Ship of Death

The Destroyer #28

by Warren Murphy, Richard Sapir

Remo and Chiun learn that the huge ship sold to the U.N. as a new headquarters is rigged to explode on the night of the opening gala

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Pulp, Martial Arts, Action, Ebooks

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Warren 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.

Reviews

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another weak Destroyer novel with only two truly interesting elements. First, Remo and Chiun decide to cease working for CURE and the U.S. and find a new client. In this case, they choose Iran which is still ruled by the Shah. I thought the decision to do this was fascinating, but the groundwork was poorly laid. Remo is simply feeling disillusioned and Chiun really doesn’t put much effort into finding himself the best deal post-America. He simply settles on Iran because Persia had paid well hundreds of years earlier.

The better element was the bad guy who got a tremendous amount of camera footage of Remo and was trying to analyze his abilities. This storyline wouldn’t work later in the series when Murphy and Sapir decided that Chiun and Remo couldn’t be filmed, but it was interesting to watch the attempt to analyze their weaknesses in order to kill them.

Overall, this was another very weak book whose plot made little sense (the United Nations decides to leave New York and set up headquarters in a half mile long cruise ship where someone is killing off delegates). I’m hoping the next book will be better.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Mikepottz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half a mile long and as tall as an apartment block, the biggest ship to ever have been built bought by the cunning Greek businessman Skouratis. Remo resigns from CURE after 10 years of service. The UN are leaving NY and now their headquarters is the world biggest ship. Remo and Chiun are now working for the Iranians (so bloody silly) and Remo will decapitate a head with his bare hands and leave a man without a throax, his fists like a bullet going through butter. Chiun will plunge his fingertips through steel letting much needed water into the ships compartment allowing water to engulf all the explosives. This is one of the less favourable in the series. Not enough mindless killing from Remo.

[JOHN H. RATLIFF · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another by one!

Another good destroyer read. I,
was not disappointed. You will not want the put it down once you start it!

[Bryan457 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shipping magnate coverts his giant oil tanker into a floating home for the United Nations. The ship turns out to be a death trap as the bad guys try to destroy the U.N. and start world war III. Remo and Chiun have quit CURE and been hired to work for Iran. They end up on the ship to protect the Shah. Smitty is there too to do what he can. Problem is, no one knows who the bad guy is.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great entry into the destroyer series. Remo and Chiun severe ties with CURE and begin to work for Iran or more precisely the Shah of Persia, a proper Emperor as Chiun insisists. The rest of the story is the usual bickering and piling up of bodies, but at least nobody dies over the beautiful dramas.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

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. Overseas tourism is threatened and the team must protect this vital US industry. Recommended

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. I don't have clear individual memories of it.

[Waynestennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasant read. A little lower quality than many of the previous books, but an altogether enjoyable romp nonetheless.

[Taddow · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first and only book that I've read of this series. I thought the movie based on the characters was great when I was a kid.

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be careful of turning your back on a greek.

Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir offering. Suitable for teens and adults. Remo and chiun leave Cure and work on a gargantuan ship.