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The Destroyer #29
The Final Death
Chinese Take-Out
Death to the meat eaters of America!
That's the plan of a team of Chinese terrorists who arrive in the United States to fulfill the primary prophecy of their cult. And when a hotel full of legionaries keel over from the effects of tainted meat, the government institutes an anti-toxin plan, under the guise of flu shots, so as not to panic everyone. But the Chinese learn of the cover and arrange it to look as if it's the flu shots that kill!
Enter Remo Williams, the Destroyer, and his teacher, Chiun, Korean master assassin, to take care of business and do some killing of their own.
But there's a problem. These are no ordinary terrorists. They are vegetarians. More than that, they are also members of a secret vampire society! Then Chiun discovers that the vampire creed is as old as Sinanju itself when the vampires decide to break their vegetarian tradition--with Remo as the main course!
Richard Meyers (ghostwriter) is the main author of this book. It was coauthored by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir, the series creators.
Death to the meat eaters of America!
That's the plan of a team of Chinese terrorists who arrive in the United States to fulfill the primary prophecy of their cult. And when a hotel full of legionaries keel over from the effects of tainted meat, the government institutes an anti-toxin plan, under the guise of flu shots, so as not to panic everyone. But the Chinese learn of the cover and arrange it to look as if it's the flu shots that kill!
Enter Remo Williams, the Destroyer, and his teacher, Chiun, Korean master assassin, to take care of business and do some killing of their own.
But there's a problem. These are no ordinary terrorists. They are vegetarians. More than that, they are also members of a secret vampire society! Then Chiun discovers that the vampire creed is as old as Sinanju itself when the vampires decide to break their vegetarian tradition--with Remo as the main course!
Richard Meyers (ghostwriter) is the main author of this book. It was coauthored by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir, the series creators.
Paperback
Published January 1, 1977
About the author
Warren Murphy
296 books125 followersWarren 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 9, 2021
The Final Death continues a string of very weak Destroyer novels. The best element was a conversation between exiting President Gerald Ford and newly sworn in President Jimmy Carter in which Ford passes to his successor knowledge of the existence of CURE. Carter, of course, is horrified to find out that there is an off-the-books government agency acting unconstitutionally to protect the country. He is indignantly ready to close CURE down, until Ford’s warning sinks in and he realizes that maybe, just maybe, he will need an agency no one knows about to help him do his job.
The actual plot is weak—a Chinese cult that has been around for at least a thousand years is trying to kill off Americans by poisoning beef. While the plot was bad, the element of the ages old cult let us take a look at an earlier stage of Sinanju before they became the sun-source of the martial arts. Watching Master Pak at work shows where many of Chiun’s hard-learned lessons came from. But overall, this was not enough to salvage the story.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The actual plot is weak—a Chinese cult that has been around for at least a thousand years is trying to kill off Americans by poisoning beef. While the plot was bad, the element of the ages old cult let us take a look at an earlier stage of Sinanju before they became the sun-source of the martial arts. Watching Master Pak at work shows where many of Chiun’s hard-learned lessons came from. But overall, this was not enough to salvage the story.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
September 26, 2019
I think I have a new favorite Destroyer novel, the lunacy here was inspired. Remo has to battle an insidious plot by vegetarian vampires from China to poison American meat-eaters. Since this was written during the 1970s the swine flu vaccine plays a part, as does the failure by the Vikings to win a Super Bowl. There is also an enthusiastic trekkie who participates. Chiun takes his love of daytime dramas to new heights by writing a soap opera of his own, a plotline that I hope continues in future books.
January 17, 2020
I love these early destroyer novels. This one does not disappoint.
December 15, 2021
What the actual fuck did I just read
July 27, 2010
Terrorists poison the US meat supply. Remo is put on the trail even though Chiun warns him of an ancient evil, vampires, spoken of in the legends of Sinanju that may be too much for Remo.
This one has a really good plot. The story moves along at a rapid pace. The Sinanju history and legends are fascinating. There is some hilarious satire on Trekkies and anti-meat groups.
Favorite tidbits: An idiot on the bus with a loud tape deck learns what it is like to become part of the tape deck.
Warning, sex and graphic gory violence.
This one has a really good plot. The story moves along at a rapid pace. The Sinanju history and legends are fascinating. There is some hilarious satire on Trekkies and anti-meat groups.
Favorite tidbits: An idiot on the bus with a loud tape deck learns what it is like to become part of the tape deck.
Warning, sex and graphic gory violence.
February 10, 2016
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. In this issue Remo and Chiun fight an ancient Chinese Vampire cult, Recommended
August 13, 2016
Now I finally know what really caused Legionnaires Disease back in the 70s, and what really happened with the swine flu.
Remo, Chiun, and a buxom Trekkie against Chinese vampires. What's not to like?
Remo, Chiun, and a buxom Trekkie against Chinese vampires. What's not to like?
August 8, 2021
Chinese hopping vampires demythafyed?
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir offering. Suitable for teens and adults. Upsetting death of an innocent trekkie. The myth of the Chinese hopping vampires is explained at last.
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir offering. Suitable for teens and adults. Upsetting death of an innocent trekkie. The myth of the Chinese hopping vampires is explained at last.
July 28, 2010
Enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews