Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding work!
Review: What an excellent book! Thomas Harris does a masterful job of letting us into the complex mind of Hannibal Lecter. It seems to me that the people who have slammed this novel do so because they want something more like SOTL.However, all the background info., and the vivid descriptions of Florence are all devices to let the readers get a taste of Hannibal's tastes.Harris provides this to give us an in-depth view of the way Lecter thinks. Yes, the ending is not at all what I expected, but...what an ending. I think it was a perfect way to put an end to Starling's nemesis. Excellent!!
Rating: 
Summary: fairly good
Review: I still think the Red Dragon is the best of the of the series. I was surprise by the ending. I guess we can look for more from Dr. Lecter and Clarice. Perhaps Mapp or Barney will track them down.
Rating: 
Summary: Jodie, read the ending before you sign ANYTHING
Review: Yep, the ending was as bad as everybody said. Later I may regret saying that I enjoyed this story until the last--oh, we've all read it by now--until "our heroine" gets knocked out by the dart gun. 400 pages is a long climb before the bottom drops out. Here's why I think the ending is all wrong. If she's going along with him of her own volition, it's a complete sellout of her character. "I couldn't break the glass ceiling, so why NOT learn about opera and fine wine from an expert? And damn Dad for dying anyway, P.S., thanks for helping me confront his WITHERED SKELETAL REMAINS. I needed that closure." On the other hand, and despite all the Hannibal sympathizers (!) who reviewed this book below, if she is brainwashed it's not true to Hannibal's character either. He's supposed to admire her, but tampering with her mind means she's not herself anymore. Wasn't the world supposed to be more interesting with her in it? The perfectionist Lecter couldn't be satisfied with the Stepford Wife version of Clarice Starling we're left with at the end.At times I found myself rationalizing that almost everyone killed in the book was unsympathetic. Unlike many other readers, I stopped myself in time to realize that the Gomez-and-Morticia-as-bon-vivants ending was still unacceptable. Mr. Harris wrongly tipped the scales by rendering Jack Crawford and Ardelia Mapp completely ineffective while Krendler, in all his misogynistic, homophobic, adulterous, nose-picking glory (by which I mean he's unsympathetic, too, you got it), has too much control. I should add that Mason Verger was a great villain, and I enjoyed watching his elaborate plans fall through. Barney was fleshed out--pun intended--quite well, and Margot was interesting. Will it be Demi Moore? Will it? Ultimately, the means don't justify the end. Someone should steal that for THEIR summary...Because I enjoyed nine-tenths of it, I won't give this the damning-with-faint-praise one or two stars. It gets three, but the world will be a better place if the movie ends with Jodie shooting Anthony in the...oh, and by the way, the "it's just a book, people, lighten up" attitude I'm challenging here ignores the reasons why many of us read fiction; be curious about the dark side, be aware of the dark side, even morbidly enjoy it once in a while (Hannibal writes some chillingly funny letters), but don't give in to it. "Hannibal" gives in to the darkness, and as expressed above, does so at the expense of its characters' credibility
Rating: 
Summary: This should have been a screenplay... not a book!
Review: The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest books that I have ever read. It's on my personal top 10 list. But Hannibal, now that is another story. The story was disjointed and confusing. How many times (or pages) do we need to read about Italian history and pathetic Pazzi's ancestry? Was it really necessary? This book was almost unbearable. But I persevered to the end, hoping that the story would come together at some point. It didn't. And the ending was an utter let-down. The characters were weak (even strong, confident Clarice is pathetic), two dimensional (i.e. Inpsector Pazzi) and unbelievable. Mason Verger was too much. And Mason's henchmen and the man-eating pigs were a laughable story line at best. The only character that I enjoyed was Dr. Lector himself, but I could just be grasping for straws here. If this was Thomas Harris' first book, he'd be an unemployed writer. He was definitely banking on his earlier success with Silence of the Lambs to carry Hannibal. It seems to have worked so far. But he sold out his readers, and instead wrote us a screenplay for Hannibal, the movie. If I had it to do over, I wouldn't read Hannibal. I'd just wait for the movie... it has to better than this.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable!!
Review: I don't understand the bad reviews. This was the best Lecter book clearly. The ending was strange... but it was a great book anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for around 90 Chapters!
Review: I was in the zone, I was sweating, pumped, jazzed, scared, etc.... But then the ending came up and without spoiling it - the ending does an injustice to the character of Clarice Starling and troubles me still a week after putting the book down. There is a movie to be had here and a good one! But for God's sake someone must pen a new conclusion. Makes 2001's ending seem tame.....
Rating:
Summary: Can't wait 'til 2010
Review: So,Mr Harris,what happens next? The most brilliantly disturbing book I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Sizzling !
Review: Hang-in and get past the first 100 or so pages and you will not be disappointed. Thomas Harris delivers us Hannibal in his finest form, albeit, with a somewhat slow start. If you have a vivid imagination, you should read this book. Be warned though, it is not for the weak of stomach. Find a quiet place and read it slowly in order to digest every word.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Hannibal was easily the most disappointing read of the year, and this comes from a Harris fan whose been reading since Black Sunday. All the hallmarks: the precision of the plot, the minutae of detail, the authenticity: all gone. Instead we just rehash old characters, throw the antagonist into the lead role and on my God: the final section is just a Grand Guignol piece of puff. I so wanted to enjoy this book, instead it just casts doubts on his previous works. I understand David Mamet is drafting the screenplay: I hope he keeps the title and chucks the rest. Good points? Well the writing is as sharp as ever, not one word wasted, there's obviously a sharp mind behind it all. But it all seems small beer, somehow. I hope the next novel (will there BE a next novel?) strikes out away from this whole Lecter mess and into something fresh.
Rating:
Summary: Ghastly, but intriguing...
Review: I was sucked into the story from the onset. A few readers/reviewers previous to me complained about a lack of character development and plot. I can't imagine just what they're talking about. We get an inside look into the sick machinations of a twisted mind; several twisted minds, in fact. The plot is thick and mesmerizing, and very unique. My only contention is the ending...I had a hard time "swallowing" it.
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