Customer Reviews

The New Destroyer: Killer Ratings (Destroyer #149)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's not that often that I come across a book that truly "gels" - this is one of those rarities. Any Destroyer fan knows this series has suffered several setbacks over the past few years. Even with Tor's miserable lack of promotion for the series, it's still flying off the shelves - and from Amazon. Just shows what good writing and a dedicated fan base can do!

Killer Ratings is by far one of the best Destroyer paperbacks in a long time, and the best to date in "The New Destroyer" rebirth. This time Warren Murphy and Jim Mullaney rip the news biz a new one. It's not a new target for them, but this time they target it with sniper precision! Baba Walters, Rosie, katie couric - the list goes on. Few in the industry are safe from the biting satire. This is Destroyer humor at its best. Literally laugh out loud. Killer Ratings also gives us everything we need - and demand - in Destroyer action. Remo and Chiun are at the top of their game, handing out Sinanju flavored justice with abandon. We're even treated to the long-time "it's your turn to get rid of the bodies" argument. Dedicated fans will soon realize that the authors truly know and love these characters - after all, Warren Murphy was their co-creator, and Jim Mullaney honed them. The relationship between Chiun and Remo, their history, Chiuns idiosyncrasies, Remos whiteness. Airplane wings. Mr. Smith, the Lemony. Telephones. M&M handle them with expertise.

New readers will wonder why they waited so long to read a Destroyer book, and will find themselves hooked on the series.

There's a reason why there are millions upon millions of Destroyers in print - Probably enough to build a bridge from Rye, NY to the Garden Spot of Korea (north or South), Sinanju.

We're just four books into Remo Williams' latest publishing incarnation, and already writers Warren Murphy and James Mullaney are demonstrating that they intend to not only meet the high standards set by Remo's earlier adventures, but also to surpass those standards. All the trademark Destroyer reference points are here - witty satire, great action sequences, and the always entertaining interaction between Remo and Master Chiun. In this book, the target of Remo's attention (and of the writers' keen eyes for satire) is a little less important than the radical Islamists and illegal immigrants of earlier books, but is no less entertaining, as the Destroyer is drawn into a plot surrounding a certain highly paid (and ratings-challenged) television anchor who suddenly begins finding herself in the midst of all sorts of profile-boosting crises. I won't give away too much, but let's just say that the fine folks who staged truck explosions and crowed about faked documents relating to a certain president's military service will find themselves a bit uncomfortable. This is the fourth straight winner from the Murphy/Mullaney team, and I, for one, look forward to many, many more in the future. The Destroyer is back, and he's clearly in the right hands.

One of the best Destroyer stories in quite some time. Stop reading the reviews and order your copy now! This may be the last new Destroyer novel for awhile, so don't miss it.

Killer Ratings is one of the best books in the long running Destroyer series. Die hard fans, who have been reading about Remo, Chiun and Dr. Smith since the early 1970's have a real reason to pick up a Destroyer book again.

Warren Murphy and Jim Mullaney are the perfect team to bring Remo, Chiun, Dr. Smith and Mark back to life in the New Destroyer, as they did when they were a team in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

The book is well crafted and great reading for adventure novel fans. The new readers are introduced to the interaction between Remo and Master Chiun that made long time readers love them. You have to great to have a series that has endured for more than 35 years. And Killer Ratings is one more reason that it will last many, many more years.

The very last page of the book says, "The New Destroyer never dies". And with the books like Killer Ratings, written by Warren Murphy and Jim Mullaney, truer words were never written.

Yet again James Mullaney and Warren Murphy have delivered another excellent addition to the New Destroyer series.
How they manage to produce such excellent work in such a short space of time is astounding.
If you have never read any of their books I urge you to start right now.
And for avid fans of the series you already know what great quality writing is so expect nothing less from this book.
Remo and Chiun are as deadly as they are funny.
If only they could now get a wider distribution of the books the authors would receive the credit they deserve.
And as long as they keep writing I'll keep reading.

This latest book in the ongoing series is simply amazing. The writing is astoundingly insightful, humorous, and poignant. I would, and have, recommend this book to any and all--even newcomers. This series is getting better all the time, and I sincerely hope that TOR has the good sense to keep it going (which I only bring up as there was strangely no preview of the next book at the end of this one). PLEASE keep the Destroyer going!

The fourth installment of the New Destroyer series is really a home run! I was put off by the cover but as the old adage goes "don't judge a book by it's cover" is reinforced with this novel. Murphy and Mullaney have really polished their writing, from the biting satirical comments to the idiosynchronies of Remo and Chiun.

I was very surprised at how well this novel flows and think it is just going to get better and better as the series progresses. No need for supernatural villians just some good plain old fashioned action!

It was a very nice present for me when I got home this past weekend and my wife had ordered the book from Amazon.

-WarChilde

I have read every book from number 1 to this latest, and I have the Best Of's, posters, hats, guides, etc. Needless to say I am a fan. But the newest incarnation with Murphy amd Mullaney are the absolute best ever. The wit and the satire are sharper than ever, and the sometimes subtle, but often not so subtle morality is cutting and fresh. I know these characters, and they are never been truer to themselves in these last books, and have grown into the 21st century heroes that they were destined to become. If you have never read the series, you have missed watching us all go through the lessons of growing up American, and as people of the world community, and you have misssed some cool characters who have seen the world like you would like to have, and at he same time are grateful that you never would. The paradox is delightful, fun and I hope they continue their adventures for a very long time.

Fourth in the "new" series, Murphy & Mullaney really hit their stride. Accessible to new readers (I indoctrinate as many as possible ;) and plenty of "inside baseball" references for long-time fans, The New Destroyer skewers Katie Curic, Walter Cronkite, Connie Chung -to name just a few.

The ending manages to tie up all the loose plot threads while providing the bad guys with their just desserts. "That's the biz, sweetheart"

Who says pop culture parody & right of center humor cant make you fall out of your seat laughing? Martial arts series? Mystical? Straight up adventure? Since 1971 this series has defied labels... a GREAT read!

I`ve read 'The Destroyer' for 34 years, which I believe gives me a valid P.O.V. concerning the series...

This entry; "Killer Ratings", delivers in the grand style of 'The Destroyer' all of the wit and fun that has given longevity to the concept. It`s all there; the Remo-Chiun interaction, the ripping satire of (so-called) 'real' people (you know...the idiots that we seem to be forced to put up with because they are famous and we are TOLD that they deserve that fame somehow).

I`ve seen 'The Destroyer' through it`s best and worst times, and I`ll still be waiting for more "Tho` The World May Spin Through Chaos Or Glory", I`ll be expecting The Masters Of Sinanju to "Graciously Throttle The Universe" for our collective enjoyment.