Rating: 
Summary: An intersting read, but...
Review: I found "Hannibal" a bit of a disappointment. While it kept my attention, I found it lacked in something. "Silence of the Lambs" was rivotting, while this book grabs you from a more morbid perspective. I really found myself not liking anyone in this book, even Clarice. The ending, which I will not give away, was disturbing. I found myself angry at it and at the direction Thomas Hariis chose to take the characters. On the whole, I'm almost sorry I read it. But not quite. Like I said, it did appeal to hte morbid imagination.
Rating: 
Summary: The long wait resulted in a slap in the face.
Review: This is one of the most disappointing books that I have ever read. Hannibal Lecter is merely a shell of his former self and Clarice Starling is a lame pawn in the goings on of men. I will give Harris credit for Mason Verger. Verger was brilliantly disgusting! On the whole though, the story was quite lame as far as thrillers go. After years of waiting for the next Harris book I felt extremely flat at the end. The ending was absolutely absurd. Hopefully we've seen the last of Hannibal and Clarice.
Rating: 
Summary: Very easy to put down and forget
Review: Dull characters, obscenely unreal plot line, and, dare I say?, BORING. A huge dissapointment. Throwing in a few obscure literary and culinary references does not make for an intelligent book, when the characters are one-dimensional and the writing is stilted and dry. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from this over-hyped drivel.
Rating:
Summary: Movie script makes OK book.
Review: I couldn't get over the feeling that I wasn't reading a book but reading a shooting script for a movie. Granted it wasn't laid out for a dialog reading but all the short scenes, graphic layout...it just felt wrong. I liked the book overall but just wish it was more of a novel.
Rating:
Summary: Where's The Excitement?
Review: What a disappointment. It was difficult to read the book because of its boring, non-substantive plot. The characters never developed nor did any level of excitement. Too much time is spent on non-important events and the build up to the plot seems as though it takes an eternity.Technical textbooks are an easier read than this lemon.
Rating:
Summary: Hannibal is too mellow for a serial killer
Review: I was truly diappointed by Hannibal. It starts out wonderfully,with Clarice Starling right in the middle of more FBI action. Butthen, Harris takes the story to Florence. It loses steam from there and the end is completely unbelievable.
Rating: 
Summary: Hannibal Lector becomes more palatable as he goes cerebral?
Review: While "Hannibal" details some very violent acts, I do not think this offers the same sort of punch as "The Red Dragon" or "Silence of the Lambs". There is a hunt and he is the prey, but you feel Dr. Lector can handle it. However, there was a different kind of punch---my own reaction to the final outcome surprised me. Maybe that was the point, to seduce the reader into a more palatable view of Hannibal Lector and then have to consider why that happened. It has been awhile since I read "Silence of the Lambs", but I remember I felt tense and anxious reading the book. Even though there were qualities I liked in Dr. Lector, he really bothered me. He was evil. This time I liked him and he limited himself to only a few tastes of the "free-range rude." Of course, there are the parallel threads of Clarice and the hunter of Dr. Lector. Clarice has had some tough times since her last interaction with Dr. Lector, and Dr. Lector's hunter supplies most of the violent, dismal acts in the name of revenge. Eventually, these threads come together. I have to admit I enjoyed the demise of Clarice's jerky antagonist, but I am not sure about her new journey. Just when you thought it was safe, Dr. Lector goes to work on her psyche. To me this should be more insidious than his dining habits, but I did not feel that way. Somehow it seemed to be ok and I floated along with the plot. Where will she go from here? I guess I will have to wait and see, for it cannot end like this. I believe Clarice deserves a better outcome, and I don't want to like Dr. Lector.
Rating:
Summary: A good, over-the-top comic book gothic
Review: The novel is just a dark, satiric ride through the moral wasteland we're living in, playing against reader's expectations. I had one hell of a time with it. Clever, fast and mean. And 100% unadulterated by editors, agents or "market" expectations. Harris just published what he wanted, and he's one hell of a thriller writer.
Rating:
Summary: spellbinding, but unsatisfactory at the end
Review: i revel at Harris' ability to make the reader feel sypathetic for Hannibal. He truly is a monster, but i was rooting for him all the way through. interesting that both mason and hannibal have younger sisters, but it is the very "monster"-Hannibal, who is tender and loving toward his sister even after her horrible death, whereas mason abused his sister and enjoyed watching her suffer. There are lots of interesting parallels in this book. The part with the dinner did make me slightly urpy, but made me cheer at the same time. the only dim spot is the end. It leaves the reader unsatisfied, almost like having dinner and no dessert. other than that a most addicting an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: The monkey is off his back...
Review: I didn't read "Silence of the Lambs", nor the first part of this trilogy. I was only familiar with it via the films, which captured a perfectly horrifying set of images. I am now fully prepared to hand over all of that credit to the filmmakers. After reading "Hannibal" I can only assume that Thomas Harris is happier than I am. With this book he can finally put an end to the "when's the sequel" question that has popped up for years. It seems as though that was the sole purpose to this book, to end a series as ridiculously as possible as to guarantee no demands for a new installment. Yes, at times you are sufficiently spooked, and yes also, you spend far too much time reading about entrails. In the last act, you can almost imagine Harris at the keyboard clickly madly as he tries to come up with the most outlandish and absurd finale. I do hope that this truly is the last we see of Hannibal.
|
