Title: Created, The Destroyer [The Destroyer, volume 01]
Author: Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir
Rating: ★★★★ 1/.2
Remo Williams is a former police officer who was sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit and is now hours away from sitting in the electric chair. During his last rites Remo’s confessor gives him a black pill to bite down on exactly before he is electrocuted. Remo does as ordered but, instead of dying, he wakes up in an ambulance. He is still alive.
Remo has been recruited by CURE, a secret government organization set up to defend the country outside the law. He is their new assassin: The Destroyer.
What I loved about Created, The Destroyer, was that it was fast-paced without skimping on the details. The storytelling was so fluid that I felt like I was a spectator right there in each scene, hovering out of reach. But despite the descriptive scenes, the story didn't feel too wordy. The book became something that I couldn't just forget, and found myself wanting to read it every time I wasn't working or playing foosball.
Another part I loved about the story is the character Remo Williams. I loved his character development, although I was ambivalent about his straightforwardness about the job. It was discussed in the book that some people are really good at killing, and so they stayed away from it. Williams seemed to be one of those people, but he limited his expertise to war or soldier missions. I respected that about him; it can get tiring to get a cookie-cutter killer.
After reading Created, The Destroyer, I couldn't help but wonder at the possibility of this coming true. I couldn't stop wondering if instances like this really happened. I think that would be quite a feat, and at the same time a terrible thing indeed.
I love the action and the engagement I felt while reading, and I recommend Created, The Destroyer for crime-book lovers like me.
Have you ever read a crime book and wondered if it really happened or could happen?
About the author:
Warren Murphy is a former newspaper writer and editor. After the Korean War he moved into politics and co-wrote Created, the Destroyer, the first title in The Destroyer series, with Richard Sapir in 1963. The series is composed of 145 titles and has now sold more than 60 million copies. Warren has served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America and has also been a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild. He is the screenwriter who gave Clint Eastwood the script of the Eiger Sanction.
