Listen free for 30 days

  • Out of the Dark

  • An Orphan X Novel (Evan Smoak, Book 4)
  • Written by: Gregg Hurwitz
  • Narrated by: Scott Brick
  • Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (280 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Out of the Dark cover art

Out of the Dark

Written by: Gregg Hurwitz
Narrated by: Scott Brick
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $37.71

Buy Now for $37.71

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

*AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

"This novel will be remembered as one of the best thrillers of the year." --Associated Press

"A shocking stunner in every way. The perfect thriller." --Robert Crais

When darkness closes in - he's your last, best hope. Evan Smoak returns in Gregg Hurwitz’s #1 international bestselling Orphan X series in Out of the Dark.

Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets - i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan's past is catching up to him.

Someone at the very highest level of government has been trying to eliminate every trace of the Orphan Program by killing all the remaining Orphans and their trainers. After Evan's mentor and the only father he ever knew was killed, he decided to strike back. His target is the man who started the Program and who is now the most heavily guarded person in the world: the President of the United States.

But President Bennett knows that Orphan X is after him and, using weapons of his own, he's decided to counter-attack. Bennett activates the one man who has the skills and experience to track down and take out Orphan X - the first recruit of the Program, Orphan A.

With Evan devoting all his skills, resources, and intelligence to find a way through the layers of security that surround the President, suddenly he also has to protect himself against the deadliest of opponents. It's Orphan vs. Orphan with the future of the country - even the world - on the line.

©2019 Gregg Hurwitz (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing Inc., all rights reserved.

What listeners say about Out of the Dark

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    219
  • 4 Stars
    46
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    209
  • 4 Stars
    33
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    189
  • 4 Stars
    55
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The amazing Gregg Hurwitz and Scott Brick.

wonderfully made and performed. Orphan X come back soon please can't wait for next book. thank you

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Like the character but the story was terrible

This is a great character but the story was particularly bad. I found myself, every 30-45 minutes, thinking about giving up on this one.

Just kinda lame writing. Much of it seemed to have been written by a 14 year old kid.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Very Good 'Orphan X' Entry

The Seventh Commandment - 'One Mission At A Time' - needs to be retired. Sure, Evan Smoak violates that commandment in every novel, but in this one, Gregg Hurwitz gives his 'Equalizer-meets-Jason Bourne' hero Three missions to simultaneously complete (most novels just have two).
Setting aside the inconsistencies, this character is a blast to follow - acting as an ethics-driven vigilante while simultaneously trying to get final retribution against those who hunt him - and using well-thought-out tech and tactics to provide satisfying adrenaline-fueled thrills. Hurwitz's character does more than chase bad-guys and use unapologetic violence to get justice, however.. Smoak has intriguing motivations and conflicts, an interesting OCD personality, and an uncommonly strong conscience.
The plots in these novels are undeniably captivating, the writing is descriptive enough to be mind's-eye vivid, and the villains - while often cartoonish - are realistic enough to make the conflicts suspenseful. Despite being overpowered, it feels as though Smoak is in legitimate jeopardy.

This novel is no different. It's a fair exemplar for what 'Orphan X' stories have to offer and well worth your time if you enjoy the character. My main issue with this particular story is that the author seems to be trying too hard: this book involves unnecessary allies, contemporizes too much (including modern slang and frequent scenes of characters taking 'selfies' & the like), applies too much familiar banter, and suffers from '"Too-Many-Villains" syndrome.

Scott Brick is best listened to at 1.15X (it improves his smarmy delivery, plodding pace, and irritating One. Word. At. A. Time. cadence). Still, he does a very professional job reading this series.

All told, despite some deficiencies, 'Out Of The Dark' merits 8.5 stars out of 10 for fans of the Action-Thriller genre. Hurwitz isn't flawless, but he's one of the better writers of this type of story. Spend the Credit and Enjoy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Binged it until done

I do long distance running and spend credits on good books. I love this series and can't wait for the next one. A+

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another cracking success from the dream-team!

Another cracking success from dream-team Gregg Hurwitz (words) and Scott Brick (voice). I love the Evan Smoak character and his struggle to atone, and the audiobook version is bloody excellent. He is larger-than-life with a quiet vulnerability and I want him to be my best friend!

I LOVED the character cameos from previous books, and both main story lines in this novel were a blast.

Whip smart, lightning pace, and funner than a room full of puppies. I can't recommend the Orphan X series enough. I was expecting book #4 to wrap up and end the series, but I get the sense there may be more on the way. At least I hope so! I'll be first in line if that's the case :)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Cheesy but I love it

Pretty cheesy story in a way but I find it so relaxing to listen to when I’m cooking and cleaning … #guiltypleasure

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Great Book!

I've long felt that Scott Brick was such an awesome narrator in the John Corey series by Nelson Demille. Oddly enough, Scott turned out to be my gateway drug into the world Orphan X. These books are excellent and I highly recommend them. I generally read the hard copy book and then listen to the audiobooks on my commute later. For the record, Scott narrates far better than I read, but I can live with that!

Gregg is one of my favourite authors and Scott Brick remains my favourite narrator by far.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

ok book, not superb

the writing jumped a lot to filler content but overall the story was interesting
narrator was good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!