Hannibal

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably awful!!
Review: As someone who *loved* Harris's books "Red Dragon" and "Silence of the Lambs" almost to the point of obsession, I cannot believe that the same person who created such complex, fascinating books as those two wrote the distasteful mess that is "Hannibal". Boo!!! Hiss!!! I felt almost as if I was reading a sequel by a different author who never had understood the characters or the appeal of the books in the first place (a la the bogus "Gone With the Wind" sequel...)

To my mind, it was not the gross-out factor that made the first two books great, but the fabulous psychological interplay between the bright, honorable (and properly nervous) FBI agents and the brilliant psychopath anti-hero. Hannibal Lecter as a misunderstood hero with a back-story just did not work for me.

Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! to the ending!!! My copy of this book ended up in the *garbage*. A *dismal* finale (at least I *hope* it is the finale!) to an otherwise brilliant series of books!

Rating:
Summary: School report
Review: I really enjoyed this book a lot. But I was disappointed with several aspects of it, one of them was that Jack Crawford all but disappears from the book. I think Mr. Harris could have found a different way to deal him. After all, a little tension between he and Clarice was set up in Silence. Also, I noticed that Mr. Harris had Clarice going through the same motions she went through in Silence. Overall, I was entertained and couldn't wait to find out where it was going. And when I got there, I hated it at first but then realized it truly was the best ending for these characters.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping story
Review: Enjoyed the story as much as Silence. Dr. Lecter is presented in all his twisted glory in "Hannibal". Harris's grasp of detail on people, places, history, etc. makes it a great read. Can't wait to see the movie!

Rating:
Summary: Most Enjoyable...Harris' Best Yet!
Review: 'Mischa loved dark purple, loved the color aubergine, for as long as she lived.' --Hannibal p.283

Mr. Harris has given readers a wonderfully complex and terrifying character in Hannibal Lecter. We at once are repelled and yet facinated by him and that I think is the reason for his appeal.

'Hannibal' is by far the best of Mr. Harris' books to date. Although it takes place after the events of 'Silence of the Lambs' it really is not a sequel. It offers insights into just why Hannibal may be the way he is and provides all the suspense one could hope for.

Unlike previous reviewers, I found the ending to be intriguing...albeit unexpected. As much as I enjoy seeing Anthony Hopkins play the character on film I was very dissapointed in the butchering of the climax of the story in the movie. Read the book...it is worth the time and you will not want to put it down...*well, I did once, but only to say "did he REALLY write that?" and upon picking it up again say "yes...he DID!".

If you don't like suspense then don't read this book. You won't like it. If you do like suspense and enjoyed 'Silence of the Lambs' then by all means read it!!