Customer Reviews

The New Destroyer: Choke Hold (Destroyer #147)

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4 star:		(3)
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Choke Hold is a perfect book. Period.

This book has everything a first-time reader or longtime fan of The Destroyer series could possibly want. Cool villains, a sexy heroine, amazing hardcore action, funny social commentary, and (most important) Remo and Chiun, the world's coolest assassins, hitting their stride as they take down the bad guys . . . and girls . . . with no mercy.

Yes, our illustrious defenders of the free world, Remo, Chiun and Smith, are all at it again (and on each other's nerves) with this newest most-awesome installment, which lampoons the wonderful world of Big Tobacco. Laden with thrilling twists and turns, this book is impossible to put down once you start reading.

I once thought that all the best Destroyers were written in the 1970s with Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy. I no longer think that. This book, as was the previous New Destroyer: Guardian Angel, is an instant classic.

This fan is frankly amazed that here we are in 2007 . . . 36 years, 40 million in sales, and nearly 150 books after the first Destroyer hit paperback stands across this country . . . and we are still getting classic Destroyers that carve new territory in action, suspense, politics, satire and humor.

This has to do with the writers: Warren Murphy and James Mullaney. Murphy, who co-created the series in 1971, is back in rare form, and co-author Mullaney, a Destroyer veteran of many adventures, knows all to well how to craft an authentic Destroyer.

The New Destroyer is NOT dumb, two-dimensional, shoot-em-up male action adventure for 12-year-olds. A Destroyer novel is much more intelligent and requires a unique blend of intrigue, satire, politics, social commentary, martial arts, and good old fashioned go-for-the-jugular hardcore action. Choke Hold delivers on all fronts!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

I was privileged to obtain an Advance Review Copy of Choke Hold. Warren Murphy and James Mullaney's second New Destroyer published by Tor delivers on the promise of The New Destroyer: Guardian Angel (New Destroyer) and is a worthy continuation of the series.

This time around, they're taking on the tobacco industry. Edgar Rawly is an eccentric villain in true Destroyer tradition: 90+ owner and CEO of Cheyenne Tobacco, lifelong smoker and fervent defender of cigarettes even as he's hacking up a lung. There's a great running gag throughout the book. Rawly keeps mentioning people (smokers all), only to have his aide tell him that they have passed away from lung cancer or emphysema. Rawly angrily snaps after each new disclosure how this must have been caused by drinking or overeating -- anything but smoking.

The secondary characters -- from Mrs. Z, Rawly's equally ancient secretary to Aphrodite Janise, president of Campaign for a Smoke Free World and reluctant ally of Remo and Chiun -- are sharply drawn and fully realized characters. Choke hold also has a few of the celebrity lampoons readers have come to expect and a chapter two that takes on an issue which angers the authors (and readers too!).

The relationship between Remo and Chiun has all the father-son bickering and love that we've come to expect. Smitty is his lemony self. Mark Howard, his assistant, doesn't have as much to do in this book as usual. Although he's the latest addition to CURE, I would have welcomed more of him.

If you're a Destroyer fan and you're on this page, you're probably buying it already. If you're new to the series, each book is a self-contained adventure, so there's no problem picking this one up first. Though I'd recommend buying The New Destroyer: Guardian Angel (New Destroyer) also. And scrounging Amazon Sellers, eBay, and used bookstores for the first 107 books plus Jim Mullaney's 111 through 131.

Like a warm old coat or a good sniffer of brandy,the REAL Destroyer stories return...The Balance of humor and pathos between Chiun and Remo is BACK!! Lemony Smith is his old self, Mark is back in form and even the special guest starring of the OTHER Destroyer..Shiva..is back...'nuff said!!..to coin a phrase...What is great about the New stories is that they pacify the hunger of the core fans and entertain and draw in new ones. Thats the key that the Old/New Writers have turned perfectly.After a while most action/adventure stories become stale and the same old,same old...The New Books crackle with a great spark and keep it fresh..Congrats Warren and Jim on returning in top for the Adventures Of CHIUN in the Land of the Deep Pocketed Whites..with remo!!

I was naive enough to think that Warren Murphy was writing the Destroyer series all by himself after Mr. Richard B. Sapir passed on. Indeed, the internet reveals much, perhaps too much, who really needs to know how the internet works, it just does. Herein is where I learned that James Mullaney was but one of many ghost writers penning the Destroyer series, which cleared up my confusion as to why some books seemed "off". It needs to be stated that James Mullaney was not part of the confusion. Please, no calamari jokes.

"Choke Hold", with ardent fans usually leave off "The New Destroyer", are rejoicing that Murphy & Mullaney have steered the Destroyer franchise back to it's satirical social commentary of the early novels. It's a breath of fresh air when authors look at society full in the face and write about current issues.

Latter novels would have new readers believe that Remo & Chiun were nigh invincible, not so for The New Destroyer House of Sinanju Assassins. It is also refreshing to find oneself literally laughing out loud with what these two scribblers, M&M, have said.

Truth, justice and the Sinanju way indeed.

Very enjoyable return to the older style. However unlike some I have enjoyed all and have every one in my collection, which my son and I share. we have complained about the loss of continuity but now that Chium is watching the wing again we are good. Keep them coming.

Many books could attempt to mix even-handed satire, side-splitting humor, high-flying action, Chinese assassins, and a particularly lethal plant, but only one will get it right - the Destroyer series, back with a new publisher and a top-notch writing team. If you strayed from this series while it languished at its previous editorial home, fear not; the Destroyer we all love is back, and in fine form. Remo, Master Chiun, Smith, and the rest of the crew are back; annoying squids are not. So if you picked up the series just for giant mollusks, you won't be happy. But if you like fast-paced reads with faster-paced action, great character interaction, amusing quips, and politically incorrect satire, then it's time to re-enter the House of Sinanju. The Destroyer we love is back, ladies and gentleman; join the party if you're new to the series, and re-join if you're an old fan longing for all the elements that make this series so much fun.

Choke Hold (The New Destroyer)
Much more like the original Destroyer books. The satire is back. Fun read.

I like this one better than the other "New" Destroyer.

At least in this one Remo gets to use his tag-line "Dead Night Tiger" and all that.

Donna has pretty much summed up this book with an excellent review.
I absolutely loved this book.
And would recommend it to anyone.
Whether they be a long standing fan of the series or someone just looking for a really good enjoyable read.
It has great central characters, plenty of action as well as some very funny laugh out loud moments.
So I will say give this book or Guardian Angel the first in the New Destroyer series a go. You won't be disappointed.
And the authors Warren Murphy and James Mullaney deserve respect for keeping the series going with such panache.

I have been reading Destroyer novels for over twenty years, now, and have about a hundred of them. In the early days, when creators Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir were still doing the books, they were unparalleled, blending action, humor and social/political satire with mysticism and fantasy. Later, various ghost writers took over the writing chores on the franchise, with mixed success. But now, Warren Murphy is BACK, baby! Although Mr. Sapir has passed away, Murphy has teamed with the best of the ghost writers to bring the adventures of Remo and Chiun back to their original glory. While occasionally, these New Destroyer books have been almost too nostalgic, I believe this is necessary in order to remind readers what made this series last so long (37 years and counting). I am still a great fan of the series and the characters, and will continue to read Destroyer novels as long as they keep cranking them out.