The Recommended Reading Order for Orphan X
To fully appreciate the evolution of Evan Smoak from a brainwashed government assassin into a vigilante with a strict moral code, it is highly recommended to read the series in publication order. While some short stories function as prequels, the main character arcs, relationship dynamics, and ongoing narrative threads—especially Evan's bond with his protégé Joey Morales—build sequentially from book to book.
Below is the complete reading path, combining the full-length novels and the essential short stories in their ideal reading positions:
- Orphan X (2016) – Novel #1
- Buy a Bullet (2016) – Short Story #1 (often numbered as #1.5)
- The Nowhere Man (2017) – Novel #2
- Hellbent (2018) – Novel #3
- The Intern (2018) – Short Story #2 (often numbered as #3.5)
- Out of the Dark (2019) – Novel #4
- Into the Fire (2020) – Novel #5
- The List (2020) – Short Story #3 (often numbered as #5.5)
- Prodigal Son (2021) – Novel #6
- Dark Horse (2022) – Novel #7
- The Last Orphan (2023) – Novel #8
- The Recital (2023) – Short Story #4 (often numbered as #8.5)
- Lone Wolf (2024) – Novel #9
- Nemesis (2025) – Novel #10
- The Code (2025) – Short Story #5 (often numbered as #10.5)
- Orphan X: A Mysterious Profile (2025) – Novella #6 (often numbered as #10.6)
- Antihero (2026) – Novel #11
Deep Dive into the Evan Smoak Novels & Short Stories
1. Orphan X (2016)
The book that started it all. Readers are introduced to Evan Smoak, who was taken from a foster home at age twelve and trained in the black-budget Orphan Program to become a deadly government operative. After escaping, he becomes "The Nowhere Man," using his lethal skills to help desperate people who have nowhere else to turn. In this debut, Evan is hunted by someone who knows his past and has the resources to eliminate him.
2. Buy a Bullet (2016 Short Story)
Though published after the first novel, this short story acts as a prequel. It follows Evan right after he breaks away from the Orphan Program. Posing as an ordinary citizen, he takes on his very first unofficial mission as the Nowhere Man, intervening to protect a young woman from a brutal human trafficker.
3. The Nowhere Man (2017)
In this second full-length novel, Evan is ambushed, drugged, and taken to a heavily guarded estate. Deprived of his high-tech gadgets and off-grid network, he must use his raw survival instincts to break out of his captivity while figuring out a way to rescue a young woman held by the same captors.
4. Hellbent (2018)
The stakes turn deeply personal when Jack Johns, the father-figure and handler who raised and trained Evan, is targeted for elimination by the government. Before he is killed, Jack leaves Evan with a final mission: protect Joey Morales, a brilliant but rebellious teenage hacker who was also recruited into the Orphan Program.
5. The Intern (2018 Short Story)
This side story places the spotlight on Joey Morales. Positioned between the events of Hellbent and Out of the Dark, Joey tries to navigate the complexities of normal life while using her formidable hacking abilities to help a classmate whose father is being swindled by a corrupt executive.
6. Out of the Dark (2019)
Evan faces his most formidable opponent yet: the man who created the Orphan Program and is now executing a clean-up operation to erase all remaining Orphans. To survive, Evan must target the head of the snake, putting him on a direct collision course with the President of the United States.
7. Into the Fire (2020)
Evan takes on what seems like a simple mission to protect an ordinary man who witnessed a crime. However, the situation quickly escalates into a massive conspiracy involving corrupt police, white-collar criminals, and local gangs, all while Evan battles physical exhaustion and the cumulative toll of his violent life.
8. The List (2020 Short Story)
This fast-paced short adventure features the Nowhere Man stepping in to assist a woman who discovers her name has been added to an online hit list. Evan must quickly trace the source of the threat before the contract is executed.
9. Prodigal Son (2021)
Attempting to step away from his violent vigilante role, Evan is contacted by a woman claiming to be the mother who abandoned him at a foster home decades ago. Before he can verify her identity, he is drawn into a high-tech conspiracy involving military-grade drone technology.
10. Dark Horse (2022)
Evan is approached by a client he would normally reject: a powerful drug kingpin. The kingpin’s daughter has been kidnapped by a rival cartel, and Evan must navigate a complex moral gray zone to rescue her, taking him from Los Angeles to the dangerous borderlands of Texas.
11. The Last Orphan (2023)
Captured by government agents, Evan is brought face-to-face with the president, who offers him a choice: eliminate a high-profile target who has become too powerful for the government to touch, or spend the rest of his life in a supermax prison.
12. The Recital (2023 Short Story)
A lighter, character-driven story that showcases the makeshift family Evan has built. When Joey invites him to her first piano recital, Evan is terrified of navigating a normal social environment. He responds by covertly securing the venue and recruiting his dangerous associates to make sure Joey's big night goes off without a hitch.
13. Lone Wolf (2024)
Evan’s next mission starts with a search for a missing dog belonging to a young girl. The simple task quickly spirals out of control as Evan is pitted against a ruthless tech billionaire, advanced artificial intelligence, and a highly skilled female assassin who matches his own capabilities.
14. Nemesis (2025)
The tenth novel pits Evan against a mysterious adversary who seems to anticipate his every move. This entry explores corporate corruption and tests Evan's resourcefulness as his secure network and safe houses are systematically compromised.
15. The Code (2025 Short Story)
A flashback story that takes readers back to when Evan was just seventeen years old. Under the strict training of Jack Johns, a young Evan is sent on a military training exercise where he must complete the course while keeping his true identity secret. The story explores the origin of the Ten Commandments that Evan lives by.
16. Orphan X: A Mysterious Profile (2025 Novella)
Set in the present timeline, this companion novella features Joey Morales asking Evan questions about his childhood. Through a game of "Truth or Truth," Evan recalls key moments from his early training and the psychological conditioning that shaped him into Orphan X.
17. Antihero (2026)
In this novel, Evan investigates the kidnapping of a young woman named Anca from the NYC subway. The case takes a unique turn when Anca demands that Evan save her and secure justice without killing her captors. Evan is forced to restrain his lethal instincts, exploring the boundaries of mercy and vengeance.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
While the chronological order is largely identical to the publication order, there are minor differences regarding the short stories. Buy a Bullet takes place before the first novel, and The Code is a flashback to Evan's teenage years. However, readers should stick to publication order. The novels introduce the world, the rules of the Orphan Program, and Evan's internal struggles far more effectively than the short stories do. Reading the prequels first diminishes the impact of the mystery surrounding Evan's origin in the early novels.
What to Know Before You Start
Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series is a fast-paced blend of techno-thriller, espionage, and vigilante justice, drawing comparisons to Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne. To get the most out of the series, keep these elements in mind:
- The Ten Commandments: Evan lives by a set of personal rules drilled into him by Jack Johns, such as "Assume nothing," "How you do anything is how you do everything," and "Never make it personal." Watching him navigate and occasionally struggle with these rules is a central part of the series.
- The Supporting Cast: While Evan is a lone wolf, the heart of the series lies in his interactions with Joey Morales (his hacker protégé) and Tommy Stojack (his eccentric gunsmith and armorer). These relationships ground his humanity.
- Standalone vs. Continuity: Each novel features a distinct mission (the "client of the week"), but the overarching plot regarding the government's pursuit of Evan and his personal growth spans the entire series. It is not recommended to jump into later books without reading the earlier entries.