Review: Hannibal by Thomas Harris

Title: Hannibal
Author: Thomas Harris
Date Published: June 1999
Series: Hannibal Lecter (3^rd published)
Genre: Contemporary Horror
Rating: A
ISBN:0-440-22467-5

HANNIBAL is the third installment published in Thomas Harris' series surrounding Hannibal Lecter. As the title of the book implies, the story is much more Lecter-centric than the first two installments of the series were.

Seven years after the events in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS we come face-to-face with Clarice Starling. She's working an assignment that goes dreadfully wrong. People die in front of cameras, scapegoats need to be provided to the higher ups. It appears to be Clarice, but her suspension or departure are stopped.

Mason Verger, one of Hannibal Lecter's victims has some information on the good doctor and wants to share it with the FBI through Clarice Starling. Proof is unearthed through her visit to the severely scarred and disabled Verger that Hannibal Lecter is alive and well. He's also altered his appearance in having the sixth digit on his left hand removed.

We discover that while Verger is working with the FBI, he also has his own agenda and the hunt for Hannibal begins. Who will catch him? Verger out for a very painful revenge? The FBI, looking to take away the freedom he relishes and knows he'll never get a chance to enjoy if he's recaptured?

The journey toward the discovery of who he truly is in his newly established life is believable. Unfortunately, the person behind that discovery is somewhat incompetent, or just doesn't appreciate how dangerous the good doctor is. One thing's for certain, now that his identity's been discovered, he'll be returning to his second home: America.

Eventually, we find Clarice off the job and Verger's men trying to capture Lecter who now can indulge his admiration for Clarice up close and personal. This leads to Verger getting so close to what he wants. Things don't go as planned, however, and it's Lecter who ends up with what he wants but thought he'd never be able to obtain.

I liked Hannibal. I agree with some comments I've heard/read over the years that it's not quite as engrossing as the first two installments were. Perhaps, the missing police procedural is reason for that. We have the hunt for Hannibal, but it's not quite the same for some reason as hunting the Tooth Fairy or Buffalo Bill.

I've heard people say that the ending of the book is out of character for Clarice. That may be true for the Clarice we met in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. This is a different Clarice. One who has found that being in the FBI isn't all it's cracked up to be. She started her career with so much potential, helping to solve the Buffalo Bill case, but whether through her fault or just unwilling to play the game (and agree to sleep her way to better assignments) we find her at this juncture of the story basically being pimped out to various agencies who need a gunslinger. (Clarice has displayed she's certainly not afraid to shoot.)

I do prefer the book's ending to the movie's and wish Hollywood had left it as Harris wrote it, but evidently it wasn't a sellable ending. It was nice getting some insight into how Hannibal operates in normal life. As Clarice studies him and his tastes we get a feel for them, too. Overall, a satisfying ending to the story. I don't know if Harris ever plans to revisit the present day Hannibal Lecter story, I don't know that he really needs to.