Product Description
Black is not only beautiful, it's Ruby Gonzalez . . . the wild CIA lady with a sure cure for what ails Remo and Chiun. Remo Williams just can't seem to forget he was once a Newark cop. But when you're the Destroyer you do need a little humility. Yellow, the worth of gold, the texture of parchment, the color of the sun source itself . . . and, in the inscrutable, insuperable, Chiun, a veritable galaxy of wisdom and power. And fun at a riot. It will be all over when Southern idiots with whips and chains, and Northern madmen with money attempt to reduce business costs by raising slavery to new levels of efficiency. The Destroyer, with a little help from his two friends, proves that billions of dollars and armies of thugs just aren't enough. Then bucks and Ruby will do . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good balance of character and plot.
Remo quits CURE...Yes, he really does, and wait till you see what he wants to do instead!This obok is a fast, easy read with lots of humor, action and excitement.For fans, Remo has some interesting character development, and Ruby Jackson Gonzales makes a comeback from #33 ("Voodoo Die").Whether that's a welcomed comeback or not depends on your opinion of this character; I, for one, think she's fun, but the way she's written could be construed as racist by some; it's a bit dated. ... Read more

Product Description
During a CIA budget war, a group of assassins mistakenly triggers an ingenious CIA plot originally planned in the 1950s - and a worldwide killing spree of top-level Russian officials begins . . . Only the Destroyer, with the all-wise Chiun and the ever-wild Ruby, can stop them from reaching their primary target - the Russian premier! However, in the midst of all this carnage, Chiun still wants Remo and Ruby to create a super baby as heir to Sinanju, before the government's budget cuts wipe out welfare funds! How will The Destroyer cope with life and death, love and procreation, all at once? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Trace - What a likeable guy.
Trace, short for Devlin Tracey, is a drunk, and a womanizer. His girlfriend - or "roommate" - is a part-time hooker. Issues? You-sure-ya-betcha.

Trace works irregularly for an insurance company to check out claims. The latest is a questionable death in a hospital wherethe deceased had only recently signed over his fortune in life-insurance tohis doctor, and then just up and died. Assuming the doctor coerced and thenkilled his patient, Trace is called in.

What follows is a prolongedexcursion into an unimpressive mystery. The ending ties all plot-stringstogether, but with little substance in the body of the book, the end seemscheap.

However, what lacks in mystery is more than made up for inTrace's character. Granted, he's not a savory character - but the blurbswhen he tape records himself, and the snappy dialoge with other charactersis what propels this book up to 4 stars. I would definitely take this bookto the beach, but only if you buy it from a second-hand book dealer forless that $4. (The book itself was published in 1983 and sold for $2.95.) ... Read more

Product Description
Digger is an insurance investigator who drinks, chases women, asks smartass questions and gets help from his part-time hooker girlfriend. A humorous crime adventure series by the author of The Destroyer.In DEAD LETTER, Digger's boss's daughter is the next name on a college chain letter that has led to a string of murders-and her daddy is afraid she'll be next. ... Read more

Product Description
Trace Series Book 5Trace needed money fast, big money, or he'd be in a hole that could turn out to be his financial grave. His heavenly hooker girlfriend Chico wouldn't lend him any of her hard-earned cash, which forced him to take an assignment from the giant insurance company that hated to have to use him as much as he hated to be of use to them.A kinky, animal-loving tycoon was missing...his widow demanding two million dollars insurance...and for those kinds of bucks Trace was told to do anything he had to. So, obeying orders, he went after the wildest bunch of characters ever to be on the wrong side of an animal cage at the zoo, from a man-eating adulteress who lusted to swallow him whole...to a couple of human sharks who wanted to spit him out in pieces... ... Read more

Product Description
Brilliant and dazzlingly beautiful Dr. Lithia Forrester is masterminding an undercover agency that is stealing America's top secrets.The group is infiltrating the highest echelons of the U.S. government and planning to sell the information at an international auction, where every country's ante is a billion in gold - control of the USA going to the highest bidder.What the small army doesn't know is they are subjects of Dr. Forrester's mind control experiments.They are doing themselves in, while the lovely doctor reaps the rewards.That is, until Remo and Chiun crush the plot and save the country - then both buyer and selling may be going . . . going . . . gone! ... Read more

Product Description
The president is calling. Dr. Harold W. Smith, head of the secret agency known as CURE, took the phone from the bottom left drawer of his desk and answered with a sigh, "Yes, sir." The President of the United States could not directly assign CURE to do anything, he could only suggest. The one and only order any president could give CURE would be for its immediate dissolution. And five presidents now hadn't quite done that. Though all five were often tempted. "What do you know about the Lippincott case?" the Southern voice asked. Smith regurgitated a two-page, single-spaced capsule of hard information. "Uh, huh. Well, I hear there's a plot to kill all the Lippincotts, and it has something to do with animals. Weird experiments, like," "I see," Smith gagged. "Yeah, and I think it involves my having the Lippincotts use their clout to open up new trading markets in China." The hint was clear. The White House would like the Destroyer to take a look at the situation. "You'll be using those two, I suppose?" Smith rolled his eyes upward, "I imagine so." "Whatever you say," he drawled, "just, er, um, tell them to keep the deaths down. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Remo Goes to the Big Easy
I believe that this is the first Destroyer set in New Orleans, which is about time.Remo and Chiun are up against a loup-garou (werewolf) who has been enhanced by none-other-than Dr. Judith White (evil villain from the previous Destroyer installment).The loup-garou and his wolf-human pack have been hired out by a mobster to off and eat witnesses for the mobster's trial.Remo and Chiun need to save the one remaining witness from becoming the next wolf meal.The real entertainment in this book comes not from the main plot line, which is ho hum, but from the brilliant description and desecration of Louisiana politics.There is also a clever take on Mexican soap operas, though nothing like the one-paragraph soap-opera summaries that were absolutely spot-on in the early installments in the Destroyerseries.It seems that the current ghost author is still getting his Destroyer legs.We see Remo interested in a female lead, and absolutely nothing happens between them.Also, the feel of the dialog between Remo and Chiun is not quite right.Alas, there is not as much of CURE director Harold Smith and his assistant Mark Howard in this book.

Here we go again
Another new writer and another reason for someone to screw with a series that has been in publication since 1972. Too many glairing mistakes, too many changes in the character development,and too many wasted scenes. About the only good thing out of it was a hint on where the series may be going if it can survive another writer who does not understand or care about the story line, the characters or the fans. Pick up your paycheck and let someone in there who can do the job right. I case you think this is harsh I have just started #133 and I am finding the same problems. Chuin help us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just getting started
Ok this is the first book by a new writer, will let his style and word usage slide for now. There are some changes to the interplay between Remo and Chun, looking to see where that goes. Do not change the character of Remo too much.

easily earns less than one star
Because of a love for the Destroyer series I foolishly ignored all the bad reviews here and picked up this book based on the couple of semi-positive ones.Big mistake.This book is BAD.It is clear that this is a case where the majority is right.I should have listened to the amazon reviews.Steer clear if you are a true fan.

Entertaining
Despite the negative reviews, I found The Destroyer #132 (Wolf's Bane) very entertaining. I've read over a hundred of the Destroyer series paperbacks and found this one in tune with the story and just as good as any of the others. It's worth the reading if you indeed enjoy the Destroyer series. ... Read more

Product Description
The entire U.S. army is being forced to wage war on its own people by a pontificating ten-preacher and the blonde Venus traveling as his wife. But, saints be praised, Remo and Chiun are of a different persuasion, and their unorthodox tactics leave many a zombie-eyed Christian soldier prostrate on the ground. Chaplains are dying left and right . . . an army base appears out of nowhere those answers to a higher authority than even the Pentagon. Agents of CURE postulate that a Mideast power may have created these apocalyptic events, but the facts are cloistered in secrecy. When Remo and Chiun look for answers, there's no room for sacred cows - and that's the gospel truth! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

LINE OF SUCCESSION
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THESE BOOKS FOR A LONG TIME.I COULD NOT FIND THEM IN ANY OF THE LOCAL BOOK STORES.THE PUBLISHER IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS, SO I COULD NOT EVEN ORDER THEM THROUGH THEM.THESE BOOKS ON AMAZON WERE ONLY ONE CENT.ALL I PAID FOR WAS SHIPPING.THIS SITUATION IS PERFECT.THANKS AMAZON. ... Read more

Product Description
A-Kickin' and A-Grinnin'

The tiny Caribbean tourist trap of Union Island wants to declare its independence from the U.S. And while baby-faced island leader Greg Grom's "Free Union Island" movement is taken about as seriously as a summer day, good ol' Greg is touring Dixieland's hot spots, from the honky-tonks to the hee-haws, trying to rally support for the cause. And some weird stuff is happening . . .

Ordinary beer-swilling, foot-stomping, line-dancing yahoos are running amok, brawling like beasts on a rampage. Remo Williams -- currently not experiencing a lot of job satisfaction as Reigning Master -- spots the connection between the doofball from Union Island and the redneck killer zombies. And he's pretty sure Greg is slipping something into the local brew, but the why is another matter. No biggie. Remo's not in a mood to make friends, or deal with the Chiun's abuse or CURE's insults. He's here to smoke some bacon. Happily. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Bloody Better Than Recent Destroyers
Finally, the series seems to be getting better.Nevertheless, there still some way to go.In this installment, Greg Grom, a not-so-bright yet somewhat lucky, head of a small US protectorate Caribbean island, has stumbled across an ancient secret powder that can be used to enslave men and women.While originally using it for his own pleasure, with the aid of a conniving bikini model-turned-tourism minister, they seek independence and later some unhatched and undescribed scheme for making lots of money.Alas, nothing so James Bondian, as bringing together the world's top master criminals and auctioning it off to higher bidder.Unfortunately,
Grom has used up much of the original source of his powder in his infantile exploits and tries to have an exact replacement synthesized.As he travels the US on his publicity campaign for independence of his island, he is dosing people on the side to test each of the new batches of his enslavement compound.Alas, they all seem to have the side effect of turning the poor victims into murderous maniacs.And this is where Remo and Chiun step in.What stands out in this episode, Remo begins to show a glimmer of deductive intelligence.And what is a big disappointment is that Harold Smith does not.Clearly, the author wanted to show, after all these years, Remo is beginning to develop intellectually. However, what the author does best is the too short segments showing Chiun trying to determine what his place and role should be as Master Emeritus.Bloody Tourists zooms along with all the action and zing you would expect of a Destroyer, as well as some, though not enough, cultural sarcasm.However, the big disappointment is the ending, which comes together all too fast, and leaves more threads hanging than an old tapestry.Instead of the usual clean wrap-up with maybe a few menaces left for the future, this book ends well short of that.

A Bit Different...but going in the right direction.
I can't give this book 5 stars, but for the new author, it's certainly a good start. The characters aren't quite the same as the first 80 books or so (I've read and own ALL of the series!), but then again, those first two or three books from the very beginning of the series aren't quite in step either. (We won't mention certain books in the early 100's at all!!)
The Destroyer has always walked the thin line between the believable and the unbelievable--certainly Sinanju's Masters are in the super hero department, but for many of the books, the abilites demonstrated were in keeping with the groundwork that developed within the first 20 books or so.Remo and Chiun aren't doing anything out of keeping with their abilities in this book.
Also, the essential relationships between Remo, Chiun, and Dr Smith have developed over many years. These relationships are a bit harder to capture.This particular book does not do as badly as some... but there's stil quite a bit of work to be done as I felt, like another reviewer, that the dialog was a bit too harsh.
It's a good read if you don't know the series, and it's okay if you do.Certainly not 5 stars, but how many are?It's certainly not a one star effort either!

off the tracks in a ditch and burning
Well it took me two weeks to read it.I can usually read one of these in a day or two, so that gives you an idea how much a chore this was.That I bought it at all is all my own fault for being suckered again, but with the promise that a new author might get things straight, I let the one positive review sway me (again!)I should of known better.I do not understand how anyone could give this "train wreck" five stars.That would make it a perfect Destroyer something it is NOT! It is as far from perfect as can be.AS for the most recent five star review, I understand authors sometimes review their own books
(although I am not saying that is the case here. ;-) especially after the bad reviews this one has received, but come on!Five stars??!In light of all the one star reviews, I would have suggested a more plausable four.No, let's go for the gusto!This should give an idea of the subtle nature of the book.

To sum up, the only thing "blazing" is the copy of this book that I threw on the fire.(To the guy who wrote to the author, Please let all of us know his address.I want my money back!)I am done with this series.

Great first book
The only thing I want to say is that this is Tim Sonheil's first book in the Destroyer series and it's a good start for him. If this book is any indication then the series is back on track.

Here's a side peice of info: the last two books (132 and 133)I believe were orignally written but not published when the series first came out years ago. Then they were rewritten to fill the gap between Mullany and Sonheil.

Recommened authors/series: Jim Butcher (Dresden Files), George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire), and Steven Brust(Vlad Taltos)

Three strikes and your out
Having suffered through these three books( and I use that term lightly) it is now time to start rereading from #1( there is an idea, maybe the new writer should read some of the old (good) books to get a clue of the characters and where the story line is going. The series is going to die if this continues. ... Read more

Product Description
Under the Communist President-for-Life, a voodoo priest named Generalissimo Sacrist Corazon, the natives of the Caribbean Isle Baqia aren't complaining, thanks to a delicious drug they call "mung." When shot through with radiation, however, mung becomes a powerful weapon: it literally liquefies the opposition, and Generalissimo Corazon has no qualms about using it. After an innocent missionary becomes the latest victim of Corazon's mung machine, the world is alarmed, and deadly forces are inspired. The Chinese, the Russians, and the CIA all vie to control the mung machine, while CURE's own powerful weapons, Remo and Chiun, make their way to Baqia and further discover nuclear warheads aimed at the United States. Sacrist Corazon must be stopped, but has the Destroyer met his deadly voodoo match? ... Read more

Product Description
A wave of global terrorism spreads as a result of one madman's tyrannical powers.Even while the governments of three major world powers are on his trail, CURE, the United States' top secret agency, knows of only one way to solve the problem - The Destroyer.There's little doubt that Master Chiun's protégé Remo Williams is capable of waging any war, but when the mysterious radical assassin is out to kill, everyone runs for cover - except the fearless and most powerful. ... Read more

Product Description
An army of renegade cops across the country have been assigned the task of squashing criminal cockroaches under their boots.It's a dirty job and the White House entrusts it to only one man - The Destroyer.Between Master Chiun's exquisite sense of justice and Remo Williams' knack for murder, they are ready to bring justice to town once and for all. ... Read more

Product Description
Not So Jolly Roger . . .

Complete with skull and crossbones fluttering in the wind, "Captain" Thomas Kidd is the new scourge of the Caribbean, raiding unsuspecting pleasure craft and pursuing the great piratical tradition of looting, pillaging and plant walking. The bloodthirsty crew tosses the lucky ones overboard, while saving the women for dessert at Kidd's private island hell.

When these maritime marauders kidnap the daughter of a senator, CURE sets out to kick some serious pirate booty. Posing as rich tourists. Remo and Chiun set a course for the tropics to tempt these freebooters into the mistake of their career. But Remo soon fines himself swimming with sharks while Chiun senses some illicit treasure in his future. Even so, they are ready to dispatch the sea raiders to an afterlife between the devil and the deep blue sea. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Troubled Series is Listing
Remo and Chiun tackle a contemporary problem - piracy on the high seas.Rather than use the nefarious South Seas pirates as models, the current ghost author has a crew of malcontents sailing the Caribbean, wreaking havoc, kidnapping, killing, all under the guise of 18th century pirates.Unfortunately, although these pirates are quite successful, when the author trots out the individual characters they ooze incompetence, and so their exploits seem all the more unbelievable.Of course, Remo and Chiun are sent in to the rescue, but some very clever high points in the story are coupled with some parts that drag.Couple that with some very uncharacteristic-like behavior on Remo and Chiun's part (e.g., Chiun allows himself to be repeatedly insulted, behaves subserviently, and expresses faith in Remo coming to the rescue), we have the latest in a mediocre string of Destroyers as this ghost author attempts to craft clever stories while staying true to the Destroyer heritage.

Surpisingly Acceptable Story
After seeing all the negative reviews on amazon.com, I was going to skip this one at first.

The story is actually fairly tight.Although it didn't read quite as smoothly as most of Jim Mullaney's novels, it was a decent adventure story.

A lot of the dialogue between Remo and Chiun and Remo and Smith seemed forced / unnatural, but that is really the only problem I saw with the book.

If you want a really good Destroyer, pick up Assassin's Handbook 2 at warrenmurphy dot com - he may still have a few autographed copies available.

As bad as it gets
This is a terrible book.Others might give it a pass by calling it typical as a men's adventure novel, but the Destroyer has never been like any other men's adventure series, and to be typical alone would make it bad by Destroyer standards.But in case you're satisfied with typical rest assured Troubled Waters goes beyond that.The writing is bad even by the loosest men's adventure standards.It is horrific by Destroyer standards.I agree with the reviewer who suggests that series fans have made out the "terrible trio" of a few years back to be an impossible pinnacle (pardon the pun) to reach.Those books were very bad but so is this one.While it is true that true fans of the Destroyer know that Bamboo Dragon wins any race that doesn't make this turkey any better.Don't make the same mistake I did.Save your money!

There have been worse...
Well, it wasn't all that bad.For a standard men's adventure, it was pretty typical stuff: trite plot, shallow characterizations, longer on action than intelligence.It was readable.
However, Destoyer fans are used to a bit more.Most of us have read scores of these books, we KNOW who these characters are, what they think, how they interact. This book came across sort of blurred, as if written by someone who didn't quite get it, wasn't comfortable with parody and subtlety.It's not as blatantly bad as the worst ones...
This book sort of dumbs it all down, sort of tries to turn this into just another men's adventure series.What do you think?Will Mack Bolan guest star in a future book?
Get it to complete your collection. Don't expect the worst, but don't expect to be enthralled either!Remo and Chiun are out there somewhere...we're just waiting for them to come back! ... Read more

Product Description
Buried in his debts, billionaire Randal T. Rumpp makes a deal with a fiend who is intent on sending the Big Apple into the darkest depths of the earth, and only Remo and Chiun can stop him. ... Read more

Product Description
The first in a classic action series from the author of Destiny. Digger is an insurance snoop--a six-foot-two combination of muscle and brains, well-oiled by Finlandia Vodka. Now he's running roughshod over the smart set. Is the sudden death of a doctor's wife an accident or murder? With a million-dollar claim pending, Digger had better find out. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You'll dig Digger, he's as smooth as the best Vodka.
I don't know whether or not they had a wager or how the Digger series came about, but after I read Warren Murphy the first time, I searhed for all the titles he had written.The Digger series is a fun and interesting read. The characters are complex and real.Do yourself a favor, if it's out ofprint, find a copy somewhere and read Digger, he's Spenser without theattitude. ... Read more

Product Description
Lyle Lavellete's revolutionary new car runs on cubes of compressed garbage, but every demonstration that he arranges with the Big Three automakers turns into an assassin's trap. CURE's number one agent, Remo Williams is blamed, and CURE sends Sinanju master Chiun out to stop Remo's double - only Remo is there to do the same thing. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (20)

high priest
book is ok,shocked to see that it came from a library and had to pay for it!

When do we get to see: GRANDMASTER: THE MOVIE ?
This book and its sequel "HIGH PRIEST" could potentially be blockbuster hits if/when adapted to the big screen, with all the latest special effects features and efforts to bring comic book characters to theaters, I'm surprised that this story is not already a cult-classic!

Chess & Spies
What more could one ask for to feed your inner nerd than chess, spies, and a good dose of Hindu mysticism? While the authors may have taken some license with all three, they wove them together into an enjoyable, engaging read.

Long Lasting Impressions
I haven't read this book in over 20 years. The other reviews written here saya lot for the way this book finds its way into your life. For me, my kung fu teacher gave it to me to read. One memorable line that has stuck with me permanently was when Justin asked his Buddhist teacher if he knew any magic. The teacher told him to look around, all that he saw was magic.

If I need its lesson again, I'm sure the book will turn up.

My second copy
Yes. this is my second copy of Grandmaster..... this book hits a satisfying spot inside me. It's intense, a great combination of spy thriller and eastern mysticism. I can read it every 2 years or so, and love it every time.Too bad the new edition has such a cheesy cover compared to the original paperback issuance.It looks like a chess manual, which it certainly is not, although chess plays a serious part between the two main characters as they meet again and again throughout life.Get it! ... Read more