I can't finish this one. Got about 80 pages in and had to stop. I really liked the other Orphan X books but this one is so bad.
First, he cut the sole of his SWAT boot on a circular saw???? How is that possible? If he's that clumsy with power tools he definitely should not be allowed anywhere near a gun.
Secondly, the way he takes down the guards at the gate is like something from a Three Stooges movie.
I just couldn't read any further. Very dissapointing. ( )

Evan Smoke "rescues drug cartel leader's teen age daughter kidnapped by a competing "bad" drug cartel. Not my favorite Agent X novel. ( )

And so my Evan Smoak binge read is forcibly put on hiatus because the next book won't be released until 2023. I love these books because they are so entertaining. There are explosions, implausible escapes, over the top villains, victory in impossible situations, a much loved house plant and so much more. Go into these books with the right expectations i.e. thrilling action blockbuster with a massive body count, and you'll come out smiling and staring glumly at the next release date. ( )

Evan Smoak, the central character of this book, is an OCD sufferer who values order in his personal life. He acknowledges having this condition but uncharacteristically finds himself caring for others, individuals who see him as a good and honest friend. Increasingly caring for others is a need that requires him to express understanding and compassion. But, the need to do so results in uncertainty as to how to react to his loved ones’ emotional needs. Toward the conclusion of this book, Evan is asked to take care of his girlfriend's 10-year-old son in the instance that something goes wrong with a scheduled operation for her life-threatening tumor. Despite wanting to do so, he found himself unable to make such a promise.

Orphan X is also a self-appointed caregiver for a former orphan agent recruit, a 16-year-old girl. He provides financial support for her living expenses and college computer classes. Although attempting her best to accommodate his OCD needs, as a computer hacker, the teenager assists Evan in the intelligence gathering needed for his risky missions. Her erratic teenage actions and statements, however, baffle Evan. He tolerates her punkish behavior out of his desire to be a good sponsor and benefactor.

In Dark Horse, Evan, a former government hitman, is on a mission to atone for his past. He does this by offering assistance to strangers who are the target of serious personal threats. The current mission involves a drug lord's daughter who was abducted on her 18th birthday by a rival drug lord. The client heard of Evan, known as Mr. X to clients, and asks for his assistance. Being initially unsure about accepting this case, Evan finally decides to move forward after meeting the drug lord and conditioning the rescue on the proviso that his products are destroyed and his operations ended.

Evan battles 28 heavily armed men at the compound of the opposing drug lord to free the girl. But, in the process of doing so, learns that the kidnapping was not what it appeared to be. The young woman had arranged the kidnapping as a rebellious effort to gain independence from her father. Being the secret fiancée of the evil drug lord’s son, she never anticipated that his father would incarcerate her. Evan ultimately gets her and her lover back to the safety of her father and her welcoming small-town community.

Unknowing to Evan, the US President's staff was alerted to Orphan X’s rescue operation due to intelligence gathered from NASA satellite surveillance tapes. The President subsequently orders that Evan, as a rogue agent, be taken out. This order will, no doubt, play a part in the next book of the Orphan X series. ( )

Dark Horse is the next entry in the Orphan X series, and this is one of my favourites series out there. While not the most suspenseful book of the series, it is definitely a solid entry and a lot of fun to read. The story seemed to focus more on relationships and Evan's growing sense of how to fit into a world he knows little about, except as an assassin.

Evan's character development has always been one of the strengths of this series. Both he and Joey have come to a crossroads in their lives where they need to figure out who they are and who they wish to be as well as the people they want in their lives. Having lived a solitary life for so long, with few people he could trust, Evan is slowly learning about having fun and enjoying life. Unfortunately, having been an assassin for so long, and having been involved in such a secret program, he has enemies all over the place, and in some pretty high government levels, enemies who do anything to see him dead. The author does a great job with Evan as he comes to terms with his more humane side and accepts that his lethal side will always be a part of him.

Joey and Dog have been favourites of mine since they joined the Orphan X world a few books ago and I always look forward to their appearances. It's hard to imagine comedic episodes in a thriller novel, but the author manages to do this very well in scenes involving Joey, Evan, and Dog, including some emotional ones. Who knew you could get emotional over a plant and some coloured rocks?

This one has Evan helping a drug kingpin, one who daughter has been kidnapped by a rival drug cartel. This mission becomes quite complicated, and puts Evan into quite a moral dilemma as he has to decide to help a leader of a drug cartel with questionable morals. I thought the author did a great job showing the human side of this world, something I didn't think was possible, demonstrating the shades of grey that exist in everyone's world. I even grew to like Aragon, which I never would have suspected. But make no mistake, the author didn't shy away from the brutality either, especially when Evan infiltrated the Leones compound to rescue Aragon's daughter. As always, the writing style was captivating, drawing me into the story, dark and quite intense. While the beginning was a bit slower than usual, the last quarter of the book was intense and a bit brutal.

Verdict
Dark Horse is a fun, action-packed book. There is quite a bit of soul-searching for Evan as he is trying to come to terms with his life as an assassin and his newish life as a regular person, someone who is trying to recognize that not everything is black or white. I felt the author did a great job developing Evan's character and his interactions with the other characters was enjoyable. While this one started out a bit slower than usual, it definitely ended quite differently and I couldn't put it down. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, The Last Orphan, which I have already received for review. An old nemesis is coming back into play and I can't wait! ( )