack’s tutelage, Evan mastered martial arts fighting techniques, weapon-handling, vodka appreciation, and the intricacies of world cultures. He left the Orphan Program as an adult, moved to Los Angeles and put his skills to use as a freelance bad-guy-killer, requiring only that the potential victims he freed from danger pass his super-top-secret phone number onto someone else in deep trouble.
As the book progressed and Evan became personally-invested in a dangerous job with an untrustworthy character, I quickly lost interest. The plot was predictable and thin, with few surprising twists or character developments. Evan was a bland, forgettable protagonist. The minor characters in Evan’s apartment complex were stereotypical (frazzled single mom; nosy old people). And the excessive descriptions of weaponry, vodka types, and apartment décor weighed down what should have been an action-rich story.
I appreciate the opportunity to try a new series, but this first Evan Smoak book just didn’t excite me. Maybe NEXT TIME, Mr. Hurwitz.
The book began with a promising premise: twelve-year-old Evan, an orphan, was recruited into a top-secret assassin training program, his identity unknown by all but his handler, Jack. Under Jack’s tutelage, Evan mastered martial arts fighting techniques, weapon-handling, vodka appreciation, and the intricacies of world cultures. He left the Orphan Program as an adult, moved to Los Angeles and put his skills to use as a freelance bad-guy-killer, requiring only that the potential victims he freed from danger pass his super-top-secret phone number onto someone else in deep trouble.
As the book progressed and Evan became personally-invested in a dangerous job with an untrustworthy character, I quickly lost interest. The plot was predictable and thin, with few surprising twists or character developments. Evan was a bland, forgettable protagonist. The minor characters in Evan’s apartment complex were stereotypical (frazzled single mom; nosy old people). And the excessive descriptions of weaponry, vodka types, and apartment décor weighed down what should have been an action-rich story.
I appreciate the opportunity to try a new series, but this first Evan Smoak book just didn’t excite me. Maybe NEXT TIME, Mr. Hurwitz.