Hannibal

Rating:
Summary: If you love Starling, you'll hate this book
Review: First, let me just say that up until Lecter gets medieval on Pacci (literally), *Hannibal* definitely has its moments. But even those first 200 pages have many, many flaws. For one thing, the whole man-eating pig thing strains credulity. One of the wonderful things about *Silence of the Lambs* was that you could almost imagine the events happening--and it terrified you. Not so with *Hannibal*. The plot is farfetched, and ludicrous, and each chapter is bogged down by cumbersome geographical descriptions and much-abused grammar.

As for character development--Harris reduces Starling to a foreword and afterthought. She isn't even a fully realized human being, so weak willed, apparently, that she easily relinquishes her deeply ingrained sense of right and wrong. One of the things I loved most about Starling of the *Lambs* was the conviction that, no matter what happened, she would do the right thing. It made for an interesting contrast with Lecter.

And speaking of Lecter, Harris, not satisfied with destroying one strong character, turns Lecter from a criminal mastermind to a cheap fettishist. The Lecter of the *Lambs*, you could almost admire, despite his cruelty, because you knew that he was a being unlike any other, free of the laws and mores that bind the rest of us. And you felt that, despite his contempt for her "cheap shoes," he really admired Starling. Not so here. This Lecter is trite, arbitrary, and visceral, controlled by habit and a pathetically contrived childhood trauma. And the way he treats Starling...well the less said about that the better.

Unless your thing is gore for gore's sake, ignore this book, pretend it never happened. I certainly will.

Rating:
Summary: If you love Starling, you'll hate this book
Review: First, let me just say that up until Lecter gets medieval on Pacci (literally), the *Hannibal* definitely has its moments. But even those first 200 pages have many, many flaws. For one thing, the whole man-eating pig thing strains credulity. One of the wonderful things about *Silence of the Lambs* was that you could almost imagine the events happening--and it terrified you. Not so with *Hannibal*. The plot is farfetched, and ludicrous, and each chapter is bogged down by cumbersome geographical descriptions and much-abused grammar.

As for character development--Harris reduces Starling to a foreword and afterthought. She isn't even a fully realized human being, so weak willed, apparently, that she easily relinquishes her deeply ingrained sense of right and wrong. One of the things I loved most about Starling of the *Lambs* was the conviction that, no matter what happened, she would do the right thing. It made for an interesting contrast with Lecter.

And speaking of Lecter, Harris, not satisfied with destroying one strong character, turns Lecter from a criminal mastermind to a cheap fettishist. The Lecter of the *Lambs*, you could almost admire, despite his cruelty, because you knew that he was a being unlike any other, free of the laws and mores that bind the rest of us. And you felt that, despite his contempt for her "cheap shoes," he really admired Starling. Not so here. This Lecter is trite, arbitrary, and visceral, controlled by habit and a pathetically contrived childhood trauma. And the way he treats Starling...well the less said about that the better.

Unless your thing is gore for gore's sake, ignore this book, pretend it never happened. I certainly will.

Rating:
Summary: [poor book]
Review: ...Starling and HL are so ludicrously different from their former incarnations they might as well be totally new characters, and the writing is so bad it's actually in bad ENGLISH, with the "author" often using non-sentences to set up "scenes" like a screenplay. You forgot the VERBS, Tom! How appropriate that Shlockmeister Stephen King gave "Hannibal" such a glorious write-up in the NY Times Book Review. Only somebody who can't figure out why Jodie Foster took a powder on the film sequel should read this book. Smart girl, that Jodie!

Rating:
Summary: A good book with a disappointing ending
Review: I have not yet read Silence of the Lambs or Red Dragon, but I do plan to in the near future, hoping they end better than this one! It started out as a terrific book, with thrills, suspense, and twists. I wish I could tell you what happens at the end just so you won't read the book. It just doesn't make sense and is not realistic. Everyone is hoping for the book to end one way, but......

Rating:
Summary: A macabre feast
Review: Very disappointing. And Mr. Harris allows himself the privilege to REPEAT himself (comparing the Palazzo della Signoria to a Halloween pumpkin TWICE).And the final "feast" is really far-fetched: I wonder how it will look on the film-to-come. Hope Ms. Foster stays away from it. henry caraso, paris

Rating:
Summary: Stars for elegance, penalties for repugnance.
Review: Thomas Harris is such an exquisite writer. Reading his work is like sampling fine wine at the ritziest place in town with the most elegant partner available: you know you're with someone who has a lot of class and style, but is restrained enough not to flaunt it.

Anyone who can make this story seem elegant is a master. The plot is not so good, the descent of Lecter and Starling is frankly disturbing, and the fact that Lecter is not the most ghoulish character in the story is a cause for concern on the behalf of the author at times. Harris has outdone himself this time -- I don't consider myself extremely squeamish but I grimaced in disgust many times during this novel. While I enjoyed the prose for its lucid brilliance, the story left me queasy when finished. Read at your own risk.

Rating:
Summary: Hannibal
Review: Hannibal is a ride through hell! Perhaps the best way to describe this thriller is on the level of a dark and graphic horror film you wouldn't want to watch and go to bed afterward! Mr.Harris has done it again,writing in unrestrained detail which grabs you by the throat refusing to let go....Just when you thought Agent Starling was a heroine..wait until you reach the climax of this book,for the shock of your life! I absolutely love a story like this,even the cannibalism...because I've written about a cannibal character myself. -Ken Knight(author of CRYPTX)

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars without the absolutely bizarre ending
Review: Harris can write, no doubt. The story meanders through the lives of an officially disgraced Starling and an escaped Lecter.

Lecter's seemingly unended stream of funding and alternative identities keep him clear of the authorities. At the same time, FBI officials hatch a plan to disgrace Starling. And Lecter's only surviving victim coincidentally has a vast fortune at his disposal to attempt the capture of Hannibal.

Lecter's feelings for Starling propel him to aid and assist her. All of the components inevitably end up in a vague, disappointing mish-mash of an ending.

Tactically, Harris executes descriptions as well as anyone but Wolfe. Strategically, however, _Hannibal_ leaves a lot to be desired.

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing but in a good way.
Review: I noticed that a lot of people who didn't like this book disliked it because of the ending. I thought it was a complete surprise and hadn't seen coming. It was also very disturbing and I thought that the ending was the best part of the book. A lot of people have said that the ending betrayed the character of Clarice Starling. How so? She was under the influence of psychotic drugs for most of the ending.

Rating:
Summary: Something more provocative
Review: Thomas Harris' latest offering should not be read by those expecting a duplicate of his previous works. He has written it with the intention of portraying human beings as real, diverse and ever-changing. He has taken the character of Hannibal Lector and dug beneath the serial killer exterior in order to reveal something that is complex and engaging. The only difficulty I had with the book came from the guilt of applauding Lector's constant escapes and victories. Bravo to Thomas Harris for writing such a multi-faceted villain/protagonist. The risks Harris has taken with his portrayal of Clarice Starling should also be rewarded, though few will read close enough to truly understand them. Harris also challenges the reader to understand the motives to which each character clings to as they track the killer. The result is a well-balanced, tension-filled story where the reader must rationalize the actions of those they are rooting for. The amount of thought provoked throughout "Hannibal" exemplifies its classification as a newly born classic.