My Cultural Diet

Another year brings another novel about everyone’s favorite OCD-tortured, vodka-loving ex-government assassin. With nine previous Orphan X novels under his belt, Gregg Hurwitz’s formula and style are completely locked in. This time around, Evan Smoak squares off against his oldest and most trusted ally, a skilled weapons developer who is, himself, in a complex situation involving a promise to a long-dead comrade and a bunch of racist rednecks. Oh, and there’s a squad of elite international assassins on his trail, too. I appreciate that Hurwitz isn’t afraid to delve into his characters’ pysches, and the book’s politics, which could’ve easily indulged in right-wing fantasies, are refreshingly convoluted. Unfortunately, Smoak’s frequent existential musings, interactions with his own protégé (a smart-ass hacker), and flashbacks to his childhood training make Nemesis feel bloated, unwieldy, and less thrilling than you’d expect from a book about a shadowy assassin-turned-vigilante.

I may earn an affiliate commission on items you buy through Opus. These commissions will go directly to support the site and my blogging.