Rating: 
Summary: BAAAAAaaaa.....
Review: Written as a sequel to Red Dragon, Thomas Harris's Silence of the Lambs is set in Virginia, about 1991. It introduces a young, now internationally known FBI Academy student named Clarice Starling, eager, freah and smart, ready to break into the field of Behavioral Science under veteran Jack Crawford. Starling gets her wish when Crawford remembers her from a seminar and recruits her to interview Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter for possible information on their current target, Buffalo Bill. This leads to a suspenseful exchange leading up to an explosive climax well worth the time invested in the bulk of the book. As well-done as the movie is, the book is so intelligently written that the movie almost seems dumbed down. Anyone familiar with the movie will notice some differences. This story never gets boring. From start to finish, the book manages to stay intense.
Rating:
Summary: Hmmm! Liver!
Review: Thomas Harris proves his ever growing reputation as a writer of supreme talents with this intriguing mix of suspense and horror. The infamous Dr Lector is shown to be both a character of fear and subtle mystique. Harris introduces a female heroin (Clarice Starling) who is worthy of so much attention she recieves in the novel. The one true masterstroke that this book has, is that Lector is only really a bit part in the plot. Thus, when he does make appearances, he is all the more frightening. If anyone is ever turned off by Harris' frightening attention to detail, once they become absorbed in this fine novel, they will learn that fear is a good thing!
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Psychological Thriller
Review: Clarice Starling is an F.B.I. agent in training who is chosen by Jack Crawford, the head of the federal department dealing with serial killers, for a very unusual assignment. She is to talk with Doctor Hannibal Lecter (nicknamed "The Cannibal" because of his tendency to dine on his victims) to further a study of the intellectual and psychological aspects of a killer's mind, and possibly aid in the capture of a murder still at large. Jack Crawford warns Clarice that Dr. Lecter is a brilliant man and she should use caution when revealing information about herself, for Lecter loves to manipulate people using their history and emotions for his own benefit and enjoyment. Because Lecter knows the identity of the murderer (nicknamed Buffalo Bill, who kidnaps, kills, skins, and makes clothes out of girls to satisfy his transsexual needs), he begins to play a twisted game of Clue with Clarice. In exchange for personal information about herself, Dr. Lecter provides riddles that lead her in the right direction, if she is smart enough to figure them out. The most interesting aspect of Hannibal Lecter comes from the conflict between his brilliance and his insanity. Thomas Harris does not go into great detail about Hannibal's past crimes (the dreadfulness of his deeds is left to the reader's imagination). He makes it known that Lecter is a madman, prone to serving up his victims with fava beans. One would expect such a character to be completely off his rocker, but Lecter is very calm, controlled, even serene when he speaks with Clarice. The reader comes to admire his brilliance and is intrigued by Lecter's psychological insights. But, the reader asks, how can such a madman be so human? Thomas Harris portrays him as your next door neighbor, your co-worker, even your best friend, and, in doing so, implies the theme that ANYONE can be a maniac. As a result, the reader begins to see the reality in which he lives in a new light. The reader begins questioning everyone's true being, looking over his shoulder, and fleeing at the mere mention of fava beans. Hannibal Lecter is truly a beautifully thought out character who everyone loves to hate. The Silence of the Lambs is a well written psychological thriller that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat. Although the plot is frightening enough, Thomas Harris brings the reader to a new level of fear, one which can only be reached by allowing the reader to enter inside the mind of the antagonist. This book is smart, exciting, horrifying, and even funny at some points. The Silence of the Lambs has something for everybody.
Rating:
Summary: Masterful Physchological Horror
Review: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a truly horrifying novel. It is a masterful blend of words, mind boggling horror, and well-crafted suspense. The characters are well written, each with a uniqueness all their own. With this masterful combination, a fine novel arises. One with which will scare you silent and will embed itself in your mind to ensure you will never forget it. Clarice Starling is a young FBI Trainee who's first assignment is to interview a monster. This monster is the briliant Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who is a dangerous cannibal. He is being asked to help the FBI find an even scarier serial killer named "Buffalo Bill". This proccess and the scary nature of the book make it well worth the read. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a book you need to read. If you scare easily, this might not be your best pick of books. Regardless, this an excellent book that everyone should read. Be prepared to be scared silent as you buy THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS today!
Rating:
Summary: The Silence of the Lambs
Review: Of course we've all seen the movie. Jodie Foster as Special Agent Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins as the devilish, yet likable Hannibal Lecter. The sequel HANNIBAL is in theatres at the time of this writing. What about the book? I've read THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS for the second time in less than eight months. It is simply an irresistible novel, not only because of its dynamic characters but also because of the themes explored in it. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is so much more than a simple suspense/horror novel; it addresses feminine portrayal as well as stereotypical gender roles. Thomas Harris subtly disguises these issues beaneath the tension and suspense of the book, but as readers, we can still se them there below the surface. Harris is not a preachy writer. He can touch these issues without shoving them in our faces and still get his point across. Clarice Starling is attempting to become a Special Agent in the FBI. Her upward climb puts her on a path with a homicidal psychiatric genius, one Hannibal Lecter. It is through him that she discovers secrets about herself as well as the keys to her own success. Lecter assists her in her pursual of another serial killer, Jame Gumb. Lecter's assistance comes from the confines of a dungeon cell in an asylum, but his presence is incredibly captivating. It is here that Thomas Harris twists our own interests around: Not only do we side with Clarice, we also side with Hannibal Lecter. We know this man is a maniacal, monstrous genius, but this deadly combination only draws us deeper into him. We want Clarice to succeed in her endeavors, but we want Hannibal to do the same. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS allows us to side with the good guys as well as harbor a secret, guilty admiration for a down right evil man. Thomas Harris doesn't stop there. After we've fallen in love with several of his characters, he introduces us to deeper themes and motifs. The numerous male characters in the book often hit on Clarice. Her abilities are doubted because of her sex. Many of the "high ranking officials" in this novel attempt to toy and double-cross Dr. Lecter, much to our disdain. Harris uses these themes to explore the roles of women, their stereotypes, female objectivity and double standards. Impossible, you might say. All of this in a suspense novel? Yep. And Harris pulls it off as only he can: beautifully. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS rewards in so many ways. The suspense level cannot be ignored. Harris writes in a cinematic fashion, using his words to guide the camera eye of the reader. We are easily pulled into the macabre world of Jame Gumb and the stressful, yet exciting life of Clarice Starling. Behind it all is the unforgetable smiling face of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Even if you have seen the movie, the book rewards in so many ways that the cinematic version cannot. The writing is exceptional and the resolution satisfies everyone who becomes enthralled by the book. Harris is a master storyteller and anyone opening the cover of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: The Silence of the Lambs
Review: If you liked the movie, you will love the book. If you haven't seen the movie, read the book first. This story is, minimally, a hard core thriller. I read it after seeing the movie. I could not believe that a movie that was so great could be topped, times a hundred, by a book. If you love suspense (and books that you can't put down until you're finished) than you must read this book. I would recommend this book to anyone, need not be a specific type of book preferred. Anyone would like this book if they just started reading the first page.
Rating:
Summary: better then the movie
Review: if you have seen silence of the lambs or hannibal you should read the books. the books are better then the movie and provide more insight on the characters. though you cant help picturing jodie foster and anthony hopkins as lecter and starling, this is not a bad thing. lecter is one of the most complex characters of all time.
Rating:
Summary: A novel I will never forget...
Review: Hannibal Lecter staring into rookie FBI agent, Clarice Starling's eyes, with unprecedented menace and intelligence- a voice like metallic sandpaper, and a thrill for deadly games. This is the image that comes to my mind when I think about Thomas C. Harris' classic horror/psychological thriller, "The Silence of the Lambs". Harris based this novel (and the two main antagonists, Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill) on true-life aspects of FBI legend John Douglas' work with Gary Heidnick, Ed Gein and Theodore Bundy. And, like real life, this novel is dark and gritty without all of the unbelievable aspects some neophytes of the genre think are realistic. When reading this, you can tell Harris researched and knew his stuff, but more than that, that he was DRIVEN to tell this tale. That this is a tale Harris HAD to tell, and he does it splendidly, never failing to cause the little hairs on my arms to rise to attention. If you are wondering what all the fuss is about re: this book... well, let's just say it's not misplaced! A truly great novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Good pop fiction
Review: This is Harris' best Hannibal Lecter book by far. If you've seen the film, you know the plot. The book delves into gory details the movie wouldn't touch and develops the relationships between the characters better. Still, Stephen King-style horror fans might be disappointed. The plot is more suspenseful than scary, more fascinating than foreboding. Harris throws in an amazing amount of arcane facts, adding to the book's realism. He gets the reader as close to the mind of a serial killer as any sane person would dare to go.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best horror books ever written to date.
Review: If you enjoy books that will keep you looking over your shoulder for a few weeks, then this book is for you. Full of excitement and nail bitting page turns. After reading you may just want to sleep with the lights on.
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