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The Destroyer #8
Summit Chase
The President of Scambia's life is in danger when one sleezy goon schemes to assassinate not only a leader, but immobilize and destroy the entire country and transform its peaceful society into a thundering safe haven for international hoods. Master Chiun and his protégé Remo Williams descend on the scene to combat the treacherous plot...but not without a fight.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
68 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Warren Murphy
294 books123 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 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 10, 2018
These Destroyer books are horrible. Trash fiction. My Dad read them many years ago before he died. Now I’m completely addicted to these silly books and I can’t stop reading them. What is wrong with me. The amnesia was a great twist. I liked “Summit Chase” and I’m upset admitting that fact.
Regards
-Will
Regards
-Will
January 24, 2021
While on assignment, pretending to be a normal assassin hired by the bad guys, an unlucky blow gives Remo amnesia and sets him on a collision course with Chiun. While it is possible that amnesia has been overused in the action and spy thriller subgenres, there is no denying that it adds a lot of spice to this adventure. Watching Remo try to figure out who he is and watching him interact with Chiun—all while wondering if the two will come to blows—added some much-appreciated tension to a series in which Remo’s extraordinary skills rarely leave any doubt as to whether or not he can complete his mission. It made for a very enjoyable read.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
September 3, 2018
3.5 stars.
September 11, 2020
I think this was the most well-written book in the series up through book eight. Some readers will agree with me, some will not. That's fine. I've been married three times, so I'm used to people not agreeing with me.
But seriously. I can find no mention of any ghostwriters or co-writers in the series until the 1980s, but having just re-read the previous seven books in consecutive order I can say with certainty that the quality of the writing jumps dramatically in Summit Chase. I mean this in terms of pure writing, not in terms of plot, character, character arc, etc.
(Spoilers ahead.)
The plot is still pretty standard Destroyer stuff. Here Remo and Chiun are dispatched to stop a villain named Baron Isaac Nemeroff from overtaking the fictitious nation of Scambia and making it a safe haven for criminals from around the globe. Despite this average Destroyer plot, there are some new twists to be found here: 1. Remo receives a head wound from a gunshot. We have not seen him injured from a gun previously. 2. The aforementioned head wound causes Remo to suffer short-term amnesia, which leads to some fun scenes (including him deciding to kill Remo Williams and Chiun). 3. There is a fight scene in which Chiun single-handedly takes out more than thirty men. (No exact number is given. They are just said to be "thirty-odd men".) We always knew Chiun was capable of this, but this scene is a welcome one.
On top of these things, Murphy and Sapir coyly reference the character Mack Bolan from The Executioner series, which was The Destroyer's biggest male action series publishing rival.
Please note that my 5-star review is rated in terms of Destroyer books, not in terms of literary works. This is a solid book for this series, but no one will mistake it for JD Salinger.
But seriously. I can find no mention of any ghostwriters or co-writers in the series until the 1980s, but having just re-read the previous seven books in consecutive order I can say with certainty that the quality of the writing jumps dramatically in Summit Chase. I mean this in terms of pure writing, not in terms of plot, character, character arc, etc.
(Spoilers ahead.)
The plot is still pretty standard Destroyer stuff. Here Remo and Chiun are dispatched to stop a villain named Baron Isaac Nemeroff from overtaking the fictitious nation of Scambia and making it a safe haven for criminals from around the globe. Despite this average Destroyer plot, there are some new twists to be found here: 1. Remo receives a head wound from a gunshot. We have not seen him injured from a gun previously. 2. The aforementioned head wound causes Remo to suffer short-term amnesia, which leads to some fun scenes (including him deciding to kill Remo Williams and Chiun). 3. There is a fight scene in which Chiun single-handedly takes out more than thirty men. (No exact number is given. They are just said to be "thirty-odd men".) We always knew Chiun was capable of this, but this scene is a welcome one.
On top of these things, Murphy and Sapir coyly reference the character Mack Bolan from The Executioner series, which was The Destroyer's biggest male action series publishing rival.
Please note that my 5-star review is rated in terms of Destroyer books, not in terms of literary works. This is a solid book for this series, but no one will mistake it for JD Salinger.
June 24, 2010
Plans are being set up to kill the president of Scambia so that the vice-president can take over and set Scambia up as a haven for criminals. Remo is sent to stop the plot and get rid of those behind it. He is hindered by amnesia that makes him think he is part of the plot. Even without his memory, his body remembers Sinanju. He still eats the proper food and has all his skills. Chiun shows great concern for Remo and goes in search of him. The villain is no great villain, but because of the amnesia, Remo is not able to dispose of him as easily as he should.
Favorite tidbits: There is a British agent in the book, James Bond maybe, who has quite a case of VD.
Warning, sex and graphic gory violence.
Favorite tidbits: There is a British agent in the book, James Bond maybe, who has quite a case of VD.
Warning, sex and graphic gory violence.
December 9, 2023
Capitalizing on the late 60s-early 70s kung fu craze, the Destroyer series is a unique spin on the secret agent genre. There are positives and negatives to this set up. On the one hand, Remo and Chiun are much more rounded as characters than the average Bond/Bolan/Carter espionage hero, but the racial aspects are about as dated as they possibly could be. This specific entry in the series, being set in a fictional African nation, is particularly guilty of cringeworthy characterization.
I will say that the story is well-structured. I always appreciate when a spy story is grounded in a single location, especially when it involves an undercover operation. Globetrotting is more than likely to fall flat unless carefully orchestrated, so the more reasonable scope is appreciated here.
I will say that the story is well-structured. I always appreciate when a spy story is grounded in a single location, especially when it involves an undercover operation. Globetrotting is more than likely to fall flat unless carefully orchestrated, so the more reasonable scope is appreciated here.
September 24, 2019
An entertaining read. He really set up an interesting vilian who I wish we could have got more of. Also some fun little pokes at James Bond.
Not the best of the series I've read so far, but still a good read.
Not the best of the series I've read so far, but still a good read.
October 29, 2020
Great ending.
This was another terrific story of the destroyer. I’m on to the next one. This is one of the best series I’ve read in years.
This was another terrific story of the destroyer. I’m on to the next one. This is one of the best series I’ve read in years.
November 29, 2024
An early caper from the Destroyer series that has Remo flying to Algeria to kill a Baron Isaac Nemeroff in order to prevent a criminal takeover of an island country...something like that. Isaac Nemeroff is a six-foot-nine freak who lives in a castle, natch. Along the way Remo gets to kill a underworld hitman and assume his identity. He meets a beautiful British secret agent and they get it on. She's on assignment, having taking over for a fellow British secret agent who caught the clap on his own last assignment. Meanwhile, Remo gets amnesia after getting grazed by a bullet and believes he's the real hitman he's supposed to be impersonating. Hi-jinx ensue. These books work mostly as satires of the genre and some are better than others. This one was tight, entertaining and decently violent when required. And everything on the cover happens in the book.
August 30, 2023
The eighth Destroyer book, firmly settling down into its formula while at the same time chafing at the limitations of the same. I’ve said before that Remo and Chiun are basically superheroes and unless the villains they are against have powers as great as theirs, there’s no tension in the plot. The villains here are organized crime types—nasty but nothing special—and so the writers have to do something to Remo, similar to how the Superman comic writers had to eventually invent kryptonite. Here, it’s a glancing bullet to the head causing Remo to have amnesia. Yeah, soap opera material. This one hardly rises above its pulp origins.
December 1, 2025
The President of Scambia is about to be assassinated and a very bad man is set to turn the small Island country into a safe haven for hoods hoodlums and scum from every corner of the world for a price of course...Can Remo and Chiun stop the killing and the destruction of the peaceful Island Nation before that happens? Well, he is called The Destroyer for a reason after all
November 10, 2022
My orginal 1973 first edition has 185 pages
May 6, 2015
My Rating Scale:
1 Star - Horrible book, It was so bad I stopped reading it. I have not read the whole book and wont
2 Star - Bad book, I forced myself to finish it and do NOT recommend. I can't believe I read it once
3 Star - Average book, Was entertaining but nothing special. No plans to ever re-read
4 Star - Good Book, Was a really good book and I would recommend. I am Likely to re-read this book
5 Star - GREAT book, A great story and well written. I can't wait for the next book. I Will Re-Read this one or more times.
Times Read: 1
One of the first series I read consistently. This series and the Executioner series are responsible for my love of reading and stories.
Characters - Looking back to my younger reading days, I loved Remo Williams and thought he was one of the coolest characters in history. I still think Remo is a good character. Unique in a number of ways even today.
Story - The stories are average and fairly typical. Bad guys going to kill or hurt, Remo is going to kill them first (no way he is going to die not with Chuin as his teacher). Not much in creativity but it really worked for me as a male teenager. I started learning Judo and Karate partly because of Remo.
Overall - I started reading these when I was 16. I enjoyed them up until about age 19. My tastes changed from Military intrigue to Fantasy / SciFi. I would recommend reading these especially for younger males.
NOTE: I am going to rate these all the books in this series the same. Some of the stories are a bit better or a bit worse but I can't find one that I would rate a 2 or 4.
1 Star - Horrible book, It was so bad I stopped reading it. I have not read the whole book and wont
2 Star - Bad book, I forced myself to finish it and do NOT recommend. I can't believe I read it once
3 Star - Average book, Was entertaining but nothing special. No plans to ever re-read
4 Star - Good Book, Was a really good book and I would recommend. I am Likely to re-read this book
5 Star - GREAT book, A great story and well written. I can't wait for the next book. I Will Re-Read this one or more times.
Times Read: 1
One of the first series I read consistently. This series and the Executioner series are responsible for my love of reading and stories.
Characters - Looking back to my younger reading days, I loved Remo Williams and thought he was one of the coolest characters in history. I still think Remo is a good character. Unique in a number of ways even today.
Story - The stories are average and fairly typical. Bad guys going to kill or hurt, Remo is going to kill them first (no way he is going to die not with Chuin as his teacher). Not much in creativity but it really worked for me as a male teenager. I started learning Judo and Karate partly because of Remo.
Overall - I started reading these when I was 16. I enjoyed them up until about age 19. My tastes changed from Military intrigue to Fantasy / SciFi. I would recommend reading these especially for younger males.
NOTE: I am going to rate these all the books in this series the same. Some of the stories are a bit better or a bit worse but I can't find one that I would rate a 2 or 4.
March 16, 2015
"Διάσκεψη κορυφής", εκδόσεις ΒΙΠΕΡ.
Άλλο ένα βιβλίο αυτών των δυο τύπων, 8ο της σειράς Εξολοθρευτής και 5ο που διαβάζω εγώ. Σε σχέση με τα προηγούμενα βιβλία νομίζω ότι χάνει λίγο, δεν είναι τόσο καλό, αλλά και πάλι μια χαρά το φχαριστήθηκα.
Η ζωή του προέδρου της μικρής νησιωτικής χώρας Σκάμπια είναι σε κίνδυνο, αφού ο Νέμεροφ, ένας πλούσιος βαρώνος, έχει ένα σχέδιο: Να σκοτώσει τον πρόεδρο της χώρας και να έχει το έλεγχο αυτής, μέσω του νυν αντιπροέδρου που θα γίνει ο νέος πρόεδρος - ανδρείκελο. Η χώρα, λοιπόν, θα μετατραπεί σε καταφύγιο όλων των μεγάλων εγκληματιών του πλανήτη. Έναντι πολλών εκατοντάδων χιλιάδων δολαρίων, ο κάθε εγκληματίας θα μπορεί να βρίσκει ένα καταφύγιο, μια κρυψώνα, σε αυτή τη μικρή νησιωτική χώρα. Κάτι τέτοιο βέβαια στην CURE δεν το θέλουν σε καμία περίπτωση, γι'αυτό και στέλνουν τους Ρέμο και Τσιουν για να καθαρίσουν - κυριολεκτικά. Σε αυτό το επεισόδιο βλέπουμε τον Ρέμο να χάνει προσωρινά την μνήμη του, κάτι που του βγαίνει σε καλό εντέλει.
Καλή ιστορία, δεν λέω, αλλά χωρίς ανατροπές. Αρκετή περιπέτεια, γραφικές σκηνές βίας και αρκετό χιούμορ, όπως πάντα. Δηλώνω φαν της σειράς, πλέον.
Άλλο ένα βιβλίο αυτών των δυο τύπων, 8ο της σειράς Εξολοθρευτής και 5ο που διαβάζω εγώ. Σε σχέση με τα προηγούμενα βιβλία νομίζω ότι χάνει λίγο, δεν είναι τόσο καλό, αλλά και πάλι μια χαρά το φχαριστήθηκα.
Η ζωή του προέδρου της μικρής νησιωτικής χώρας Σκάμπια είναι σε κίνδυνο, αφού ο Νέμεροφ, ένας πλούσιος βαρώνος, έχει ένα σχέδιο: Να σκοτώσει τον πρόεδρο της χώρας και να έχει το έλεγχο αυτής, μέσω του νυν αντιπροέδρου που θα γίνει ο νέος πρόεδρος - ανδρείκελο. Η χώρα, λοιπόν, θα μετατραπεί σε καταφύγιο όλων των μεγάλων εγκληματιών του πλανήτη. Έναντι πολλών εκατοντάδων χιλιάδων δολαρίων, ο κάθε εγκληματίας θα μπορεί να βρίσκει ένα καταφύγιο, μια κρυψώνα, σε αυτή τη μικρή νησιωτική χώρα. Κάτι τέτοιο βέβαια στην CURE δεν το θέλουν σε καμία περίπτωση, γι'αυτό και στέλνουν τους Ρέμο και Τσιουν για να καθαρίσουν - κυριολεκτικά. Σε αυτό το επεισόδιο βλέπουμε τον Ρέμο να χάνει προσωρινά την μνήμη του, κάτι που του βγαίνει σε καλό εντέλει.
Καλή ιστορία, δεν λέω, αλλά χωρίς ανατροπές. Αρκετή περιπέτεια, γραφικές σκηνές βίας και αρκετό χιούμορ, όπως πάντα. Δηλώνω φαν της σειράς, πλέον.
April 24, 2015
The plot is simple, the action continuous. The hardest part of reading this book was putting my mind in 1973... The language harsh at times but appropriate for the era it came out. I bought a slew of these old books at a used book store. I'll definitely read them all. Best thing about this story that made me laugh... Remo Williams buys a pack of smokes and an afternoon news paper with a dollar and tells the cashier to keep the change.
February 8, 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. The heroes must protect a visiting foreign leader from a conspiracy from his own nation. Recommended
June 4, 2024
Remo is sent to find and stop an ego maniac bent on world domination. The plan - make a small African nation the new center of the world's crime bosses.
Thrown in a sexy British spy and the fact Remo loses his memory due to a head wound, and Chiun has his work cut out.
Thrown in a sexy British spy and the fact Remo loses his memory due to a head wound, and Chiun has his work cut out.
June 29, 2013
Remo Williams gets amnesia in this book. It is an interesting twist that makes this one story unique. Thumbs up!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2015
First chapter
You can find if you like the the book in the first chapter of the book
Because the hero is smart alke
You can find if you like the the book in the first chapter of the book
Because the hero is smart alke
October 24, 2015
Как всегда легкое незамысловатое чтиво про злодея и героя.
Read
November 16, 2015I read this hack series faithfully for years. Now I hear a movie (another move) is in the works. Not a bad read, And emojis a sympath tic character
Read
October 23, 2022average for the series but I love the whole series
December 18, 2019
Excellent and funny like the rest of the Destroyer series that I have read.
April 28, 2017
“Seen anything of Mack Bolan around?”
Another great action romp with Remo & Chiun. The authors also give a funny tip of the hat to a fellow Pinnacle character.
Another great action romp with Remo & Chiun. The authors also give a funny tip of the hat to a fellow Pinnacle character.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews