Rating: 
Summary: "Fear comes with imagination."
Review: It's hard to believe that this novel is 20 years old. Thomas Harris's scare tactics of dropping us into the minds of the demented still resound fresh and induce mind bending chills. In this tale an FBI agent, reluctant to come back to the bureau after his near fatal capture of one Hannibal Lecter, must overcome his fear once again to pursue yet another psychological anomoly, a new serial killer dubbed the "Tooth Fairy" for his penchant for gnawing on his victims. The tactics used by agent Will Graham in his earlier successes: think like the killer. An unnerving story unfolds, intense and extremely convincing. You never doubt Thomas Harris's skill with this book, in fact you are subdued into awe as you shiver with each page. Will Graham's pursuits force him to consult the very man who provoked his retirement: Dr. Lecter himself. But Graham isn't the only one corresponding with the doc, the "Tooth Fairy" is Dr. Lecter's own number one fan. The "Tooth Fairy" it seems, doesn't enjoy his media-dubbed moniker, he much prefers the title of "Red Dragon". And he forces it's recognition. This novel will knock your socks off, a superior example of what psychological fiction should be. If you aren't terrified by what you read in this book, you're already insane. Besides, this is the first "taste" of Hannibal Lecter and aptly whets the appetite for more of this devilish character. The film version of the book is entitled Manhunter, and stars "the other Hannibal Lecter" but is nevertheless a jarring rendition of this Horror masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Very thrilling, very exciting story...
Review: All the details in the book on how the detectives solve the case piece by piece is incredible. The scenes of the killer at his worst are hair raising. This book makes all the movies out there about psychotic killers (except "Silence of the Lamb") tammed. One of the humorous and memorable part for me is the description of the killer when he was a child and how he play "in the forest of legs"...
Rating:
Summary: The high water mark of crime thrillers
Review: I read Red Dragon 20 years and a world away from where it was set. On holiday in a tropical beach resort I lay in bed one night and began this book. The lights were bright, my husband was reading beside me, the kids were playing in the next bed, yet within a few minutes I was scared silly. I got up and barricaded the hotel door with suitcases. I woke several times that night and checked the kids were still alive. Red Dragon is the most frightening book I've ever read, before or since. Many serial killer books since have done the tough childhood - weird killer adult thing, but very, very few as effectively as Frances Dolarhyde, the self- anointed Red Dragon. The details of his possesion and obsession were compelling and terrifying, I barely kept from screaming 'NO!' at the blind girl who befriends him. Theirs must be the creepiest dates in all fiction - he amazed at being treated normally by someone who cannot see and be repulsed by his deformity, her with only tactile impressions of him yet heightened awareness of his 'differentness' from other men. Like 'Lord of the Rings' and fantasy books, this book began and still sets the high water mark for crime thrillers. Barely any of the tide of crime books since come even close to it. It's even better than Silence of the Lambs. Read it - it's a 10 star book.
Rating:
Summary: Brrrr its cold in here
Review: As a great boxer and poet once said" Its a thriller, with the gorrila, in Manila. Well not quite all that but that is the closest I can come in mind to the exciting content of this book. It is the first of his I have read and will read more. I will insert his books in between some of my Patterson,W.E.B. Griffin,Clancy and Higgins readings, just to add some sauce to what is probably the most important thing I do these days. My reading. Enjoy it it is great.
Rating:
Summary: The thriller that triggered the suspense novel renaissance.
Review: With some authors it can take a few chapters to feel comfortable with, not so with Thomas Harris and Red Dragon. Almost immediately the reader will feel as though he or she has been reading Harris' books for years, and in a way they probably have. There is a little bit of Red Dragon in all the popular thrillers of today. John Sanford, James Patterson, David Wiltse and other excellent authors like them write about recurring characters that bear resemblance to Thomas Harris' FBI agent Will Graham. Red Dragon's story structure will seem familiar because of its smoothly-woven sentences that must come naturally to its creator. Harris only writes a new book about every eight or so years and it shows in his craftmanship and storytelling. A book must be good if one of today's most celebrated villians (Hannibal Lecter) plays only a supporting role and isn't missed at all. Serial killer Francis Dolarhyde is the chief antagonist here and he is fleshed out to perfection with gradual revelations of his tortuous childhood that ultimately lead him to his current homicidal state. Agent Will Graham, uncanny detective skills and all, is hard pressed to track down this imaginative villian especially with the added distraction of conferences with Dr. Lecter; who Graham had originally brought to justice. With a great ending to top it all off, one MUST read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book with one mistake
Review: I'm not sure how accurate Harris portrays the mind of a criminal, but then again, I don't care. Delving in to the mind of the Red Dragon was one of the most interesting aspects of the book and then reading how Graham tries to get into his head was suspenseful. Lector is creepy and I'm looking forward to reading the next books. The only real problem I had was the ending. I won't give it away, but Harris tries to give the ending a surprise twist that really falls out of character and in my opinion hurts the story just for a cheap thrill. Overall it's a good book that's hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: The red dragon
Review: First i want to say this is a great book. Red dragon was the first book i read from Thomas Harris and when i finished it i ordered 2 books more from him. In Red Dragon Will Graham must solve the mystery of the red dragon and bring him down. It's an enjoyable read the scenes are well described and there is a good atmosphere in this book. If you like silence of the lambs you like this one better. If your interested in how serial killers think and work you should pick this one up.
Rating: 
Summary: boring...
Review: Despite all the hype and good publicity surrounding it, this was an extremely boring book...I couldn't even bring myself to finish it...the plot seemed great,but the writing was tedious and boring...fortunately, the second movie based on the book was great, so I gotta give the book some credit...maybe it would have gotten better, I just didn't care to read any further and find out....
Rating:
Summary: Reviewing the Reviewers
Review: A few reviewers needed to re-read the Lecter Trilogy. Nancy Martin thinks that Red Dragon follows The Silence Of The Lambs. Potential readers should be aware that this is inaccurate. Red Dragon introduces Lecter although he isn't the central villain. In my opinion, the trilogy went downhill from Dragon. Silence lacked the forensic depth, Starling is no match for Graham in character development, and Demme's movie was actually more entertaining than the book. By contast, Mann's movie, The Manhunter, is a dreadfully weak re-telling of Red Dragon. Hannibal....well, it should have just been a movie (preferably, a cartoon). Red Dragon is THE CLASSIC of this genre and very re-readable.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: This book is scarier than Harris' Silence of the Lambs or Hannibal, but it's a different sort of fright. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the other two books, and be prepared for an even better psychological ride. Will Graham is a likeable fellow, who I wish had been in the other two books - even if it was only just a spot appearance to let us know he was still around. Anyone who has seen the film version (Manhunter) without reading this book needs to pick up the book and read it. The movie cannot even come close to touching this film.
| 
