Rain of Terror

The Destroyer #75

by Warren Murphy (Series Creator), Richard Sapir (Series Creator), Will Murray

fine paperback 1st edition

Genres: Adventure

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 3, 1989

About the author

Warren Murphy was an American author, most famous as the co-creator of The Destroyer series, the basis for the film Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He worked as a reporter and editor and after service during the Korean War, he drifted into politics.

Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.

His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.

He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.

He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.

Reviews

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s a nice introduction to this novel by author Warren Murphy celebrating 5 million words in the series and the ups and downs along the way. The book frankly isn’t one of the better novels. It makes fun of the military brass in the Pentagon and the first President Bush, but frankly the humor is second rate and tries too hard. The basic problem is that someone is catapulting ancient locomotives at American cities. At the same time, CURE’s computers are feeding erroneous data to Smith. The reader will quickly figure out that the AI Friend has returned, but it takes Smith, Remo, and Chiun a lot longer to figure this out. The adventure just didn’t feel all that adventurous, but fortunately, long time readers know that better books are coming.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

Definitely a middling novel in this long series.
It had some good Remo & Chiun scenes, and an okay storyline for Smith, there was the usual jokey/cynical/truthful etc scenes concerning the US military their intelligence short comings and a very new and green president .
The main spine of the plot which centred on the ‘rain of terror’ was just okay, the weapon used was inventive and interesting for when the novel was first published but the enemy state and its leader were very one dimensional and not very intact all.

Overall an enjoyable read that was entertaining enough but nothing special or memorable I think.
Still recommend though as better than a number of the weaker novels.

[Eddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read over 50 books in this series but not one in many of years, so I am at a Used book store in Charleston SC. One thing lead to another and I have revisited my childhood. Would of liked more Remo and Chiun but that is the biz.

[Veslava Sidaravičienė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keista knyga, skaičiau ir negalėjau apsispręsti, ar čia JAV karinių veiksmų (karininkų) parodija, ar vis tik, knyga lyg pigi komedija?...

[Jeff J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

#75 in the Destroyer series. Someone is using a rail gun to lob steam locomotives at the United States. Remo & Chiun to the rescue! Much chaos ensues.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the big men's adventure series from the 70's than ran an impressive 145 books. The series while an adventure/action story is also full of satire toward much of the mainstream fads and icons of the time. An interesting main character and the sarcastic mentor makes this a funny action/adventure read. When a super-secret spy agency which uses computers more than any other organization has ever used them runs up against a super-intelligence, and sentient, computer chip called Friend, the trouble for CURE and Smith becomes incredible. Recommended

[Sanan Khalil]

its ok