Hannibal the Cannibal is back in this sequel to Silence of the Lambs. This time, he's being pursued by the FBI, the Italian police. One of his first victims, eccentric millionaire Mason Verger, is out for blood, too.

If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. Anyone who likes thrillers, murder mysteries, or true crime novels might want to give Thomas Harris a chance.

The description in the book far outweighs anything the movie had to offer. Suddenly, Clarice Starling's motives and lifestyle becomes much clearer. The reader is given a startling insight into Dr. Lecter that simply isn't present in the movie.

Harris has a habit of flipping tenses--present to past and back again. He also uses different viewpoints; at once, the narrator and the omnipotent "writer" at the same time. It's a little disconcerting, but it does add value to the book.

Re-watch the movie. The book and the movie are so completely different. The ending in the book is a bit of a wash-out, compared to the hand-chopping episode at the end of the movie, but that makes the book that much more interesting.

This book reminded me of why it's worthwhile to actually read instead of relying on the movies to show us a story. The vivid description is definitely more powerful as the written word than it was on the big screen.

This is one of the most chilling books I've ever read. It ranks right up there with the first 200 or so pages of Stephen King's IT. Not to give too much away, but at one point, Clarice has returned to the Baltimore Insane Asylum looking for clues to Lecter's whereabouts. Suddenly she notices a smell.... A rank odour.... It's getting closer.... My heart was beating wildly in my chest as Clarice turned toward the smell....

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Created Mar 17, 2004 at 9:34am • Submit your own review...