'Hannibal' By Thomas Harris

Spoiler Alert! If you've seen the films and not read Thomas Harris' Hannibal series, I encourage you to skip this review altogether and read these books. They vary greatly from the films; and while they remain some of my favorite films and characters, you get so much more detail, so much more Hannibal. (The morbid fascination I have with serial killers, fictional and real is perplexing to even ME!)

Anyway, some elements were changed in the films to better suit a wide audience. I, being a gore-hound and horror fanatic enjoyed both the films and books. I previously read 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'Red Dragon' prior to 'Hannibal' and cannot recommend them enough. Now that you have been forwarned, here is my review of 'Hannibal' by Thomas Harris.

 I really enjoyed 'Hannibal'. It was much more detailed than the film, as it usually goes. Harris painted a beautiful scape to accompany the characters. From 'Silence of the Lambs' to 'Hannibal's conclusion, you get a slow burn of the development of affection and subtle rapport between Hannibal and Clarice. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and wish we could have had more of a view into their relationship. I was hopeful that the "lamb" would fall prey to the "lion" in the most intimate sense. That must be the dark romantic in me. I tend to hope for a "Beauty and the Beast" type of underlying plot.