Hannibal

Rating:
Summary: This book polarizes the readers.
Review: I confess that I have not read Red Dragon or Silence of the Lamb, but still I have read Hannibal and I am not biased by previous Harris works. Firstly, I love and hate this book at the same time! I don't know how this happened, but by the end I was dismayed, disappointed and thinking about it non-stop. The novel seems a collaboration of Anne Rice and Tom Clancy. Set in romantic settings with a definite sense of paranoia, with eccentric characters throw into the mix. Hey, I wasn't expecting gypsies!!! I respect the choices Harris made with this novel even if I don't agree with them. Case in point--Lecter will never be a sympathetic character in my opinion. Despite the extreme reactions to this book, by fans, I recommend it as a good distraction. I couldn't put it down.

Rating:
Summary: This comment refers to the ending; be warned.
Review: The ending is disturbing, but it makes sense. Clarice Starling is left vulnerbale with Hannible, not only physically, but spiritually. She's been crushed by the institution she loved. All of her notions of 'self' have been tossed up into the air, and on the way down Hannibal captures them; he pieces them together in a way that pleases 'him'. The ending isn't about love, it's about control. Why would Hannibal eat Clarice, when he could attempt the consumption of her soul?

Rating:
Summary: A far-flung plot encased in artful writing
Review: When I began to read "Hannibal", I was skeptical. I'd read a synopsis of the plot and felt a little derisive. But this book is so well written, the threads woven so artfully, that I loved reading the story. Though the plot was a bit over-the-top, the skillfull story-telling drew me in and I didn't mind any of the unrealistic qualities.

I even enjoyed the unsettled feeling the ending left me with. I've enjoyed turning that ending over and over in my mind like an object, trying to figure out all of its angles...trying to understand its nature, and isn't that exactly the draw of a sociopathic cannibal like Dr. Lector?

Rating:
Summary: ... Strange?
Review: I have to say, I did like this book, which seems a marked contrast to everyone else who read it. I agree that the ending was a bit weird (but I, unlike others, will not disclose it) and a bit out of character, especially for Starling, but it was wonderful to have more information about Dr. Lecter personally. I've seen the complaint that Harris reduced Dr. Lecter down to mere influences as explanation for his actions (the New York Times review, I think), and I've seen people say that there was no insight given at all. I think it was somewhere in between. While some information about his past was disclosed, it certainly didn't explain him, and what would that have solved if it did? I think, all in all, the only part that I didn't like was the lack of an explanation as to the change in Starling at the end. It seemed to be coming as the plot went on, and even somewhat in Silence of the Lambs, but a better explanation would have been nice.

Rating:
Summary: An ending to please all of you Danielle Steel fans...
Review: Mixed feelings:

My impression during the first 100 pages or so was that this was written like a screenplay or movie treatment. I was engaged, but bothered that the writing wasn't as taut and action as unpredictable as in previous novels.

Scan through the reviews - most are 5 stars or 1 star. They either love it or hate it. Unfortunately, I feel both ways! I loved reading it for the most part: I became interested in the newer characters while hoping for more on others (Ardelia, are you up for being a title character?); I (minority member) enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Florence and food; and like everyone else I couldn't wait to see what would happen when Agent Starling caught up with the slippery doctor after all these years. That leads us to the part I hate: I will never be excited about these two people again! They changed in ways that make them boring compared to who they were at the end of SOL. Oh, the ending, yes it was hard to take and very surreal, but I choose to think that it will be like the tv show "Dallas", where what's-her-name wakes up to find out that Bobby is alive and in the shower and the previous season was a dream. Mr. Harris will explain this madness in another book, just as he explained (!?!) Lecter's madness in this one.

Most disturbing thing: In Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs, Will Graham and Clarice Starling are guided by a strong moral center, a compulsion to do the right thing and be true to themselves regardless of danger, etc. Clarice's character, as written in SOL and in this book, didn't seem sufficiently broken by her bad experiences to undergo the drastic change that we see in the final chapters.

In all it is good read with some unpleasant and unsatisfying moments, but I think these people who are hysterical and screaming for zero stars ought to remember what kind of fiction they are reading. If you get too obsessed with a character like Lecter, exquisite creation that he is, what does it say about your objectivity as a reader? This is not a sacred text. Glance back over it and you'll surely find more to like than dislike.

Just one more note: Everyone is talking about the Hannibal books, but Black Sunday is a terrific read as well.

Rating:
Summary: Terribly disappointing
Review: After finishing "Silence" and "Red Dragon" I felt like I should sleep with the lights on. "Hannibal" completely lacks that quality. There just is no tension, no palpable sense of menace in this book. That's the biggest let-down.

And the ending? Clarice deserved better.

Rating:
Summary: Until ending, a disturbing , fascinating, well written book
Review: This is a book I did not want to rush through, but to savor the research, creativity, and hypnotizing text. Author Harris has managed to create not one, but two repulsive characters , as well as other dysfunctional secondary accomplices. He has described their personalities, habits,and thoughts in a way that these unbelieveable, yet fictious individuals seem realistic. Readiing Hannibal gave me the same horrifying,yet mesmerizing feelings that I experienced reading Bram Stoker's Dracula under my bedcovers with a a flashlight at age 15. However, I am now 51 and read the majority of this novel basking in 80 degree weather on my deck !!! Nothing could break the curiosity of what was going to happen next.f I was disappointed in the ending because of the unexplained reasons for Starling's uninfluenced willingness for a long term, romantic bonding with Lecter. It felt like a section of the text was missing.. Also, on a minor note, though the FBI was aware that Starlings disappearance was related to Lecter, they seemed to have dropped any interest in the case. This also did not "flow" with the balance of the book's detail of actions.

Rating:
Summary: Thomas Harris Defines The Psyco/Horror Story
Review: Hannibal is a novel with suspense, action, and complex plot. The two previous novels centered on FBI profilers with Dr. Lector as an interesting side theme - i.e. they dealt with more or less normal human beings. The focus of this novel is the abnormal human being.

For us "normal" beings, it requires a careful reading with an open mind. The reader is rewarded with a consistent plot that has more than its share of excitement and human depravity.

Rating:
Summary: You should have stopped while you were ahead
Review: Gosh, how we were all looking forward to this book! Never a fan of sequels, I nevertheless felt that if anyone could do it, Thomas Harris could. WRONG AGAIN! I started to put this book down several times while reading it. Discrepancies from facts we learned in "Silence", bad writing, bad plotting, etc. But I kept on, thinking, surely, with all the hype this book has received, it has to get better. WRONG AGAIN! Finally, I just tired of it and flipped to the ending before replacing it in my bookshelf (towards the back). Mr. Harris, did you honestly think this ending would satisfy your reader? Endings that leave your jaw hanging because of their shock value are wonderful, but mine was hanging out of disbelief. How could Thomas Harris have written such a ridiculous ending? Where were your editors? Of course, all concerned will make a tremendous amount of money due to all the hype this book received. Everyone went out to buy it, expecting something which Mr. Harris and his publisher did not deliver. One last word. A sequel should have never been written to "Gone With the Wind". We were better off deciding for ourselves what happened to Rhett and Scarlett. I will do the same for Clarice and Dr. Lector.

Rating:
Summary: fabulous, wonderful, better than sex.
Review: the people who reviewed in a negative way do not know a good text when they come across it.what exactly were you looking for? It was well written, and had so much excitement.maybe you previous readers just had no clue.