Rating: 
Summary: Hannibal--the Prequel
Review: This book precedes Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. It was also made into a pretty good film (Manhunter, a Michael Mann film. Mann is famous for Miami Vice.) Rather than focus on Hannibal Lecter, this book concentrates on investigator Will Graham, who quit the FBI after catching Hannibal Lecter and just about freaked out from the experience. Graham's theory is that to catch a serial murderer, you must think like the murderer. In the case of Lecter, that brought Graham a mite too close to his own demons. He is forced to call these demons up again when he is on the hunt for a really nasty killer who's been slaughtering entire families. As in Silence of the Lambs, Graham has to consult his nemesis/mentor Hannibal to get inside the head of the killer. Unlike Silence of the Lambs, Graham also has to, once again, get inside the head of the killer and face his own psychological problems. Red Dragon is somewhat different than Silence of the Lambs or Hannibal because it depicts the daily life of the murderer. This is probably the closest depiction to a real serial killer in any of Harris' books--a character who blends into the most mundane levels of society and is practically colorless, until you enter his world of madness and evil. While not as good as Silence of the Lambs, which reads as well as the film, this is a good novel and will satisfy any Harris fans who have read Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal.
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Summary: Excellent Introduction to Lecter
Review: This book laid the foundation for the character of Hannibal Lecter. Since I read "Hannibal," and "Silence of the Lambs" prior to reading this book, I was always looking for references to Lecter throughout this book. I wish there would have been more. I would describe this book as Hannibal Lecter light; however, Harris managed to put together a very interesting and gruesome story about another serial killer. The plot developed quickly and remained face paced throughout the entire book. It was a quick and enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, a little rough around the edges.
Review: This is the 2nd book I've read by Harris, the first being "Black Sunday". I have to say this is quite an improvement. There isn't a whole lot in here about Hannibal Lecter, so I was a bit disappointed. I expected more development about him as part of the story. The story itself is quite good and keeps the pages turning at the end. However I'm not a big fan of Harris' dry writing style (the only character you really get to feel for is the Red Dragon himself) and so I didn't give it 5 stars. I will read his other works soon, however.
Rating:
Summary: Great book spoiled by weak ending
Review: While thinking of how many stars to give this book, I decided on five. So I went back and finished the rest of the book and then came back, giving this book only four stars. "Red Dragon" is the first book I have read by Thomas Harris. I am normally a very big Stephen King fan, but I found this book quite enjoyable nonetheless. However, like I have seen in so many books before, this had the chance of being an amazing novel, but was spoiled by a disappointing ending. To begin, I would like to say that I do not enjoy Thomas Harris' style of writing when he uses choppy sentences and switches between the first and third person narrative. However, I soon got over that. It did not take away from the book. Plot: 9/10--I found Francis Dolarhyde to be an extremely strange and frightening character, yet we could relate to his story. You could sense the tension between the characters as they tried to hunt him down. Action: 8/10--This book is more of a crime drama. It is filled with more "Law and Order"-like searching than action and violence. Characters: 9/10--Dolarhyde was extremely well-done, but Will Graham was not developed enough. He seemed like a jerk at some points despite his attempts to stop "The Dragon". Overall: 8.5/10--This book should be at least a 9.5, but the ending was not enjoyable for me. It was an oustanding book, yes, and I will continue to read work by this author, but it seemed rushed and unoriginal. I think Mr. Harris could have come up with a better way (WARNING: SPOILER--DO NOT READ ON IF YOU WANT TO BE IN SURPRISE!) for "The Dragon" to die. It was like most horror movies today, and non suspenseful like the rest of the book. Not only did Dolarhyde suddenly lose his strength and cunning brilliance, he was killed too easily. "Red Dragon", in conclusion, is a great piece of fiction that I cannot say enough about, but beware, the ending may be slightly disappointing to some.
Rating: 
Summary: Masterful Characterization! Very highly recommended!!
Review: Two families are dead, one in Birmingham and another in Atlanta. With seemingly little in common, they share only middle class affluence and a killer. The FBI brings in Will Crawford, who doesn't wish to be drawn back into the shadowy world of serial killers. His gift for mimicry is extraordinary. As he listens to someone talk, for example, he unconsciously assumes the pitch and cadence of their voice. In a similar fashion, he understands the working of the mind. Such mimicry and understanding pose moral questions, for very little separates the serial killer from the man who seeks justice. As he leaves behind his beloved wife and stepson, Will begins the investigation that will also lead him to confront Dr. Hannibal Lector for the second time in his career. Will was the investigator who captured Dr. Lector and received a massive scar to serve as a daily reminder. Anyone who has viewed the movie THE SILENCE OF LAMBS is aware of Dr. Lector's enigmatic personality that at once fascinates and repels. RED DRAGON is the reader's first encounter with Dr. Lector (RED DRAGON IS A REPRINT, first published in 1981). As author Thomas Harris explains in the Forward, Dr. Lector's scrutiny is "uncomfortable, intrusive." Yet this secondary character, notably absent through most of the novel, nevertheless dominates it. Dr. Lector himself is rarity among fiction, also, as he is essentially unknowable. Dr. Lector is a man of brilliance, charisma, and remarkable control. Only chance coincidence leads to his capture and incarceration. And though he is defiantly not the focus of RED DRAGON, his presence dominates the shadows of the novel, effecting the theme and tone, and taunting the reader with his lack of knowledge and lack of understanding of the malevolence of which this character is capable. Dr. Lector becomes the measuring stick by which we judge the other characters in Thomas Harris' novel. The Red Dragon is a self-named serial killer in the process of Becoming, becoming suggesting a process in the making. Patterned from William Blake's Song of Innocence and Songs of Experience, the Red Dragon is the culmination of what the killer wishes to be. . .becoming that which Dr. Lector already is. Further, Will Graham, with his unique mimicry and understanding assumes the nuances of the killer's character in order to stop the killings, must become like Dr. Lector as well. Seldom does fiction see such masterful characterization. Very highly recommended.
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Summary: The best of the three
Review: The movie Silence of the Lambs has always intrigued me, so when Hannibal was released in paperback, I thought I'd pick up the three Hannibal Lector novels to see what I'd been missing. Red Dragon is absolutely the best mystery/thriller novel I've ever read. The other two seemed to be a movement downhill from this one, although Silence was still a very strong book. If you're even on this page considering it, I guarantee you'll like this novel. This is a novel filled with detail (but not gruesome--tasteful and atmospheric), amazing characters, and a plot that will consume your life until you've finished reading.
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Summary: Red Dragon: A Psychological Masterpiece
Review: The story starts when a retired FBI agent, Will Graham, reluctantly decides to take on a new case involving the murders of two whole families that are belived to be linked. After viewing the murder scenes where the "tooth fairy" has been, Will Graham, goes through just about every possible thing that couldhave happened in the murders by looking at blood stains and other such evidence. After a quick chat with Dr.Hannibal Lecter, a previous catch of Graham's, Graham gets back in mood to catch the killer. Knowing that the killer strikes in sync with the moon, Graham must act fast before any more victims are taken. Meanwhile, Harris introduces the killer to the readerand takes the reader through the tooth fairy's hard past. Eventualy the reader is taken into the tooth fairy's psychlogical mind battle between him, and his second personality, the dragon. This book is a suspenseful thriller and defnitely deserving of six stars. It would be hard to find a summary that could possibly do justice the the fabulous book.
Rating:
Summary: Read this!
Review: When Will Graham sets out to find the terrifying killer in this novel, no one could predict the rather sinister outcome. In a twisting, spiralling plot which captivates the reader, Harris subtly gives us a mere glimpse of Dr Hannibal Lector. One must remember that such a book is not dominated by Lector. The reader must (somehow) try and focus on the main plot- this proves almightly hard when the creation of such a character as Lector is inspired. I strongly advise, that if one has read Harris' other novels, there absolutely no reason not to read this. A real treat.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Dragon
Review: Red Dragon is an excellent murder novel, as it packed with a plethora of mystery and suspense. The only reason I do not give it five stars is because The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal are slightly better; but, this one should be read as a precursor to the third and fourth novels written by Thomas Harris. All in all, Harris's sophmore novel is excellent and well worth the $7.19 that it costs at Amazon.com.
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Summary: Where it all began
Review: I read this having seen "The Silence of the Lambs" on film, but not having read the book. In this way, "Red Dragon" came across a bit prototypal. It was not until I read "Silence" that I actually realised just how good and, more to the point, important to the Hannibal series that this first novel is. Instead of Clarice Starling, we have Will Graham. Instead of Buffalo Bill, we have the Red Dragon. Already in his cell we have Hannibal Lecter. Although similar, almost formulaic books, the commonplace of different serial killers makes the idea work without the reader feeling as though they are going over the same ground. Red Dragon spends a great deal of time getting inside the head of the bad guy. And it is a nasty place to be. Harris' strength lies in his brilliant portrayal of psycological events. To the point that the reader ends up almost sympathising with the killer. Marrying this with some well chosen moments of intense violence creates an encapsulating world that enthralls as we watch Graham closing in on the identification of the killer. Although not as exciting, the sub-plot of the relationship between Graham and Lecter is complex and extremely clever. We have a situation where the hunter (Graham) is being hunted by another (Lecter). Needless to say, Lecter's manipulation of the FBI man is nothing short of brilliant. Harris gives Lecter the power of fear, a genuine ability to unnerve with a small action or a whispered word. The hairs on the back of your neck regularly stand up. The first of the Hannibal Trilogy is an excellent novel in its own right. If you read it oblivious to the films etc you would feel as though you had made a real find. Hannibal's success, however, means anyone reading this will probably reduce it to curiosity and comparison
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