In the early seventies as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and a variety of martial arts schools and styles were emerging in popular culture, The Destroyer arose as a satire or perhaps evolution of pulp novels by combining the excessive violence and gunplay of book serials like the Executioner and merging it with the philosophy of Oriental fighting.
In this first novel Remo's teacher Chuin had not yet rose prominently as a lead character, figuring in rather exactly as Yoda does ten year later in the Empire Strikes Back- a teacher more of wisdom than power who only plays as a mid-story turning point for the protagonist. Hence this book lacks much of the fun interpersonal play that helps the Destroyer series to stand out (and provided the only good bits from the movie adaptation). But Remo stands on his own here in his debut appearance. He is tough as hell, and likable even through his worst actions. Even the villains of the story, short lived and somewhat under-developed, are the type of guys you love to hate.
"I plan on loaning this book immediately to the nearest person I know who enjoys a good action story." That's what I wrote in my GoodReads review three years ago. I then gave the book to a certain co-worker, who is still in possession of said book. I hope he reads it. Or gives it back so I can loan it to someone who will read it. But then again, my bookshelf is filled with books and graphic novels loaned or gifted to me that I haven't touched yet. But at least I provide reasonable anecdotal evidence that I'm working on it!
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