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The Temple Dogs
When Susi Haverford and her husband are gunned down at their wedding reception by members of the notorious DeSanto crime family, Miles Haverford, Susi's brother, determines to retaliate. He heads to Japan to find Nagoya, leader of the Yakuza, the only mobsters capable of destroying the DeSantos clan. Originally a spoiled, feckless WASP, Miles is transformed into a fierce warrior of the Yakuza, whose greatest challenge is to survive the pathological hatred of Sato, Nagoya's heir apparent. Sato is jealous of the American's influence with the other warriors, not to mention his fiancee, the porcelain-complexioned--what else?--Tomiko.This situation occasions the most bizarre episode in the novel--a brawl in a heap of manure. Afterward, Miles returns to New York to lead the Yakuza against the DeSanto mob and the fun begins: heads are decapitated, arrows fly, necks are snapped, knives with oriental tassels are thrown at the faces of unsuspecting mafiosi, hands chop spinal cords. The final shoot-out in Central Park is a muddled orgy of mindless bloodletting.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 1989
10 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Warren Murphy
295 books124 followersWarren 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 25, 2022
Από τα παλιά καλά Bell για εμάς που η νεότητά μας εκτός από "το Ζεν και την τέχνη της συντήρησης της μοτοσυκλέτας", τον "Κρατισμό και αναρχία" και άλλα τέτοια φιλοσοφικο-αναρχικο-αριστερά, είχε την απαραίτητη δράση. Ένα γλέντι γάμου που βάφεται με αίμα, νύφη και γαμπρός δεν προλαβαίνουν ούτε τα σιρόπια από την πρώτη νύχτα του γάμου και ξεκινάει το κυνήγι της εκδίκησης. Γιακούζα (ιαπωνική μαφία) vers ιταλικής μαφίας... μια ωραιοποιημένη παρουσίαση της Γιακούζα, μια ηθική του περασμένου κόσμου, ήθη κι έθιμα από τη χώρα του ανατέλλοντος ηλίου, αυτά όλα καλά κι ωραία. Πολύ μπαμ - μπουμ, σπασμένα κόκκαλα, βγαλμένα με τόξο μάτια, ντρόγκες και πορνεία... φυσικά και δεν είναι υψηλή λογοτεχνία, είναι όμως από αυτά τα βιβλία που μου θυμίζουν τα νιάτα μου και τα διαβάζει κανείς απνευστί...
τώρα που θα το βρείτε;;; τι να σας πω; Σε κάνα second hand βιβλιοπωλείο, εγώ πάντως το βρήκα στη σοφίτα του σπιτιού... τα σέβη μου...
τώρα που θα το βρείτε;;; τι να σας πω; Σε κάνα second hand βιβλιοπωλείο, εγώ πάντως το βρήκα στη σοφίτα του σπιτιού... τα σέβη μου...
November 16, 2012
I read this a long time ago. I don't have perfect recollection but I remember these things about this book because they stuck with me. There is a bittersweet dark side to this story. It's told in a wonderful way, so it's ultimately uplifting and enlightening. There is a good marriage of Japanese and Western culture here that is very interesting. The basic premise has been around for a while, but, this one is well told and the best part.
I loved the supporting cast characters. All interesting, exotic and fun. There is some action, though it's mostly a crime-drama with a distinctly eastern influence. And, oh yes... THERE BE NINJA HERE!
I give it four stars on the Hugh Scale. I'll re-read it and might go up to five.
The Kindle Version is only $2.99 at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Temple-Dogs...
I recommend it.
Warnings, spurts of rather intense violence.
I loved the supporting cast characters. All interesting, exotic and fun. There is some action, though it's mostly a crime-drama with a distinctly eastern influence. And, oh yes... THERE BE NINJA HERE!
I give it four stars on the Hugh Scale. I'll re-read it and might go up to five.
The Kindle Version is only $2.99 at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/The-Temple-Dogs...
I recommend it.
Warnings, spurts of rather intense violence.
May 14, 2012
I love this book, I've read it several times and I just never get over it. :) I just wish it was still in print, due to the fact that I can't find it...
Read
February 1, 2021Review written January, 2000
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir used to write a series which I really enjoyed - The Destroyer Series. I collected them up till about #60 or so, but eventually lost interest when I began to focus on science fiction. The interplay between the two main characters was extremely witty and they had a lot of good martial arts action. I think they may still be writing them, but somewhere along the line Murphy teamed up with Cochran to write some other novels, among them a couple of good Arturian legend novels.
In Temple Dogs, Murphy & Cochran tell a pretty fair yarn about the conflict between a Yakuza family and a Mafia family. The plot revolves around the killing of a newlywed couple by the heir to a Mafia family, who is humiliated by being thrown out of the hotel where the wedding reception is being held. The bride's grandfather decides to avenge their murder, as the police cannot bring the murderer to justice, and is himself beaten to death by thugs. The brother of the bride, Miles Haverford, journeys to Japan to ask the help of the Yakuza chieftain, and old friend of his grandfather.
I won't get into all of the plot and events of the novel, but it did have a couple of flaws. First, Miles is a spoiled rich kid who, in the course of events, must prove himself to the members of the Yakuza before they will help him. He eventually does this through his superior character, and then is trained in the way of the Yakuza. This training goes by awfully quickly, and it's been my experience with the martial arts that proficiency is usually gained over the course of years, rather than weeks, so I was a little disappointed in the reality gap there.
Also, the heir apparent to the Yakuza, Sato, starts out very antagonistic (to say the least) to Miles, and about 2/3 of the way through the book undergoes an amazing change of heart, which carries the whole outcome of the novel. I just couldn't sustain my belief in the sudden turnabout. He was arrogant, cruel, and abusive, and suddenly becomes humble, kind and compassionate.
Despite all this, the novel was fairly entertaining, with some creative violence, good dialogue, and interesting plot twists.
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir used to write a series which I really enjoyed - The Destroyer Series. I collected them up till about #60 or so, but eventually lost interest when I began to focus on science fiction. The interplay between the two main characters was extremely witty and they had a lot of good martial arts action. I think they may still be writing them, but somewhere along the line Murphy teamed up with Cochran to write some other novels, among them a couple of good Arturian legend novels.
In Temple Dogs, Murphy & Cochran tell a pretty fair yarn about the conflict between a Yakuza family and a Mafia family. The plot revolves around the killing of a newlywed couple by the heir to a Mafia family, who is humiliated by being thrown out of the hotel where the wedding reception is being held. The bride's grandfather decides to avenge their murder, as the police cannot bring the murderer to justice, and is himself beaten to death by thugs. The brother of the bride, Miles Haverford, journeys to Japan to ask the help of the Yakuza chieftain, and old friend of his grandfather.
I won't get into all of the plot and events of the novel, but it did have a couple of flaws. First, Miles is a spoiled rich kid who, in the course of events, must prove himself to the members of the Yakuza before they will help him. He eventually does this through his superior character, and then is trained in the way of the Yakuza. This training goes by awfully quickly, and it's been my experience with the martial arts that proficiency is usually gained over the course of years, rather than weeks, so I was a little disappointed in the reality gap there.
Also, the heir apparent to the Yakuza, Sato, starts out very antagonistic (to say the least) to Miles, and about 2/3 of the way through the book undergoes an amazing change of heart, which carries the whole outcome of the novel. I just couldn't sustain my belief in the sudden turnabout. He was arrogant, cruel, and abusive, and suddenly becomes humble, kind and compassionate.
Despite all this, the novel was fairly entertaining, with some creative violence, good dialogue, and interesting plot twists.
June 5, 2018
Aikansa lapsi täysin, mutta silti viihdytti: salaperäinen yakuza, kliseinen mafia, jalo rikollinen nousee muiden yläpuolelle, verinen kostoretki. Kaikki 1980-luvun jännityskirjojen kliseet. Jokin tässä kuitenkin toimi. Yksi tähti lisää ihan nostalgiasta.
December 13, 2023
shows it’s age in the first chapter. no substance
April 21, 2013
Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.
A suspenseful and riveting intermingling of Western and Eastern culture in an action-packed and thought-provoking story-line.
The first chapter of the book really got my attention and pretty soon, I was devouring the whole thing with much gusto. There is something masterful about the way the authors narrated their story and even the way they presented their characters.
For one, I am a huge fan of action and suspense. Second, I have always been fascinated with the Japanese culture. Hence, this book was a total treat for me. And come on, you have to admit, Japanese Yakuza versus Italian Mafia is really just all kinds of awesome. I just had to give it five stars out of five!
The story-telling itself reminded me of Robert Ludlum, but it was written in a much simpler voice. The transitions were smooth and the characters were fascinating. The action scenes were awesome, too! I could just imagine this book being made into a movie. I would definitely watch it!
The best part about this book are the 'temple dogs', or Miles and his sworn brothers. Their friendship and respect for each other is admirable. They're not entirely heartless, but they could kill. The violence with which they dealt with the people who killed Miles' family was pretty gruesome, but I liked it. I have no qualms about the violence in this book because what is being portrayed is mob business, and violence is sort of part of the whole package.
Another thing I really liked about this story is Miles Haverford himself. From the on-set, he was a spoiled rich kid. He's weak, mediocre, and pathetic even. But by the end of the story, he grew a backbone. Although his motivation wasn't exactly pristine (it being vengeance), but the thing is, he knew exactly what he was getting into when he started his vendetta. He may not have any idea of just what he was getting into when he flew to Japan and ask for help from Nagoya, but he perfectly understood everything when Nagoya and the others finally acknowledged his strength. His growth as a character was really drastic, and I applaud him for it.
I also appreciate the back stories given to the other side characters. These stories gave a glimpse of just what the other characters had to endure. It gave them depth and realism. The history lesson as Nagoya's back story was also interesting since he had to adjust from having a rich lifestyle to having nothing at all. Personally, I'd say that Nagoya is one of my most favorite characters in this story.
To be honest, this book is a welcomed break from all the romance novels I've been reading and reviewing. I don't know much about other reviewers, but personally, I would appreciate more action and suspense stories to read and review.
All in all, this book is a perfect mix of Western and Eastern culture dealing with mobs and underground organized groups. I think that fans of action and suspense genre would find this book highly entertaining.
A suspenseful and riveting intermingling of Western and Eastern culture in an action-packed and thought-provoking story-line.
The first chapter of the book really got my attention and pretty soon, I was devouring the whole thing with much gusto. There is something masterful about the way the authors narrated their story and even the way they presented their characters.
For one, I am a huge fan of action and suspense. Second, I have always been fascinated with the Japanese culture. Hence, this book was a total treat for me. And come on, you have to admit, Japanese Yakuza versus Italian Mafia is really just all kinds of awesome. I just had to give it five stars out of five!
The story-telling itself reminded me of Robert Ludlum, but it was written in a much simpler voice. The transitions were smooth and the characters were fascinating. The action scenes were awesome, too! I could just imagine this book being made into a movie. I would definitely watch it!
The best part about this book are the 'temple dogs', or Miles and his sworn brothers. Their friendship and respect for each other is admirable. They're not entirely heartless, but they could kill. The violence with which they dealt with the people who killed Miles' family was pretty gruesome, but I liked it. I have no qualms about the violence in this book because what is being portrayed is mob business, and violence is sort of part of the whole package.
Another thing I really liked about this story is Miles Haverford himself. From the on-set, he was a spoiled rich kid. He's weak, mediocre, and pathetic even. But by the end of the story, he grew a backbone. Although his motivation wasn't exactly pristine (it being vengeance), but the thing is, he knew exactly what he was getting into when he started his vendetta. He may not have any idea of just what he was getting into when he flew to Japan and ask for help from Nagoya, but he perfectly understood everything when Nagoya and the others finally acknowledged his strength. His growth as a character was really drastic, and I applaud him for it.
I also appreciate the back stories given to the other side characters. These stories gave a glimpse of just what the other characters had to endure. It gave them depth and realism. The history lesson as Nagoya's back story was also interesting since he had to adjust from having a rich lifestyle to having nothing at all. Personally, I'd say that Nagoya is one of my most favorite characters in this story.
To be honest, this book is a welcomed break from all the romance novels I've been reading and reviewing. I don't know much about other reviewers, but personally, I would appreciate more action and suspense stories to read and review.
All in all, this book is a perfect mix of Western and Eastern culture dealing with mobs and underground organized groups. I think that fans of action and suspense genre would find this book highly entertaining.
March 4, 2017
Excellent book. The best I've read in quite some time. Action, adventure and in depth portrayal of Japanese culture.
February 23, 2013
The premise for The Temple Dogs is quite interesting. Cochran and Murphy delve into the criminal underworld not only in the United States, but Japan as well. Exploring the infamous Yakuza, this novel had the potential to be a fascinating comparison between the Asian and Western mafia within the framework of the larger thriller story. What we have instead is a glorification of violence in all its excess with little else.
The novel opens with bubbly Suzi and her husband preparing for their wedding. The characters were little more than cliches and when they are killed at the end of chapter one, I sadly hadn't invested anything in them to care. Suzi's brother's revenge therefore, carries little weight throughout the rest of the novel. The narrative continues to spiral into violent absurdities as the story progresses. Why the Yakuza would spend time, energy, and effort training a rich American boy to be a warrior confounds me and the story never really gives me a good reason. Lines such as "you had you your chance to go home, little boy" are straight out of any bad Hollywood gangster script. I'm not familiar with Japanese culture, but it seemed to me that the portrayals here were overly stereotypical. Geishas and ninjas? Really?
The violence was perhaps the most difficult to wade through here. I am not a fan of violence, murder, and torture in place of depth of narrative, character development, and theme. The Temple Dogs authors clearly disagree. The novel's weak plot is regularly propped up with lopped off heads, flying arrows, broken necks, knifes in faces, and ninja karate chops that kill. I was waiting for Bruce Lee to make a cameo. Weak on story, strong on violence. It didn't hold my attention.
The novel opens with bubbly Suzi and her husband preparing for their wedding. The characters were little more than cliches and when they are killed at the end of chapter one, I sadly hadn't invested anything in them to care. Suzi's brother's revenge therefore, carries little weight throughout the rest of the novel. The narrative continues to spiral into violent absurdities as the story progresses. Why the Yakuza would spend time, energy, and effort training a rich American boy to be a warrior confounds me and the story never really gives me a good reason. Lines such as "you had you your chance to go home, little boy" are straight out of any bad Hollywood gangster script. I'm not familiar with Japanese culture, but it seemed to me that the portrayals here were overly stereotypical. Geishas and ninjas? Really?
The violence was perhaps the most difficult to wade through here. I am not a fan of violence, murder, and torture in place of depth of narrative, character development, and theme. The Temple Dogs authors clearly disagree. The novel's weak plot is regularly propped up with lopped off heads, flying arrows, broken necks, knifes in faces, and ninja karate chops that kill. I was waiting for Bruce Lee to make a cameo. Weak on story, strong on violence. It didn't hold my attention.
January 20, 2016
The only thing that set this book apart from any other vengeance/mafia kind of book was a wealth of information on Japanese culture and history (especially conditions in occupied Japan after WWII). The protagonist becomes involved with the Yakuza in order to avenge family members slain by members of the New York underworld. What follows is the usual "training a soft Westerner in the Eastern disciplines and honor" storyline (with a dash of forbidden romance), culminating in a bloodbath of violent vengeance. Of course, to help us feel better about the story, the Yakuza involved are noble and follow the old ways of honor to protect the poor rather than dealing in drugs and prostitution like the rest of the organized crime families (so basically the Japanese Corleone Family).
Overall: the Japanese aspect was interesting, but the rest felt very clichéd and derivative. if you're into violent mafia books you're probably better off sticking with Mario Puzo.
Overall: the Japanese aspect was interesting, but the rest felt very clichéd and derivative. if you're into violent mafia books you're probably better off sticking with Mario Puzo.
September 6, 2013
This was a tight mystery set mostly in Japan but followed the murder of a couple on their wedding day. The wedding was in NY and the killers were Mafia. His mother is Japanese but does her best to deny it. His grandfather tries to avenge their deaths but he to is murdered.The brides brother, up to this point a do-nothing, sets out to avenge his sister's and husband's death He goes to Japan and finds the man his grandfather said he should seek out if he died. He finds that this man is the head of the Japanese mafia. The brother does his best to become a part of them but meets with an obstacle in the young man who is to take over the headman's spot.
April 29, 2015
This is a great read well written and captivating. The ending could have been better but still a great book!
January 30, 2017
American Mafia vs Japanese Yakuza! Absolutely loved this book. It's a well written mystery that's interesting from start to end.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews