Mr Harris's writing in this book is as close to perfection as you could possibly hope for, indeed, in its dark heart, the book is the finest example of what a refined horror novel can accomplish- poetry, passion, pathos and finally, peace. In 'Hannibal', Dr Lecter is given free reign to cavort across two continents in the pursuit of his prey and obsession- Clarice Starling. He serves to put their crimes into context with his deceptively rational discourse with both heroes of the series, first, Will Graham, then, Clarice Starling. In 'Red Dragon' and 'The Silence of the Lambs', he's more of an accessory villain in contrast to the more grotesque monsters which take centre-stage.
When you look at the books sequentially, there is a marked progression of Thomas Harris's interest in Hannibal as a character. Fortunately, in the hands of the good Dr Hannibal Lecter, we're perfectly taken care of.įor the purpose of this discussion, we're going to forget the films and TV show: fans of horror are purists in matters of the heart and Dr Lecter is very, very close to our collective hearts. Like good black coffee, the perfectly good villain is a creature hard to define and even harder to find. However, he's no fool, and finds ways to be payed for his time in the most conniving of ways.Ĭertainly a must read for any thriller fans out there. To the bureau, Lecter is viewed as a complex tool to delve into the minds of serial killers who have yet to be captured. His opinions are still regarded in high esteem, despite his "insanity", even by the FBI. However physically secluded, he still keeps contacts with the outside world through published articles and columns in a number of psychological journals.
He is captured (trust me, it's no spoiler) and placed in a heavily guarded hospital for the criminally insane. We essentially follow the life of Hannibal Lecter, a cannibal of high intelligence and refined taste.
The movie adaptations, in all honesty, did no justice, and that is why I recommend the quartet of books in even higher regard. Harris did an excellent job in capturing the horrific and violent genius that is Dr. It was my gateway into the world of psychological thrillers, and at this point I simply cannot turn back. In fact, the closest I had come was King's Carrie. I had never read anything even remotely similar. I first stumbled upon Red Dragon at age 14, and was amazed by it all.
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