Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz @GreggHurwitz @ScottBrick @BrilliancePub

the setup…
Years ago, Evan Smoak broke with the Orphan X program and transformed himself into the Nowhere Man. As that persona, he helps innocents who are in desperate need of help, contacting him on a special line dedicated for that purpose. The next voice he hears on the line, however, has his blood run cold because it’s his former mentor, Jack Johns, the man who brought him into the program, trained him and later facilitated his escape out of its clutches. There’s no time left for Jack as government forces close in on him (and ultimately Evan) but he leaves him with a mission: locate and protect his last recruit. Evan is in a race against time and his nemesis Charles Van Sciver, Orphan Y, who is the new head of the program out to find and destroy old rogue members.

the heart of the story…
By now, I’ve formed an expectation that Evan is almost superhuman, able to extricate himself out of every situation but he’s up against powerful resources that are teamed with Van Sciver. The search for Jack’s protégé was fascinating because the clues weren’t easy to uncover but their discoveries were a journey through Evan and Jack’s relationship, revealing even more about this enigmatic man. But this time, it all felt different, as if Evan and Van Sciver were headed towards some sort of showdown. And, the addition of the protégé (who shall remain nameless) added an exceptional level of intrigue and partnership. I was a bit confused in the beginning but at almost the halfway point, this became “un-put-downable.”

the narration…
Scott Brick continues to just sound and feel right in his storytelling approach and how he gives voice to Evan. He’s now who I hear for this series.

the bottom line…
I was expecting just another game of cat and mouse between Van Sciver and Evan but this was so much more. There’s a human side of the Nowhere Man unleashed for the first time and this was no longer a game without skin in it. He’s also doing all of this while helping out another innocent and that project felt hopeless. The culmination of it all was explosive and spectacular, beyond my imagination. I literally couldn’t stop listening until I got to a good place. That reveal at the end? Perfect setup for the next books.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 30, 2018
• Series: Orphan X #3
• Narrator: Scott Brick
• Audio Length: 12 hours, 30 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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