Rating: 
Summary: not the Hardy Boys...
Review: When Dr.Lecter antagonizes Graham by forcing him to recognise that he catches killers because he thinks as they do, it was as if he was accusing ME. This book scared me, not because of the butchering (matter-of-fact and all the more repulsive for it), but because I felt sorry for Francis after his horrific childhood, and whilst not understanding why he had to release his demons in this particular way, knew he had to do SOMETHING to regain control. And it is not pleasant when you find yourself empathizing with the Francis Dolarhydes of this world. It would have been so much better for everyone if he had used the axe on his Grandma, rather than the chickens...But yes I agree with another reviewer who thinks the ending was dumb.
Rating: 
Summary: Unimpressive.
Review: When a glance after the villain's demise reveals that there are still eight pages left, what other possible twist could there be? I know, bring him back alive and have him shot all in one page, and fill the other seven pages with explanations! Disappointing.
Rating: 
Summary: ATTENTION READER FROM PENNSYLVANIA
Review: To the readers who state that many serial killers had happychildhoods...at least 43% were sexually abused as children...42% werephysically tortured...not to mention the 74% who suffered daily psychological torture. Edmund Kemper was locked in a dark room next to the furnace just by his mother for no real reason. Henry Lee Lucas had to watch his prostitute mother service her customers...and often, his mother made him wear a dress as he watched...and he was also severely beaten. DeSalvo, Manson, Fish, Kallinger...I could go on forever. Just because two high-profile killers (Bundy and Dahmer) weren't abused (that we know of), that doesn't mean that it's not THE predominant cause of serial murder. It's not an excuse...it's a reason...or, more accurately, it's THE reason. If people would stop abusing their children, serial murder would become a thing of the past. Makes one pause to wonder if Hugh Morse's mother ever gave a moment of thought to the people that SHE helped to kill.
Rating:
Summary: A quick note about "Manhunter"
Review: If you like "Red Dragon" (or love it, as I do), DONOT watch the awful film which was based upon it...everything thatmakes the novel so brilliant is absent in the film. They even had the gall to amputate the original ending, which had one hell of a twist, and tack on a typical Hollywood showdown. Final analysis...RED DRAGON - Very likely the greatest piece of suspense literature of the 20th century. MANHUNTER - Hollywood's way of ruining a brilliant book and making millions in the process. Please...read the book and avoid the movie at all costs.
Rating:
Summary: The Dragon is unreal
Review: Red Dragon happens to have the same pyschological tension as found in the sequel Silence of the Lambs. In this novel, you meet Hannibal the Cannibal for the first time, and the agent who almost died catching him. But this novel is about another serial killer who is pyschologically scary like Hannibal. The novel is intense and frightening, and moves at a rapid pace. Be prepared for a twist at the end that is masterful. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Ignore the marketing b.s.
Review: This book has nothing to do with Hannibal and everything to do with an arguably more sinister character, Francis Dollarhyde. While certainly not being Lector's intellectual equal (bookwise, anyway) Dollarhyde proves a most ellusive foe and makes this book even more enjoyable than its sequel "Silence of the Lambs". By far, my favorite "psychological thriller".
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent thriller, although some editing was poor.
Review: Normally I'm a fan of the sci-fi and fantasy genre, but after hearing about the Thomas Harris craze, I decided to leap onto the bandwagon. Red Dragon is one of the best thrillers I have ever read. What makes it so good is that instead of being the usual murder mystery, Red Dragon shows us who the murderer is early in the novel. This is because the book's main purpose (well after entertainment) is to show the psychological processes carried out by both sides of a serial murder investigation. I especially enjoyed reading the parts when the FBI profilers try to come up with a mental image of the killer. If there is anything bad about this book, it is the fact that the editing is rather clumsy in parts. Although it's not too common, it is there often enough to halt the flow of reading. Here is an example of such poor editing - "He could REMEMBERED old drugstores with soda fountains." But despite the editing, it is still a very good book. That's why I gave it four stars.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Silence
Review: I read this book some time ago as it is the first of the Hannibal Lecter series. I found it engrossing and even better than Silence of the Lambs. I don't recommend reading this book all alone in a dark house, but read it!
Rating:
Summary: The Dragon Rampant
Review: First, a word to puling Lecter groupies who are considering reading this novel because they saw "Silence of the Lambs" --- you won't like it. Dr. Lecter serves a small role, more as a plot device than a character. His backstory is limited. He doesn't talk about fava beans. Since most Lecter fans are quite intelligent, and not puling fans, you'll like this book. "Being smart spoils a lot of things, doesn't it? And taste is not kind." Harris has an interesting writing style. While the diction and syntax are simple (especially compared to "Silence"), you'll find the book affecting you in visceral ways you didn't expect. Harris uses past tense for standard narration, and present tense to describe one instant in time, like an impressionist painting or imagiste poem. He deftly uses the selective perception of several characters to get us inside their heads. Francis Dolarhyde is much cooler than Jame Gumb. The Dragon is terrifying. One last word: If you haven't read "Silence," you must read this first. The first chapter of "Silence" contains spoilers for the last chapter of "Dragon."
Rating:
Summary: Red Dragon
Review: Thomas Harris does an excellent job of bringing the character of Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter to life in this non-stop, suspenseful novel. Better yet is the search for the serial killer "Red Dragon". In regards to a movie about this book, there is one: Manhunter (1986) directed by Michael Mann.
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