You’ve seen the 1985 movie with the guy from Ms. Marvel and a very controversial Joel Grey in makeup. It wasn’t great. Honestly, that movie did a massive disservice to what is arguably the most influential, chaotic, and downright weirdest action franchise in American literature. I’m talking about The Destroyer book series. It started as a gritty 1970s noir-style thriller and eventually mutated into a surrealist satire involving ancient martial arts, political scandals, and a protagonist who can literally outrun bullets.
If you haven't read them, the premise sounds like standard airport fiction. Remo Williams is a cop framed for a crime he didn't commit, "executed," and then resurrected by a secret government agency called CURE. They train him to be an assassin because the U.S. Constitution is basically a "suicide pact" if you follow the rules too closely. But then it gets weird. Really weird. Remo is trained by Chiun, the Master of Sinanju, a tiny Korean man who thinks all other martial arts are "clumsy foot-fighting" and that soap operas are the peak of human culture.
How Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir Invented a Genre
Back in 1971, Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir didn't know they were creating a juggernaut. They just wanted to write a book. Created, The Destroyer was the first installment. It was darker than what came later. You can see the DNA of the Cold War and the cynicism of the Vietnam era dripping off every page. The world was messy. People wanted a hero who didn't care about red tape.
The authors hit on a magic formula. They combined the high-stakes espionage of James Bond with the mystical prowess of Wuxia films, then seasoned it with a heavy dose of biting social satire. It worked. People bought them by the millions. The series eventually climbed past 150 installments. That is a staggering amount of words. Most series flame out after book ten, but Remo and Chiun just kept going through different ghostwriters, editors, and decades.
Sinanju: The Sun Source of Martial Arts
Let’s talk about Sinanju. This is the "science" behind the series. In the world of The Destroyer book series, every martial art you’ve ever heard of—Karate, Kung Fu, Judo—is just a watered-down, pathetic version of Sinanju. According to the lore, the village of Sinanju in North Korea has been training assassins for kings and emperors for thousands of years. It’s their primary export.
Remo isn't just a tough guy. He’s a biological anomaly. Because of his training, he can feel the vibrations in the air. He can smell fear. He can dodge bullets because he sees the "path" of the projectile before the trigger is pulled. It’s absurd. It’s also incredibly fun to read.
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One of the most interesting things about the books is the relationship between the two leads. It’s a father-son dynamic wrapped in a master-student bond. Chiun is constantly insulting Remo. He calls him a "pale piece of pig's ear" or a "thick-skulled white man." But underneath the insults, there is a genuine, albeit bizarre, love. This emotional core is why fans stick around while the plot involves Remo fighting cyborgs or sentient buildings.
The Ghostwriting Legacy
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir didn't write every single book. They couldn't. The sheer volume required a rotating door of writers. Some were better than others.
- Will Murray is widely considered the gold standard of Destroyer ghostwriters. He understood the voice.
- Manning Norris and Jim Mullaney also took turns at the wheel.
- The tone shifted depending on who was typing. Some books were more "supernatural," while others stayed closer to the political thriller roots.
Why the Series Still Matters Today
We live in a world of superhero movies. Everything is CGI. Everything feels polished. The Destroyer book series feels raw. It’s politically incorrect, loud, and often offensive to modern sensibilities, but it’s also remarkably prescient. The books lampooned government overreach and corporate greed decades before it was trendy.
It’s about the "littleguy" vs. the "big system." CURE is an illegal organization, and the books never pretend otherwise. The head of CURE, Harold W. Smith, is a cold, calculating bureaucrat who runs the whole operation from a hidden computer terminal at Folcroft Sanitarium. He’s the antithesis of Remo’s physical chaos.
Common Misconceptions
People think these are just "men's adventure" pulps. You know, the kind with the sweaty guys on the cover holding machine guns. They are that, sure. But they are also smart. The satire is sharp. If you read the books from the 80s, they are mocking the Reagan era with surgical precision. If you read the 90s books, they are hitting the Clinton years.
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Another misconception is that it’s a "racist" series because of Chiun. It’s more complicated. Chiun is actually the most competent, intelligent, and powerful character in the entire universe. Everyone else is an idiot compared to him. He views all nationalities with equal contempt.
A Brief Guide to Starting the Series
You shouldn't just grab book #112 and hope for the best.
- Start with Book 1: Created, The Destroyer. It’s the origin. It’s essential.
- Read Book 3: Chinese Puzzle. This is where the humor starts to really find its footing.
- Check out the "Will Murray" era. Look for books written in the late 80s and early 90s.
- Avoid the movie tie-in versions if you want the "true" Remo.
The series is currently being kept alive through various digital re-releases and new entries from dedicated authors who grew up reading the originals. It’s a cult classic that refuses to die.
The Evolution of Remo Williams
In the beginning, Remo was a blunt instrument. He used guns. He was a killer. As the series progressed, he stopped using weapons. Why use a gun when your hands are the most dangerous things on the planet? This transition is what makes the character arc so unique. He goes from a disgraced cop to a literal god of death.
But he’s a god who likes beer and hamburgers. He’s relatable. He’s tired. He’s often annoyed that he has to save the world again. That weariness is something you don't see in James Bond. Bond loves the job. Remo sort of hates it, but he does it because he’s the only one who can.
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The world of The Destroyer book series is vast. There are spinoffs, like the Legacy series which focuses on Remo’s children (yes, he has kids, and yes, they are also dangerous). There’s a depth of lore here that rivals the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just with a much smaller budget and more snark.
Actionable Steps for New Readers
If you want to dive into this world, don't feel overwhelmed by the 150+ titles. Here is how to actually navigate it.
- Hunt for the old Pinnacle or Signet paperbacks. There is something about the smell of those old books that fits the vibe. You can usually find them for a dollar at used bookstores.
- Focus on the "Legacy" and "Stone" arcs if you want a more modern feel.
- Listen to the audiobooks. Some of the newer productions have great narrators who nail Chiun’s high-pitched, mocking tone.
- Join the Destroyer fan communities. There are forums and Facebook groups where people track the complex continuity of the "Sun Source."
The Destroyer isn't just a book series. It’s a piece of Americana. It’s the bridge between the hardboiled detective stories of the 40s and the over-the-top action movies of the 80s. It’s weird, it’s wild, and it’s still one of the best ways to spend an afternoon.
Go find a copy of Created, The Destroyer. Read the first fifty pages. If you don't like the idea of a secret assassin agency operating out of a mental hospital, then pulp fiction probably isn't for you. But if you do? You’ve got about 150 more adventures waiting.