All of the above is wrapped in a perfect plot filled with suspense, and countless action scenes.
Orphan X is Evan Smoak, who is better described as the superman engineered by Jack Johns, the Mystery Man who spirited him off from the Pride House Group Home for orphans when he was 12, honed the skills that made him a killing machine, neglected less desirable aspects of his personality (like the ability to make small talk or show empathy), and turned him loose on a world in need of a super avenger. However, Evan walked away from that life and became the self-styled Nowhere Man, who operated off the radar to help those in trouble.
Unfortunately, due to an unofficial deal (where he is pardoned for his crime) he’d made with the President of the United States, Evan has now retired as the Nowhere Man. He is barely out of the job when he gets a phone call from someone with whom he has never really spoken - his mother.
Evan is tasked by his mother - a wealthy, attractive 62-year-old and enigmatic woman named Veronica LeGrande - to help someone he doesn’t know for reasons he doesn’t understand. The man in distress is Andrew Duran, whose life is a mess on all fronts. Andrew is working the night shift on an impound lot when Declan Gentner and Queenie Gentner, who are masquerading as government agents, recruit him to let them know when the owner of a particular vehicle shows up to claim it. They dangle enough money in front of him to clear up his delinquent child support obligation and a few other things. Andrew does as he is requested, but only winds up witnessing a murder and having the pair - they turn out to be a rather twisted brother-and-sister assassin team - after him as well.
Evan interjects himself into the situation, and it is a reunion of sorts as he and Andrew knew each other at the foster home. But they barely have time to renew old acquaintances before Evan is required to use his wide skill set for the first of many times to save them both. He then brings the fight to his adversaries and along the way, discovers why the murder that Andrew witnessed was committed, as well as the research behind a secret weapon - a killer drone - that has terrifying potential should it ever be unleashed.
The man behind Mimeticom, the company that develops the drones, is Brendan Molleken, who is clearly an evil villain, and there’s no limit on the possible carnage when Evan meets Brendan, the Gentners, or any of those drones.
Evan calls in a couple of people who have appeared in prior novels for assistance. They are certainly needed in his fight against Brendan.
In between the cluster freaks, Evan also discovers quite a bit about Andrew’s background, including why he was put into foster care. By story’s end, Evan is almost at peace with himself and is making a few tentative steps toward the next phase of his life’s journey. It’s almost certainly going to be a long one.
If you are not a fan of Gregg Huewitz, reading The Prodigal Son will make you one. His writing style will endear you to the protagonist in the story and makes you want to cheer for him.
The Prodigal Son offers a humane side of Evan as he comes to term with his relationship with his mother and also those around him. It’s gratifying to see the other personality of the Nowhere Man-cum-assassin in this episode of the Orphan X. And the book definitely deserves reading for both fans and newcomers to the series.
