Tag: government secrets

REVIEW: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

REVIEW: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

For years, Evan has used the skills the Orphan program gave him to help people in desperate need of his talents as the Nowhere Man. But the US government didn’t like that. They said he could have a pardon for all he’s done – under orders and under his own conscience – if he stopped being the Nowhere Man. But he didn’t. And they have hunted him down.

Now he has a new offer – help the President by taking out a problem and his pardon agreement will be reinstated. But X is working on his own terms – he needs to check the guy out for himself. But what he finds isn’t what he expected.

Review

I read this series for two reasons:

One, my husband loves it. I read one of the early books for a family challenge a few years ago.
Two, I love the series characters.

But these books are often dark and super violent. So they don’t always click for me. I’ve even skipped a couple along the way. This one really only worked for me about 60% of the time. Most of the scenes with the villain fell flat. He was annoying. I hated him, but not in a “he needs to pay”/someone needs justice sort of way. More in a “when can we get back to the good stuff?” way.

Honestly, EVERY OTHER THING in the book (other than the violence/gore/icky bits) was a delight – Joey, other old friends, Evan’s personal growth. Even the scenes with the governmental powers that be who were coercing Evan were brilliant. Emotionally, I felt like I was reading two different books – one laugh-out-loud-funny and smart and sharp while the other was flat, bland, and colorless. I’m not sure if the author was trying to create a sort of Moriarty character here, (which I don’t enjoy in Sherlock Holmes either – although the recent Enola Holmes movie did an amazing job with the character) but it did not work for me.

I think there’s a lot here for series fans to enjoy. I bookmarked many perfect moments as I read. Readers who really get into the villainous interchanges here will find this to be the full package. But if the villain falls flat for you too, this may be an “only okay” addition to the series. Newcomers should not start here. I think this book only has a chance of being satisfying if you’ve read enough of the previous 7 stories. Context matters here. (Language, sex, sexual references including references to sexual assault, gore, violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Angry Robot in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Taylor is off-planet on personal business while Kovalic and the rest of the team are enjoying a little down time after their last mission [The Aleph Extraction] when a bomb goes off on Terra Nova – almost in front of Simon. And he sees someone in the crowd who should not be there.

But as the Special Projects Team tries to investigate, they run into roadblocks – both from the terrorists who set the bomb and the authorities. But Kovalic can’t shake what – who – he saw and what it might mean for his team – and their mission.

Review

Gah!! This is the best of this series so far! I loved all of this! There are some great surprises and an epic cliffhanger that left me stunned. I need the next book NOW! A few threads left open after Aleph go unmentioned here, leaving me to wonder how those pieces will tie into what happens going forward. Ack! This was excellent!

I can’t believe I have never reviewed one of these books on my blog – I looked! It’s a great sci-fi/spy series that’s a must buy/must read for me. I did a full re-read to prep for this, including the short stories, and it was the best idea I have had in awhile. It was great to get the full impact of the series at once. The stories, in order, are:

  • The Caledonian Gambit (considered a prequel or book 0 in the series) – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Pilot Error” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Bayern Agenda – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Showdown” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Aleph Extraction – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Homecoming” (short story) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • and now The Nova Incident

Not only did my re-read refresh my memory of the characters and their earlier adventures, but it was also a great way to appreciate how terrific this series is.

Readers should definitely read these in order. Caledonian was published by another publisher which is why it is considered a prequel, but I think it fills in some important details and shouldn’t be skipped. (I actually did skip it initially since Bayern was listed as “Book 1.” But all the way through I felt like I was missing context and backstory, which I don’t enjoy. )

This series is perfect for readers who love action/adventure and spy stories – as well as those who love science fiction. The spy thriller is primary – the setting is space and a galactic cold war with great futuristic tech. It’s a great fit for me. And this book, The Nova Incident, is the best of the series in my opinion. Highly recommend! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

The Nowhere Man, Evan Smoak, is retired from government work  and from being a vigilante fixer. He expects that to mean the Nowhere Man phone will stop ringing. But that is not the case. Even more surprising? The latest caller insists that she’s his birth mother.

The woman asks Evan to help a man named Andrew Duran. Andrew witnessed a murder and was set up to take the fall. He’s on the run, and Evan is curious enough about the whole thing to try to find him.

But this case, that can’t be a case because Evan is retired and could lose his pardon, is going to bring Evan face to face with his childhood. And even though he knows his own Commandment Four by heart, this case is definitely personal.

Review

Wow!! There is a LOT going on here. The core of the book is the trouble Andrew Duran is in and how Evan plans to help him. And just when I think Hurwitz has hit the peak of his bad guy plots, he writes another one that takes things to a whole new level. The story in this book will literally chase Evan to the final page. Fans of this suspense series will find all the usual series pieces they love in this book. But there’s so much more.

My husband is a HUGE fan of this series. He gave me book one, Orphan X, to read early last year (♥♥♥♥), and then challenged me to read book 3, Hellbent, last summer (♥♥♥♥½) because he thought I might enjoy the series a little more with the addition of Evan’s teen protégé, Joey. I also read book 4, Out of the Dark (♥♥♥♥), but did not enjoy the start of book 5, so I skipped it. I have also read the three short stories with mixed reviews (“The List,” Joey’s story, was outstanding! – ♥♥♥♥♥).  All that to say, I show up to this series for Joey, frankly, and for the relationship between her and Evan. I like Evan well enough, and his cases are pretty interesting. But the violence can be a bit much for me at times, and the missions drag in the middle for me. That’s not a knock on this series. I feel the same way about other suspense thrillers. I completely skip the Baldaccis my husband loves for this reason. But Joey and Even keep me returning to this one. Every scene with Joey is a delight. I love her on her own, but I absolutely adore what her presence does for Evan.

Then, in Prodigal Son, Hurwitz adds a new interpersonal wrinkle – the supposed birth mother. Her call forces Evan to look at his childhood, and his current relationships, in new ways. (The book includes scenes from Evan’s childhood in foster care which were fascinating.) I especially enjoyed watching how this mom issue shifted Evan’s relationship with Joey. This whole aspect of the story was brilliant. It added a fantastic new layer to Evan.

The ending will leave readers gasping – and grasping for the next volume. I have book 7, which hasn’t even been announced yet, on my mental wish list. I have to see what will happen next! Series fans will NOT want to miss this.

While I think you could probably read this without the rest of the series, I think it would be frustrating to not understand the interplay between characters, and Evan’s full history. So if you are new to the Orphan X series, start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. (I have skipped book 2 and 80% of book 5 without issue. I don’t think the short stories are essential reading, but “The List” is my favorite of the three.) This is one of the best books in the series, and thriller fans should not miss it. (Language, violence, alcohol addiction, vaping, sexual references, TW: rape and sexual assault, child abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.