Red Dragon

A serial killer has viciously attacked two families in the span of that many months. Jack Crawford is pooling all his resources and best people to help crack the case -- and that includes calling back into the field former special investigator Will Graham, who caught notorious serial killers Garrett Jacob Hobbs and Hannibal Lecter in the past.

After watching the television show Hannibal, I was curious about getting into the source material and a short beach vacation provided the perfect impetus for a relatively quick suspenseful thriller read. Red Dragon was perfect for that, but it's more than that as well. Harris is a fine writer, and the characters all felt very real and fully developed. Even Dolarhyde, the sadistic killer, was given show more such a rich and pitiful backstory that you couldn't help but feel somewhat sympathetic towards him. There are definitely a lot of twists and turns in the plot but, having watched the show first, these were mostly spoiled for me. Nevertheless, the story was still gripping and had me wanting to keep reading to find out more about these characters and how exactly everything was going to unravel.

A few things surprised me about the book -- mostly notably how little Hannibal Lecter actually appears in this title, considering how a series devoted to him continues after this. (I wonder now if Harris intended from the outset to make more of this character or if fan favoritism influenced the direction of the series.) The book may not be for the faint of heart but, honestly, compared to today's fare, it keeps the gruesome and gore to a minimum - far less than I expected actually, which was nice. And after having read this and appreciated it in its own right, I'm also now even more appreciative of the TV show and seeing how creator Bryan Fuller took the small snippets of Graham's past that were mentioned and developed them into larger, season-long story arcs while both staying true to the source material and giving it his own twist at the same time.

I highly recommend this book for fans of the TV series or for those who just enjoy a good psychological thriller. show less

"What did the killer do with them after they were dead?"

*Red Dragon* is based on the premise that even the work of degenerate serial killers can be understood, though it takes a certain mind to see the twisted logic behind perverse wickedness. FBI profiler Will Graham demonstrated an intuitive sense for the abysses of human psychology when he was able to arrest Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

The novel stands as a pioneering work in the psychological thriller genre, distinguished by its unflinching exploration of criminal psychology. For most of us, the behavior on display is nothing short of repulsive, something from which we would usually want to turn away or switch to a different channel. Yet, Thomas Harris somehow transforms the horror into an show more enticing page-turner that is in equal parts fascinating and disturbing.

The main villain of the story is dubbed the Tooth Fairy by the media. It's truly horrifying when we first discover the mutilated results of his actions. But we experience the event through Graham's coldly analytic eyes and we are made to perceive certain patterns that may permit deciphering.

Through meticulous methodology, Graham and his team gradually circle in on him. Data flows from varied sources, and it's incredibly compelling how the investigators draw sound conclusions from seemingly trivial or roundabout observations and findings. The police forces put in the work, and even though it seems rather hopeless at first, eventually their efforts pay off.

There are setbacks and new horrors, but overall it's satisfying to read. What really goes under your skin is how Harris appeals to the reader's darkest sensibilities. There is one journalist whose sole purpose it is to get on your nerves. Maybe I'm admitting more than I should, but I suspect quite a few readers wanted to see him taught a lesson. Eventually he does, and exactly for the sensational reporting you hated him, but the punishment is so severe that it leaves you sickened and disgusted.

The novel is most famous for Graham's struggle to reconstruct the twisted logic at play. Finding himself out of his depth, he turns to his nemesis, and from then on Lecter casts his long shadow over the narrative.

Initially, Graham only very reluctantly took up the challenge. We learn that three years earlier, Lecter had almost killed him and left him psychologically shattered. He had to quit his job and only recently found peace in his quiet life with his wife and adopted son. Now it seems that only Dr. Lecter – himself a practicing psychiatrist when Graham captured him for his cannibalistic atrocities – could help him understand the Tooth Fairy.

Though not the story's center of attention, the scenes featuring Lecter are undoubtedly the most memorable and of the greatest pop-cultural relevance. While the Tooth Fairy is not the simple madman one might expect, the more imposing Lecter is a brilliant mastermind who cannot easily be classified as a psychopath (or even as a "monster"). In fact, the Dragon (as he sees himself) strives for Lecter's recognition and approval.

Perhaps most frightening is that this type of killer can and does behave normally under most circumstances, at least outwardly. Toward the end of the story, his "normal" side is reinforced when he starts to date a woman who likes him for what he is – or at least for one aspect of his complex and perhaps multiple personality. Harris does not shy away from providing background narrative that tries to convey what made him the creature he eventually became.

What I thought was the most surprising, the writing is actually somewhat funny. It's not the kind of book you pick up for the pure joy of it (and it will be some time before I'll get to The Silence of the Lambs), but it's not as difficult as its graphic subject-matter would suggest. show less

I hadn't read a crime thriller for ages. At the age of 12 I attempted to read Agatha Christie's entire oeuvre, but largely abandoned the genre after that. My reason for picking up 'Red Dragon' is that I've recently become somewhat obsessed with the new TV series 'Hannibal'. Although the credits say it is based on 'Red Dragon', the TV series is actually set quite a while before the events of the book. Nonetheless, quite a few pieces of dialogue and description are lifted directly from the book. It's rather fun to spot them, and the differences between book and TV characterisation.

Since I got through 'Red Dragon' in a single evening, it's fair to call it a compelling and pacey read. What was most effective in my view was the split point show more of view, between the killer and the man hunting for him. This set up a very unsettling ambivalence. Maybe I'm desensitised (thanks for that, media) but although the whole novel was unsettling, the violence was relatively restrained. Undoubtedly the creepiest bits were flashbacks to the killer's childhood.

Although he was only a minor character, Hannibal Lecter stole the show. I can see why Harris focused his subsequent books on the notorious cannibal, and why he's centre stage in the TV series. I enjoyed this novel, but the TV manifestation has a more visceral thrill. I suspect Mads Mikkelsen has something to do with that. show less

"A man with a creep on his back"

No quise hacer la review hasta haber visto la película. Para congraciarme un rato, ustedes ya saben cómo es esto: "ni punto de comparación, qué me vienen a decir, por qué no se van a, muerte al cine, bibliotecas sí, proyectores no".

Debo decir, a favor del séptimo arte, que la adaptación está bastante bien hecha.

Sin embargo (para qué va uno a dejar de masturbarse culturalmente como el bookfag que es), el aspecto más interesante de "Dragón Rojo" es definitivamente el más difícil de adaptar a la pantalla grande. Y esto es lo que transforma al primer libro de la trilogía de Hannibal (ya sé que son cuatro. Me niego a admitir la existencia de "Hannibal Rising" como la CIA con los alienígenas, show more es todo) es una lectura harto recomendada.

Dejando de lado el suspenso y la maestría de Thomas Harris para llevar un thriller (un tanto presuroso para mi gusto), el libro nos describe en primera persona la infancia de lo que más tarde va a ser Francis Dolarhide, asesino y seductor de ciegas. O al menos de una. De hecho, Reba McClane merece una mención especial, ya que es uno de los personajes ciegos mejor logrados con los que me haya topado, y su relación con Dolarhide me resultó de lo más interesante. ¿Discriminación positiva? No, gracias.

La influencia de la abuela de Dolarhide permanece a lo largo de toda su vida. Las amenazas de castración, la crianza pésimamente encaminada y la agresión contra una sexualidad en período de latencia son el verdadero antagonista de la historia. El "Dragón Rojo" es un cúmulo de experiencias traumáticas omniprescente que convierte al asesino en la principal víctima del relato. show less

It's been a few years since my last re-read and I was definitely due. The Hannibal Lector trilogy is literally one of my all time favorite series and it ALWAYS holds up. It's still just as amazing as the first time I read it. Thomas Harris is wonderful at getting in the minds of serial killers and making a wonderfully complex game of cat and mouse. Will Graham hasn't worked for the FBI in years. Not since he was almost fatally stabbed by Hannibal Lector, a sociopath who ate his victims. Will has a special skill set, one that has helped in track down more than a few serial killers, but all he want's is a break. Special Agent Jack Crawford won't let that happen though. There's a terrifying serial killer nicknamed the toothfairy and he's show more already killed two families. They need Will's insight to find and stop this madman before he kills his third family. And Will isn't sure he can do it on his own, he may need consult Hannibal to help get to the bottom of what is making the toothfairy tick. Dark, demented, and impossible to put down; this is always a must read!! show less

I did see the movie first so my mental images were of Edward Norton, Anthony Hopkins, and Ralph Fiennes but that's OK. Those guys rule.

I'm a sucker for the "retired hot shot is called back to catch the bad guy" trope. This book is so well written and suspenseful. Perfectly dark. I'm also a sucker for a Norman Bates, Ed Gein type character and that's definitely Dolarhyde. You almost feel bad for him.

The only complaint: Needs more Lecter. Maybe less is more with Lecter, idk. Everytime he showed up on the page was like a burst of excitement. Iconic character. Great book.

My first read for this year's Halloween season - and what a pleasant surprise it was! Hannibal himself is only in it for about three seconds, so what you're really left with is a well-written crime novel that focuses almost entirely on two characters: the murderer, Francis Dollarhyde, and the fascinating Will Graham, brought in by the FBI to use his empathic and imaginative talents to get inside the mind of the 'Red Dragon', who has already slaughtered two completely unlinked families in their homes. I found the psychology of both these individuals to be the book's strongest element, with Dollarhyde's terrifying delusions and Graham's intuitive understanding dancing around each other as the FBI gets closer and closer to the truth. I show more can't wait to read more from this series! show less