If you’re trying to read the Orphan X books in order, start with Gregg Hurwitz’s first Evan Smoak novel and follow publication order. The main cases usually have their own thriller plots, but Evan’s past, his rules, his enemies, and his relationships build across the series.
Evan Smoak was raised inside the government’s Orphan Program and trained to become a deniable assassin. After breaking away, he becomes the Nowhere Man, helping desperate people who have nowhere else to turn. That setup gives the series its hook, but the reason I’d read these in order is simple: Evan changes.
For Hurwitz’s full bibliography beyond Evan Smoak, including standalones, Tim Rackley, Rains, comics, and anthology stories, see my Gregg Hurwitz books in order guide.
Jump to:
- Orphan X Books in Publication Order
- Do You Need to Read the Orphan X Books in Order?
- Who is Orphan X?
- Orphan X Adaptation
- Orphan X Books FAQ
Orphan X Books in Publication Order
The simplest way to read Orphan X is publication order. That lets you follow Evan Smoak from the first novel through the later books without jumping ahead on character relationships, the Orphan Program, or the bigger threats that come after him.
I’ve included the short stories and special releases in the main list below, but I’ve labeled them clearly so you can skip them and stick to the full-length novels if that’s what you prefer. Main books are bolded to visually help you separate them.
- Orphan X (2016)
- Buy a Bullet (2016) (Short Story)
- The Nowhere Man (2017)
- Hellbent (2018)
- The Intern (2018) (Short Story)
- Out of the Dark (2019)
- Into the Fire (2020)
- The List (2020) (Short Story)
- Prodigal Son (2021)
- Dark Horse (2022)
- The Last Orphan (2023)
- The Recital (2023) (Short Story)
- Lone Wolf (2024)
- Nemesis (2025)
- Orphan X: A Mysterious Profile (2025) (Special Novella/Profile)
- The Code (2025) (Short Story)
- Antihero (2026)
- Last Man Standing (2027)
Do You Need to Read the Orphan X Books in Order?
Yes, I’d read the Orphan X books in order. Each novel has its own mission, but the series gets more rewarding when you follow Evan’s story from the beginning.
The first book introduces Evan, the Orphan Program, Jack Johns, the Nowhere Man setup, and the rules that shape the way Evan lives. Later books keep adding pressure to that foundation. Evan’s past catches up with him. Other Orphans matter more. His isolated life gets harder to maintain.
The short stories are more flexible. You can skip them during a first read-through and still understand the novels. But if you want the fuller reading order, place them where they appear in the publication list above.
Orphan X Short Stories and Special Releases
The Orphan X short stories are quick side missions and character pieces. They’re useful for completionists, but they aren’t required before the next full-length novel.
The Code is the biggest exception to keep in mind because it goes back to teenage Evan during his Orphan training. I still wouldn’t read it first. It works better once you already know who Evan becomes, and it adds useful context to his early years.
Who is Orphan X?
Orphan X is Evan Smoak, a former government assassin trained from childhood inside the secret Orphan Program. The program takes children with no family ties, shapes them into black-ops killers, and gives the government people it can deny ever existed.
Evan’s handler, Jack Johns, raises him with a strict code. That code is one of the reasons Evan doesn’t become just another weapon. After leaving the program, Evan disappears into a new life and uses his skills as the Nowhere Man.
The Nowhere Man helps people who are trapped, threatened, or out of options. He doesn’t ask for money. He only asks each person to pass his number to someone else who truly needs help.
That’s the heart of the series. Evan is lethal, but he’s also trying to keep hold of his humanity in a life designed to strip it away.
Orphan X Adaptation
There isn’t a released Orphan X movie or TV show yet.
The screen rights have moved around over the years. Warner Bros. was linked to a film version before the first book was published, with Bradley Cooper attached as a possible producer and star. That version never happened.
In 2018, Deadline reported that Makeready had acquired the rights to adapt the Orphan X books as a TV series with Justin Lin’s Perfect Storm Entertainment. Hurwitz was also reported to be involved as a co-adapter and executive producer.
Until there’s a newer production update, I’d treat the adaptation as announced but not active in any reader-facing way. The books are still the only finished version of Evan Smoak’s story.
Orphan X Books FAQ
What is the first Orphan X book?
The first Orphan X book is Orphan X. That’s where you should start because it introduces Evan Smoak, the Orphan Program, Jack Johns, and the Nowhere Man setup.
Do you need to read the Orphan X books in order?
Yes, publication order is the best Orphan X reading order. The individual missions usually wrap up, but Evan’s character arc, the Orphan Program background, and the supporting cast build across the books.
Where do the Orphan X short stories fit?
The short stories fit between the novels by publication date. Buy a Bullet comes after Orphan X, The Intern after Hellbent, The List after Into the Fire, The Recital after The Last Orphan, and The Code before Antihero in publication order.
Are Orphan X and the Nowhere Man the same person?
Yes. Orphan X is Evan Smoak’s code name from the government program that trained him. The Nowhere Man is the identity he uses later, when he helps people who have nowhere else to turn.
Is there an Orphan X TV show or movie?
No released Orphan X TV show or movie exists yet. A TV adaptation was announced in 2018, but there hasn’t been enough public movement since then to treat it as a finished or upcoming show.
What should I read after Orphan X?
After Orphan X, read Buy a Bullet if you want the first short story, then continue with The Nowhere Man. If you prefer to stick to novels only, go straight from Orphan X to The Nowhere Man.
Looking for more books in order?
If you want more thriller authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Thriller Books in Order index.