The Crow: Temple of Night

The Crow Novels #6

by S.P. Somtow, James O'Barr (Created by)

The Eternal One

At our human limits, when we've gone as far as flesh and imagination can take us, meet the Eternal One. The Crow.

His alabaster delicate features tell of his ivory goddess ancestry. Immemorially old, and inconsolable, he is there only for those who seek both revenge and love, and are willing to go all the way--and beyond.

Temple Of Night

Turn-of-the-century Bangkok is a glittering modern city where high-tech industry and ancient mystery meet. It is a powerhouse of international finance by day...and a playground of depravity by night. The Klong Toey shantytowns are home to shadowy erotic emporiums, where millionaire celebrities act out their darkest sexual fantasies, protected by money, influence, and American diplomacy.

Enter a young American journalist, assigned to expose the latest cover-up. Stephen is about to break the two cardinal rules of journalism: Don't fall in love. And don't get killed....

Genres: Horror, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Media Tie In, Fantasy, Fiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Called by the Bangkok Post "the Thai person known by name to most people in the world," S.P. Somtow is an author, composer, filmmaker, and international media personality whose dazzling talents and acerbic wit have entertained and enlightened fans the world over.

He was Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul in Bangkok. His grandfather's sister was a Queen of Siam, his father is a well known international lawyer and vice-president of the International Academy of Human Rights. Somtow was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and his first career was in music. In the 1970s (while he was still in college) his works were being performed on four continents and he was named representative of Thailand to the Asian Composer's League and to the International Music Commission of UNESCO. His avant-garde compositions caused controversy and scandal in his native country, and a severe case of musical burnout in the late 1970s precipitated his entry into a second career - that of author.

He began writing science fiction, but soon started to invade other fields of writing, with some 40 books out now, including the clasic horror novel Vampire Junction, which defined the "rock and roll vampire" concept for the 80s, the Riverrun Trilogy ("the finest new series of the 90's" - Locus) and the semi-autobiographical memoir Jasmine Nights. He has won or been nominated for dozens of major awards including the Bram Stoker Award, the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the World Fantasy Award.

Somtow has also made some incursions into filmmaking, directing the cult classic The Laughing Dead and the award winning art film Ill Met by Moonlight.

Reviews

[BookMarc · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite movie of all time is 'The Crow' and so it should come as no surprise to learn that I have flighted my way through every piece of related literature that I could get my hands on. Part of that literature included a series of six individual novels that were published by Harper Collins by six different authors which included S.P. Somtow, Poppy Z. Brite and A.A.Attanasio. These novels varied in their approach to what is the standard theme of the Crow series, hero/heroine dies and comes back from the dead to exact revenge and put the wrong things right, and for his novel Somtow chose a deeply sexual setting in the sordid world of the Bangkok sex industry. From the back cover...

"Turn-of-the-century Bangkok is a glittering modern city where high-tech industry and ancient mystery meet. It is a powerhouse of international finance by day...and a playground of depravity by night. The Klong Toey shantytowns are home to shadowy erotic emporiums, where millionaire celebrities act out their darkest sexual fantasies, protected by money, influence, and American diplomacy.
Enter a young American journalist, assigned to expose the latest cover-up. Stephen is about to break the two cardinal rules of journalism: Don't fall in love. And don't get killed..."

Usually, the basis of the Crow is that the main character will be killed early in the story and then the story will revolve around that character coming back from the dead and trying to gain their own form of justice against the perpetrator. 'Temple of Night' differs from most others in that the main character who will come back from the dead doesn't actually die until around three quarters of the way through the book. The focus then is upon a character by the name of Dirk Temple who lives out his every desire with prostitutes in Bangkok. As he lives out his fantasies they become more and more twisted, in relation to the violence and abuse he can bestow upon a prostitute, until he's ultimately raring to go all the way and kill to fulfill his sexual desires. The prostitute he chooses for his ultimate sexual fantasy happens to be loved by an American journalist, Stephen Lelliott, investigating the seedy Bangkok sex industry and it is he who will be the avenging angel. From the movie, 'The Crow'...

"People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right."

I love the notion of 'The Crow' in its portrayal of love transcending death and to me at least that is the ultimate in romance. I mean, what can be more romantic than one's soul not being able to rest due to an atrocity committed against a loved one and coming back from death itself to make things right? That, my friends, is true love.
As for this novel you would be correct in assuming that I very much enjoyed it. If there was one problem then it would be the very late incorporation of the classic elements that make 'The Crow' genre what it is. However, the story itself doesn't suffer too much because of this and it is a captivating and, apparently, a very real look into an unspoken side of the sex industry that exists in Thailand. Steeped in Thai culture and its spiritual beliefs you don't have to be a Crow fan to enjoy 'Temple of Night' and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a dark read and disturbing subject matter. It is not for the faint of heart or people easily offended by excessive sexuality and sexual violence.

[BrokenMnemonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this much more than I expected to; the various Crow spin-off novels have been a bit hit and miss for me, in part because I have such strong feelings for the original comic. In this case, the author managed to mix in a lot of symbology related to existing in different worlds and being torn between them that I really liked, and this book felt as much like an exploration of the spiritual and supernatural as it did a story about love and revenge. I liked the juxtaposition of the different narrators against the chaotic backdrop of Bangkok, pulling together people of different social classes, backgrounds, beliefs and outlooks and somehow making it all work. I can't say I was entirely comfortable with the fairly brutal depictions of the sex trade, but I appreciated that - in some ways, the antagonist became even more horrific because of how banal he made much of the sex trade seem, and depicting him as being in some ways as much an avatar of a primordial force as Stephen and the Crow made him feel like a chillingly evil force beyond generic thuggery - or even "simple" murder.

My favourite narrator was actually Linda Dusit, Stephen's aunt; for all that she was placed in the position of being an observer for much of the novel, I found her acceptance of the spiritual and mythological aspects of what was happening to be a great contrast to the way most characters in the Crow novels refuse to accept what was happening around them. Plus, it's great to have a central character who's an elderly Thai-American female shaman who's accorded considerable respect by those she meets. I know I was asked to accept that Stephen and Dao were in love at first sight, but given the mythology the story was working with and the extensive commentary on Buddhism, the idea of Stephen and Dao being reincarnated repeatedly made it feel more plausible than it would in a more Western-centric novel. Definitely one of the best secondhand book purchases I've made in a while!

[Rockberry gooberville · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

My expectations were all over the place with this one. On one hand, The Crow (og graphic novel and og movie from 90s) is one of my favorite pieces of media ever, but on the other hand I know how the spin offs/sequels/remakes tend to be. However the cover art and setting piqued my interest.

This book was a breeze to get through. For as little action set pieces that it has, it goes by quickly. It almost has a se7en vibe to it, with the killings and main antagonist. Speaking of the antagonist, Dork Temple definitely is a villain , in every sense. Guy is crazy sadistic madman and it makes for a very terrifying antagonist. I was constantly on edge about what sick stunts this guy was about to pull. On the flip, we got our Crow, Stephen. Stephen is a decent enough character, kinda vanilla and a lot of the stuff he does doesn’t make too much sense. Really most of the “main” characters aren’t too fleshed out, outside of Dirk Temple (dumb name imo btw) and Stephen’s grandma Linda.

For a Crow book, and especially considering the amount of crow imagery and talk (and trust, it’s a loooot), there’s not too much of the actual damn Crow. He doesn’t turn into him until near the end of the book. I think it honestly could’ve benefited from being a bit longer, like 50-70 pages longer. The writing can be a little on the nose and edgelordy at times, but then there are times where the imagery is so grotesque and grimy that it really packs a punch.

All in all, it was entertaining. Even though some of the characters are plain and the writing can get overly edgy. The setting and more esoteric/mystical parts are nice touches. I wish they’d adapt something like this into a movie instead of remaking the first crow. This book took a more eastern spiritual approach with The Crow and gave a unique storyline, which I definitely appreciate.

[A.L. Bellettiere · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, the last time that I read this was June of 2017. Fascinating how one's tastes change in 8 years.
Revisiting The Crow: Temple of Night after all these years has only confirmed what I suspected—it’s not great. It tries, but it never quite gets there. The book leans heavily into Eastern spiritual philosophy and a slower, meditative approach, which could have been interesting, but instead, it meanders without much emotional weight.

The protagonist, Stephen Lelliot, is lifeless—not in the cool, vengeful Crow way, but in the "I genuinely don’t care what happens to him" way. His supposed eternal love story lacks depth, and the book never gives you a real reason to feel invested in his journey. Meanwhile, the villain, Dirk Temple, is just too much. Somtow tries so hard to make him despicable that it comes off as forced, rather than compelling. Instead of an antagonist with layered motivations, we get a cartoonishly evil bureaucrat whose hatred of others is his defining trait.

On top of that, the pacing is a slog. Where other Crow novels embrace tragedy, rage, and personal vengeance, Temple of Night feels detached—philosophical in a way that doesn’t quite fit the franchise. The supernatural elements are interesting, but they don’t make up for a story that never fully grips you.

I used to keep this book as a collector, but now, I realize that nostalgia was doing most of the heavy lifting. It’s not awful, but it’s forgettable, and in a series built on raw emotion and poetic revenge, that’s almost worse.

Would I recommend it? Not really. Unless you're a Crow completionist, there's not much here worth your time.

And here is my original review.
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This book, this series, is born of the same pain and loss that informs O'Barr's original tale of The Crow. Which is why I don't actually connect with this one as much. This story comes from more of the Eastern flavor of beliefs, of acceptance and where your path may lie. As it is. this book is definitely a slow burn, compared to those before it.

You are introduced to a woman named Linda Dusit in the beginning who is not only the spiritual anchor in the story but the anchor to the main avatar, whom I may add, is murdered shortly after his "eternal lover". Now, I can see why I had the problem with this story with my last review and to a point, it seems meandering but I think it's drawn that way because Stephen is so much into his career that he might be oblivious to what was intended to be, that his aunt, Dusit, not only sees the coming deaths but accepts it. Det. Samreung is also trying to make things go smoothly not just because of the customs of the land but because of the order that his police force maintains. It wasn't until Dirk Temple, a bureaucrat, later sets up for the children to "acid down" Stephen that I found myself angered, that Stephen was trying to do something good for himself and whom he knows and literally could not avoid that attack. Unless I remember incorrectly, to a point in my last review, Temple has a profoundly supernatural slant to his motives whereas Lethe found the transsexuals abhorrent. I briefly had to backtrack for a second to remember that the Ambassador is not Dirk Temple, the antagonist in the book. Otherwise, it's almost like we, as the reader, near the few final chapters, are going between Duan's perspective and a general perspective. You're given the idea that Dusit is an angelic guardian and that Ai Tong is the demonic head, observing all. As for the end, it still remained a little hard to follow to a point, but i understood more and all that Stephen did was wear out Temple enough, physically and in regard to his dark force until Stephen could destroy him on a human level.
I think this one missed the mark, in my opinion. I think that the author's intent was that you would feel for Dao (which incidentally means, the way") and Stephen and their eternal love but I honestly didn't totally feel it. Somewhat, yes but there could have been more exposition, perhaps more memories, more dreams in that regard. Unless I change my mind, I would rate this 3 out of 5, almost 2. It's a nice general story but left me lacking too much.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay, It was probably my least favourite, however I did like the evil character that is a serial killer Dirk Temple and the woman that is psychic/a shaman.
This book is based in Thailand, it is about a Journalist named Stephen Lelloit and his wants to make a documentary or tv show about the sex industry in Thailand but it is a little exploitative of the women that he talks to.
His grandmother Linda Dusit who is the Shaman, can astral project herself into the spiritual/astral realm while there she senses an evil presence which is Dirk Temple.
Dirk Temple who is my favourite character because he is depraved and psychotic, he goes on a killing spree so he can metamorphose into a godlike being and then rule over human beings to collect their souls.
However things don't exactly work out for him so eventually he is punished. One of his murder victims and her brother are finally set free.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original comics that started the Crow franchise were well done, an excellent work even if it was cathartic in nature. The first movie was a wonderful adaptation, but for me at least every thing that has come out since is garbage. With one exception. Temple of Night actually succeeds where every other "sequel" has failed. It touches your soul. The entire point of the Crow is not about getting revenge, it's about moving beyond the fetters that your anger forces upon you, that chain you to your past life. Somtow takes his familiarity of Egyptian, Native American and Thai mythologies/religions and turns them all inside out while still pointing out the similarities. This book is a perfect example of how and why creativity can overcome the stigma of the usual sequel; and while this is not Somtow's strongest work, it is still pure Somtow.

[A. E. S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far better than Clash by Night, its imagery is a paradox of the old, the new, the beautiful and the filthy. Some of its mythological parallels were a little much, but I did enjoy it.

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Tom Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goes deeper into the sex industry than I cared to read about.