Hannibal

Rating:
Summary: Rather disappointing...
Review: After reading this book, my immediate impression was that Mr. Harris wrote what he thought people wanted. I suspect he was under intense pressure to write a sequel and finally succumbed. While not a bad read, Hannibal is so over the top that it's impossible (for me) to replay the events of the book in my mind without laughing. Hannibal Lector is no longer compellingly crazy, now he is just whacked. The ending isn't plausible, and by then you've stopped caring about Clarice and especially Dr. Lector. To me it would be VERY difficult to top Silence, this book proves it.

Rating:
Summary: Was not as intense as his other books
Review: I was very disappointed in this book!! as it lacked "the edge of my seat" page turner, as his other books gave me.

Rating:
Summary: Pretentious as hell
Review: This was my first Thomas Harris book. I found no characters empathetic, most of the story completely lacking in believability and much of the copy devoted to the author's self-congratulatory knowledge of all things pretentious. I give credit for the occasional well-written phrase, but overall I couldn't wait for it to end. With so much to work with in this story, it was a complete disappointment and the ending was beyond ludicrous.

Rating:
Summary: Great letdown from RD and SOTL.
Review: I just read through Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs very quickly to set-up reading Hannibal. The first 2 books were incredible, I was intense in starting to read Hannibal. Unfortunately, I have hardly ever been so disappointed. The book worked for me until the final forth. From there it took on the ridiculous, and the ending was a huge, huge letdown. Absurb. I hope Tom Harris mercifully ends this story with Hannibal.

Rating:
Summary: Hannibal a Disappointment
Review: I found this novel to be a quick, engaging read despite its subject matter, and I think that Harris' technique has improved greatly. Ultimately, however, I feel profoundly disappointed by the story and its resolution. I don't understand what Harris wants his readers to feel about the characters, and I'm really puzzled about why he chose to end the book the way he did. In the earlier books featuring Hannibal Lecter, the main characters--Will Graham and Clarice Starling--had been damaged by life but remained strong, moral people with a good purpose. Starling, after a promising start to her career, has been treading water, all chances for advancement stymied by a grudge-bearing, manipulative politician with whom she refused to sleep. Starling's mentor, Jack Crawford, has also lost his bearings and his influence in the FBI. The remaining characters are generally awful people, but are we really supposed to think that Hannibal Lecter is noble by comparison? For the first time, Harris provides Lecter with a back story that is supposed to explain and perhaps excuse Lecter's cannibalism. Is physically torturing and eating people no worse than being a opportunistic, immoral politician? I don't think so. Is the only sensible way to combat the monsters in the world to become one yourself? I hope not. Because the world of Hannibal is so filled with monstrous people, horrible events and hopelessness, it's hard not to feel diminished by having read the novel.

Rating:
Summary: Slow start, ... but there's interest and surprise ahead...
Review: Like I said, the book gets off to a slow start, but get about100 pages in and you have met all the major characters and it is justone twist after another. My reason for giving only 4 stars was because of the ending... not quite what I expected, but interesting nonetheless.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I agree with what many of the other reviewers stated; the ending is neither believable nor logical. It is one thing for two people to have an immediate passion for each other despite other differences. But the development of anything else between Lecter and Starling is ridiculous and was never set up appropriately. I suspect in the 4th installment, which I won't bother reading, the author will explain that Starling was merely brainwashed and will find her way morally and bring down the evil doctor, thus lining Harris' pocket with another book. And are we supposed to believe that because of what happened to Meisha that Hannibal's existence is justified? He doesn't merely killer truly evil people, he kills his enemies which are not always bad people (like the guards in Silence). The story with Mason Verger is good but the Lone Ranger save by Starling is foolhardy. Thumbs Down.

Rating:
Summary: "stomach turning and utlimately thrilling"
Review: I have just finished "Hannibal" and I loved it. I don't understand the whining of many other reviewers. This is a book about, among other things, some serious disordered maniacs. If you expect Clarice and Hannibal to remain static, as you remembered them from "Lamb" (book, not movie)than you will certainly be disappointed. Hannibal isn't even the nuttiest person in the book! Part of the brilliance of this novel is Harris' ability to make you root for Dr. Lecter. The last 30 pages are bizarre, but not totally unbelievable (any more than the 430 pages proceeding) and the ending was awesome. The "ride into the sunset together" knocked me right out of my chair-but I liked it!

Rating:
Summary: "Elitist" Chilling Black Comedy
Review: People who were expecting another serial-killer Hannibal episode like Cornwell regularly spews forth another Scarpetta are going to be disappointed.

Harris takes a radical left-turn ("left" chosen consciously - may right-wingers beware) away from conventional "thrillers" to serve up a banquet of black comedy about American culture at the dawn of the new millenium.

The book is a horrifying, shocking, chilling portrait of a tabloid culture gone nuts and a society armed to the teeth (pun intended). A political satire of a society ruled by its worst, most voyeuristic instincts and dragged down to the lowest common denominator by mindless bureaucrats, dimwitted opportunistic politicians and the "damp floor of the Internet".

Harris opposes Hannibal - that ultimate in elitist bad-guys - to the riffraff of contemporary villainy and discovers that, as villains go, Hannibal is something of a noble savage.

I'm totally seduced (and hope not to be abandoned as well). Encore! Encore!

Rating:
Summary: Gore for the sake of gore
Review: "The Silence of the Lambs" was one of the finest movies of our time. And although I never read the book, I was immediately drawn to its sequel, "Hannibal." I saved it for vacation, which is the only time I get to read a novel. Therefore, I try to pick one that stands a chance of capturing my interest and imagination. From the outset, I knew that "Hannibal" was a major disappointment. It is gore for the sake of gore. None of the characters are believable, and most of the situations described are ludicrous, even for fiction! Word has it that they are filming this one, too. I can't imagine that even the genius of Jody Foster and Anthony Hopkins can save this pointless bloodbath. I only kept reading it because I kept telling myself "this has to get better." And then I got to the end...which was a complete letdown. A perfect example of how more is not always better!