Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter Book 1) Kindle Edition

‘Red Dragon’ is a book of haunted minds. In true Thomas Harris fashion, the author takes an empathetic yet analyzing look at how trauma shapes the mores of his characters.The scariest thing about protagonist Will Graham is how well he understands the monsters he’s faced. It is a fear he wants to relegate to his past but when a new killer stumps the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Unit Chief Jack Crawford calls Graham out of retirement. Follow Graham down a twisting path to discover who has been killing entire families and be introduced to one of the most terrifying geniuses in modern literature- Doctor Hannibal Lecter.This book is a good read for those who enjoy multiple layers of storytelling, embellishment in the details, and a good thrill that’s smart enough to stay interesting. Due to its violent nature, this book is best for those aged 14 and up.

If I could do it again, I would read the book them watch movie.

I had the kindle edition.So just finished this. First off, Harris is bloody amazing. This book is not about our favorite cannibal at all, he’s a plot point used sparingly, like 3-5 direct involvement points, mentioned in passing in the barest hint. There’s actually more references to Lounds then Lecter, and Lounds plays a much more direct part in the story line than Lecter does.I felt more sympathy for the killer than the reporter, and that can be summed up by several things. I hate people that pry into other’s lives, snooping through as if it’s their god given right, and Freddie is a buttstain of a paparazzi on a good day. The killer, the Red Dragon is a merciless ‘other’ that walks around in his ‘human suit’ but is easily more likable than the tabloid journalist through the scenes Harris paints. I won’t give them away, but I very much approve of the way he humanized -redacted- by giving it almost a romcom spot in the book. Yes, you read that right, romantic comedy scene.While it has gruesome scenes I would say they aren’t nearly as bad as the self flogging in DaVinci code, except maybe a scene at the end that literally could be hit or miss depending on your imagination. Based in the 70’s it’s got that pre tech charm that anyone born before the 2000’s almost regrets leaving.I almost gave it 4 stars because I was expecting more of the charismatic Lecter. It felt vaguely like false advertising, that being said I was giggling like a maniac, and would recommend this in a heartbeat besides that detail. The characters are engaging, Freddie is a damn cockroach, and the Dragon.... that poor bastard. You will feel some sympathy for the villain in the Red Dragon, but it will not make you question your morale. He’s killing people, he deserves to be caught, and the methods he employs are brutal. That being said special agent Crawford and not FBI Graham are equally compelling to read through.This book is told through third person and has multiple points of view. It’s brilliantly weaved and as abrasive and crass as the Will Graham that’s portrayed in the tv series with Hugh Dancy.5 stars over all, but this book is not about Hannibal Lecter, it’s about the men who caught him going after someone else.Having watched the first season and a half of the show I would say they took some parts from it line by line. Make no mistake, they are both brilliant. Picturing Crawford here as Fishborne was amazing. I’ll say it now, if you like the show always read the book/source material.

Really enjoyed this book!! I got so into it I read it in a couple days. Looking forward to reading more books from him.

**SPOILERS THROUGHOUT REVIEW**I'm a big fan of the character-driven novel, and "Red Dragon" had three of the best, most well-written characters I've ever read in a crime novel: Francis Dolarhyde, Reba McClane, and Freddy Lounds. Too bad the main character--Will Graham, a disturbed semi-retired FBI agent--was too boring to keep my attention for the first half of the novel.If you're looking for a Hannibal Lecter book, this isn't it. In fact, he is only a bit character who corresponds with the real villain of the novel, Francis Dolarhyde, aka The Tooth Fairy, aka The Red Dragon. Lecter and Graham had a run-in three years prior to when the novel takes place that left Graham nearly killed and Lecter is high-security prison (think much more  The Silence of the Lambs  and much less NBC's "Hannibal," the latter which was apparently inspired by this novel with very little similarities). Lecter sends advice to Dolarhyde, who has killed two families through his evil alter-ego The Red Dragon.I separate this book into thirds. The first third is dry and dull, a lot of detailed descriptions of crime scenes and DNA samples and fingerprints, stuff that ceases to interest those who have read hundreds of crime novels or watched hundreds of episodes of CSI. We get to know Will Graham and his long-suffering young wife who seems way too patient for him. The second third is when things get interesting- we get a full overview of Dolarhyde's absolutely painful, miserable life and childhood and we actually start to sympathize with him, a feat that has to be done carefully in crime novels. He was abused physically, emotionally, and somewhat sexually by his grandmother and taunted endlessly by his peers due to being born with a cleft palate and a speech impediment. I couldn't put the book down during this part.We also view the demise of the wormy Freddy Lounds who, although an awful man, is a really interesting character. He's gross, rat-faced, and cruel, but he's also ambitious, cunning, and incredibly cutthroat. His death is pretty gruesome and I wish we got more of him before he had to go.And then we meet Reba McClane. Oh, Reba, how I love you. You're this funny, smart, confident woman who is thrust in this absolute horror story and you fell in love with this insane man and he loved you and we all wanted this happy ending where you fixed this man and you helped each other survive in this messed up world. But "Red Dragon" isn't that kind of book, and even though Reba made it through the flames, I still shed a tear for her.Don't read this book if you're looking for an experience like the TV show "Hannibal." The characters aren't the same and the tone is completely different. But this book will really surprise you with emotion, and some of the characters are intensely memorable

Very thrilling read, couldn’t put it down. Finished in less than a week, I look forward to the next books in the series.

Comprei a versão Kindle para ler. Meu primeiro encontro com o universo do enigmático Dr. Lecter foi através da série, a qual tinha adorado. Após ter assistido a série inteira, acabei indo atrás dos filmes, que acabei gostando ainda mais. Por fim, decidi que iria atrás dos livros, pra ver se seriam tão bom quanto eu esperava.Fiquei surpreso ao ver que era melhor do que tudo que eu tinha em mente. A escrita é extremamente inteligente, bem articulada e cativante. Você sente tudo que os personagens sentem e vai desenvolvendo suas próprias “teorias” sobre os casos, conforme novas evidências vão surgindo. Adorei o livro e recomendo.

Long a fan of (the movie) "Silence of the Lambs" and being aware of but never having watched either "Red Dragon" or Hannibal," I was attracted to the three book package when it saw it available. Up front: Absolutely no regrets about the purchase so far since 'Dragon' was beyond what I expected it to be.Thomas Harris is written a hard-to-put-down spellbinder that is taught, intense, and at times downright creepy. The cops have a tough nut - and I do mean nut - to crack in solving a pair of horrendous family murders spawned, by all things, some family movies.There are plenty of plot twists to keep the reader guessing as to where things are headed and the final outcome which is quite the double whammy.I don't know that "Silence" will hold many surprises for me (the movie will likely be playing in my head from page 1), but to follow the Hannibal Lecter progression it will be read before I tackle - with great anticipation - Book 3.Stay tuned!

Es el que me hacía falta para leer los cuatro

Excellent

There are many, many books about serial killers and cops furthered no question in my mind that this book, by Thomas Harris, and it's follow-up are towards the top of that list.Harris writes with an authority and confidence that helps this book grip this reader and made the story crack along at a great pace.He also avoids old tropes and cliches and his characters are believable, multi-layered and develop over the course of the book.Another thing that Harris gets right is not hiding anything about the killer. We get to know him, we get to know his background and what makes him so what he does. This is about catching him, not guessing who has done what.One word of warning though, if you are after a Hannibal Lecter driven story, this is not it. He is hardly in it and doesn't really have a key part to play though it does set things up for the sequel.Overall, a fantastic example of the genre.