Review - Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

I finally got around to reading Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz, and I must say this book is incredible.

I haven't read any of the Bourne books, so my only reference is the movies, but Evan Smoak, Hurwitz's main character, reminds me a lot of Jason Bourne, with a little Agent 47 from the Hitman video games mixed in.

Hurwitz gives us a novel that is full of action, but isn't carried by action. Hurwitz dives into his main character's past and really does a great job of developing Smoak throughout the novel.

Another thing Hurwitz does exceptionally well is develop his secondary characters. This is something that many authors take for granted. As a reader, I want to know what drives not only the main character, but also the villains. I want to know their motivations and what makes them tick. Hurwitz really pays attention to make sure his readers know all of the characters in the story, not just his hero.

The mix of action and character development is done in a way that really keeps the reader interested.

Smoak is a complex character that struggles with his past, while using his past to help him succeed in his present and future.

Hurwitz also does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing. With a lot of novels, "plot twists" are easy to pick out. Hurwitz, however, weaves a web that is difficult for the reader to pick through, which keeps the audience engaged. I'm halfway through the third book in this series and there are threads that were introduced in the first and second novels, that I'm just now starting to figure out. I love that! I want to be surprised, and Hurwitz does that for his readers.

If you're a fan of military/spy thrillers that have action but also like to see characters developed, then this is a book for you.

I give this (and the second book of the series) a 4 stars out of 5.