I continue to enjoy the Orphan X series for its combination of kinetic prose, close-quarters combat, relentless suspense, melodrama, and super-spy-versus-super-villain entertainment, but by book six, Hurwitz is pushing the underlying mythology toward implausibility. Evan's sudden discovery of a globe-trotting, immensely powerful mother, the newly revealed blood relationships, and the autonomous-AI plotline collectively stretch my willingness to suspend disbelief. Hurwitz is not a science-fiction writer, and I preferred the earlier approach of keeping his characters' extraordinary hacking abilities in the background rather than introducing an AI antagonist whose capabilities require increasingly conspicuous technological hand-waving. Still, the thriller mechanics remain tight, and the teenager and pre-teen drama works surprisingly well when Hurwitz restrains the melodrama. By now, I am invested in Evan and the network of people surrounding him, which makes every new mystery and improbable coincidence entertaining to unravel.
Plot: Evan becomes entangled in revelations about his family while confronting a new threat that combines personal history, international intrigue, and artificial intelligence. The investigation pulls him and his allies through escalating dangers as they attempt to determine whom they can trust.
I enjoyed Prodigal Son despite the increasingly elaborate mythology and the moments when the story made me think, "That is too ridiculous." Hurwitz remains skilled at constructing tightly sequenced action and keeping the narrative moving, while Evan's relationships provide enough emotional grounding to offset the increasingly extravagant threats. I found the book less convincing than earlier installments, but still sufficiently entertaining to make the series' continuing mysteries worth pursuing.
3/5 Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment