The Destroyer 67 Look into My Eyes by Warren Murphy

The Destroyer 67 Look into My Eyes by Warren Murphy

Murphy has been building for several books toward Remo’s “transition” into a full master of Sinanju. Chiun has been complaining for several books that Remo is physically ready but needs rest to allow the transition to take place. And, of course, there is never any time for rest because each novel involves a nation-threatening crisis. This time, however, things break down, and Remo and Chiun essentially quit just as a Russian super-hypnotist escapes from Russia and becomes a major problem for the U.S. and CURE.

 

This could have been a very mediocre book despite Chiun and Smith being “caught” by the hypnotist who forces them to switch sides. What makes it special is the core of the transition in which, over several chapters, Remo has a fantastic conversation with the Great Wang—the man who discovered the sun source and created Sinanju several thousand years ago. (Before Wang, Sinanju was just a house that produced a lot of competent assassins—they weren’t the supermen that created the martial arts that they become.) Wang is a phenomenal character who appears (despite being dead) to be more sane and balanced than either Chiun or Remo. He sees through their peculiarities and understands that they are very similar despite appearing to be polar opposites. His attempt to talk some sense into Remo is just wonderful, but I suspect it only works if you have read a lot of the preceding sixty-six novels.

 

This book also introduces Russian agent Anna Chutesov who is a recurring character. She and Remo have a somewhat romantic interest in each other, but that isn’t what makes her so good. She sees through problems exceedingly well and she’s a breath of fresh air for the series. Seeing Smith talked into not trying to force Chiun and Remo to eliminate her to preserve the secret of CURE was just great.