He was a Newark cop. Then he was dead. Or at least, the state of New Jersey thought he was dead after they "executed" him for a crime he didn’t commit.
That’s basically how the Remo Williams book series—better known to die-hard fans as The Destroyer—kicks off. It’s a wild, often offensive, and incredibly long-running saga that started way back in 1971. If you've only seen the 1985 movie starring Fred Ward, you’ve barely scratched the surface. We’re talking over 150 novels. It’s a massive, sprawling mess of martial arts, political satire, and some of the most bizarre plots ever committed to paperback.
👉 See also: Ouija 3: The Charlie Charlie Challenge and Why We Can't Stop Watching Low-Budget Horror
What is the Remo Williams book series actually about?
Most people think it’s just another 70s action trope. You've seen the type: tough guy with a gun saves the world. But The Destroyer is different. Honestly, it’s closer to a superhero comic than a Tom Clancy novel.
The premise is straightforward but weirdly deep. Remo Williams is recruited by a super-secret agency called CURE. It was supposedly set up by JFK to handle the threats that the Constitution can't touch. Basically, when the legal system fails, CURE sends in Remo. But Remo isn't just a hitman. He’s the pupil of Chiun, the Reigning Master of Sinanju.
Sinanju is the "Sun Source" of all martial arts. According to the books, every other style—Karate, Kung Fu, Ninjutsu—is just a diluted, "pathetic" version of Sinanju.
📖 Related: What Were the 7 Dwarfs Names? The History Disney Didn't Tell You
The Dynamic Duo
The heart of the series isn’t the action. It’s the bickering.
- Remo Williams: A blue-collar guy who becomes a god-like assassin. He can dodge bullets and run on water.
- Chiun: A tiny, elderly Korean man who loves soap operas and thinks all white people (especially Remo) are "thick-skulled barbarians."
Their relationship is basically a cranky father and a frustrated son, if the father could also rip a tank apart with his bare hands.
Why the series is a "product of its time"
You can't talk about the Remo Williams book series without acknowledging the elephant in the room. These books are non-PC. Like, extremely non-PC.
Started by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir, the series was written for the "men’s adventure" market of the 1970s. It’s full of stereotypes that wouldn't fly for a second today. Chiun is a walking collection of Asian tropes, though as the series progresses, he becomes the most competent and complex character in the book. He’s often the one laughing at the Americans for being "civilized" while they blow each other up.
The books are also satirical. They mock everything. Nixon, the media, activists, corporate greed—nobody is safe. If you can get past the dated language, there’s a sharp, cynical wit underneath.
The Sinanju Factor: Martial Arts as Magic
In the beginning, Remo was just a guy who knew some moves. But as the writers changed and the series evolved, the "Sinanju" powers became straight-up magical.
- Breathing: They don't just breathe; they use it to filter toxins and stay underwater for an hour.
- Speed: Remo eventually gets fast enough to dodge bullets by sensing the displacement of air.
- The 37 Steps: This is the weirdest part. Chiun teaches Remo a 37-step "technique" to bring women to "erotic fulfillment." It sounds like a joke, and usually, it is played for laughs, but it’s a recurring plot point in the early books.
Who actually wrote these books?
It’s a long list. Murphy and Sapir created it, but they had a rocky relationship. They’d quit, come back, and fight. Because the series was so popular, the publisher started using ghostwriters.
If you’re looking for the "good" stuff, fans usually point to the ones written by Will Murray or Jim Mullaney. Murray, in particular, is credited with really leaning into the mythology of Sinanju and making the series feel more like a cohesive universe.
👉 See also: Home: Where to Watch the 2015 DreamWorks Hit Right Now
Where to start with The Destroyer
With 150+ books, you’re probably wondering if you need to start at #1.
Kinda, but not really.
The first book, Created, The Destroyer, is the origin story. It’s a bit more "grounded" (relatively speaking) than the later stuff. If you want the peak experience, look for books in the 70s or 80s range. That’s when the formula was perfected: a weird villain, Dr. Smith (the head of CURE) getting a headache, and Chiun insulting Remo’s footwear.
Actionable Next Steps for New Readers:
- Track down "Created, The Destroyer": Start at the beginning to see the transformation from cop to assassin.
- Look for the "New Destroyer" series: These were published later and are often easier to find in ebook format.
- Check out the "Legacy" spin-off: If you want something a bit more modern, Warren Murphy’s Legacy series follows Remo’s kids.
- Ignore the 1985 movie (at first): It’s a fun cult classic, but it doesn't capture the sheer scale of the martial arts "superpowers" in the books.
The Remo Williams book series is a massive piece of pulp history. It’s loud, it’s violent, and it’s frequently ridiculous. But if you want to see where the "super-soldier" trope met ancient mystic arts, there's nothing else quite like it on the shelf.