Rating: 
Summary: An intelligent, absorbing thriller
Review: Note that I use the word "thriller" rather than "horror novel." Certainly there are suspenseful moments in Thomas Harris' RED DRAGON, and even a few moments that will make you squirm, but even at its most grotesque, the story is never too frightening to read, or too graphic to swallow. That's because Harris is more interested in accurately portraying a forensic investigation than in scaring the hell out of his audience (although, depending on the susceptibility of the reader, he just might have accomplished both).Will Graham, an unofficial FBI man with a disturbing knack for tracking down serial killers, is persuaded to help catch a psychopath who has already slaughtered and desecrated two families. Graham, who successfully hunted down the brilliant psychiatrist/mass murderer Dr. Hannibal Lecter years ago, reluctantly asks the imprisoned Lecter for help. It proves to be a terrible mistake, and what began as another FBI case turns into a deadly game between Graham and Francis Dolarhyde, the elusive "Red Dragon." Harris expertly shuttles the reader's attention back and forth between the men heading the investigation and Dolarhyde himself, while forcing the reader to wonder who is really the hunter, and who is really being hunted. The plot is admirably paced and constructed; each event follows logically to the next, without a single extraneous twist or development anywhere. RED DRAGON also functions effectively as a novel of character; almost every one is memorable, from the complex, introspective Graham to the smart, sympathetic Reba McClane. Of course, the most magnetic and charismatic personality of all is the incomparable Dr. Lecter. But what distinguishes RED DRAGON the most from other serial killer novels is the quality of intelligence present in every page. Harris doesn't just throw around fancy terminology for the heck of it; the painstaking accuracy of the details in his story are the result of exhaustive research. Nor does he dwell on the visceral details of his story--in fact, RED DRAGON is written in a spare, understated prose style that achieves an almost lyrical quality as it progresses. Even at 450 pages, the narrative feels taut and well-structured. A perfect thriller? Not quite. The use of flashbacks to explore Dolarhyde's tortured psyche is an awkward device, and it feels especially out of place here. Also, the novel almost runs out of steam right before the electric climax...in the hands of a less assured, engaging writer, these problems could have been a lot worse; fortunately, they're only slight flaws in an otherwise superior thriller.
Rating: 
Summary: Harris' second book a winner
Review: Red Dragon is a remarkable work because it blends the genre of horror with the genre of literary fiction. Harris, as in his future books, give us an intense empathy for the characters in his book. Frances Dolarhyde's sad life leading to a struggle with the "Dragon" inside of him. He doesn't want to continue his course of destruction, but his "Dragon" does! Will Graham, who has captured two previous serial killers, comes out of retirement to find this one with his remarkable skill. His skill? A remarkable kinship with the serial killer! The second killer he captured, the psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, tells him: "Will, you caught me because YOU ARE JUST LIKE ME!" Will, a budding alcoholic, cannot handle this fact. In interesting, remarkably characterized, well-written, well-thought out prose, Thomas Harris communicates the pain, the details, the incredibly enthralling tale of Francis Dolarhyde, Will Graham, Jack Crawford, and the grand introduction into the world of the immortal Dr. Hannibal Lechter, one of the greatest, most enthralling characters ever created.
Rating:
Summary: This one is the best in the series!
Review: For all of you who read Silence of the Lambs but missed Red Dragon, you must go back and read this one....Will Graham, the investigator, is a truly intriguing character who uses his talent for reading criminals minds to crack the case. I found his character much more interesting they Clarice Starling who seemed overemotional. Harris really knows police procedures and has a great understanding of criminal psychology. The only down side is if you've gotten used to Hannibal playing a large role in the story, you might be disappointed with his absence.
Rating:
Summary: Red Dragon
Review: Thomas Harris has such a sharp mind for the psychological thrillers! This book is not a disappointment for those who can appreciate that. Most people I know liked this book better than Hannibal, but in all honesty, I would give them both 5 stars! The difference, of course, is Lector. This book deals with him in a very limited context, thus their two different stories. Fantastic reading. Only took me 2 days to finish!
Rating:
Summary: Red Dragon Rising
Review: In a tale that is thrilling, gripping, and chilling all at once, Harris shows us just how deep paranoia can go. Despite the rather misleading text on the cover, this is not a book about Hannibal Lecter. It involves another killer whose acts are, at times, just as frightening. Visions of the Red Dragon will haunt readers for years to come, and I highly recommend this book if you don't mind its graphic nature or the implications it puts in your mind: Just how far are you from killing?
Rating:
Summary: Hello, My name is Hannibal.
Review: After the publication of Hannibal - it seems that Mr. Harris' popularity has risen. Red Dragon re-release is a testament to this. Red Dragon is by far Harris' best book. Will Graham an Ex-FBI Special Agent returns to help the FBI to catch a serial killer. Even thought this sounds generic - Graham must battle the demons that he has come to carry with him as he pursues the killer. Graham's distinction and the reason he left the FBI was because of Hannibal Lecter. Graham was the agent who solved/stumbled onto him and was injured in the process of the capture. In an act of cleansing his soul - he must meet with Hannibal to solve his current case. One of the most provoking things about this book is that we enter into the psyche of the killer and we listen as he thinks and speaks to himself. I found myself feeling sorry for this killer as I continued to read - but his actions are to barbaric and gruesome to forgive. We are introduced to Hannibal Lecter in this book. It is hard to not hear Sir Anthony Hopkins's voice as Hannibal when you read his passages in the story. Hannibal has a small role in the actual book - but plays a major part through-out the story line. Hannibal is still as evil as ever. The movie Manhunter is based upon this book and the movie does a good job at adapting it to the big screen.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit twisted
Review: I just finished reading "Red Dragon," and I have to admit that Harris does manage to keep the reader intrigued. However, the writing style he uses is a little difficult to follow. The sentances are choppy at times, making the reader have to back up a lot to get the gist of the meaning. I like the fact that Harris is able to perfectly paint a scene in words. He is a very good descriptive writer with a flair for the macabre. He needs work in writing from a woman's POV, so next I will be reading "Silence of the Lambs" to see if he has gotten any better. Very thrilling, somewhat disturbing, a little weak in areas (the end could have been better), quite morbid, but overall, I give it 3 1/2 stars. (Why no half stars, guys?)
Rating:
Summary: My new favorite author!
Review: I found out about Red Dragon a month ago. I went to the library last week and checked it out. What an awesome book! This is the best book I have read in awhile. It's about a guy with a screwed up childhood who kills people. He kills people because his body and mind are taken over by the Great Red Dragon. One of my favorite parts is what happens after everyone thinks the killer is dead. Another thing I like is that the author lets us know who the killer is while the story is still young, instead of having us try to figure it out. There are also a few funny jokes in there. I strongly advise you to read this.
Rating:
Summary: Not That Great-Disappointed
Review: I was a bit disappointed by Red Dragon. If Dragon is supposed to be better than Hannibal, than I will save myself the price of the Hannibal paperback and just skip it entirely. Red Dragon just wasn't as 'scary,' gory or horrific as I had hoped. I read Lambs years ago and thought it was great, as was the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Words escape me after reading this book. Dare I say it? - it's better than "The Silence of the Lambs," which is high praise indeed. The characters are so vivid and engrossing, the plot so entrapping that it's quite impossible to stop reading. I bought this book at the airport before a trans-Atlantic flight, as a diversion. Little did I know that I would leave the plane not having slept a wink, eyes aching from the bad light, having spent the entire 8 hour flight reading the book. The Red Dragon has to get to the top of everyone's must-read list.
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