About the Hannibal Lecter Series: Get to Know the Mind of a Serial Killer

Hannibal Lecter is a fictional character that was created by Thomas Harris. Lecter appeared in four books, including Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising. All four books were made into film adaptations (with Red Dragon having been adapted twice; once under the film title “Manhunter” and once under “Red Dragon”). Hannibal Lecter began as an antagonist in Red Dragon, and continued on as a villain in The Silence of the Lambs and in Hannibal. Hannibal Rising was written from behind Hannibal Lecter, telling his story of becoming a cannibalizing serial killer.

The series started out with Red Dragon, a book where Hannibal Lecter was more of a side character, but also an essential role to the rest of the story. Hannibal Lecter is introduced as an ingenious psychiatrist who appears perfectly composed and in control throughout the first bit of the book. He likes art and music, and enjoys having dinner parties. It isn’t until his protégé, Special Agent Will Graham, gets too close to finding out the truth about Hannibal Lecter that Lecter’s true colours get revealed to the world. Even though Lecter puts up a brilliant fight, Graham perseveres (though just barely) and Lecter is locked away in a psychiatric hospital. Lecter’s influence, however, does not stop at the glass barrier that is erected to keep everyone safe from the cannibal. In fact, Lecter’s influence stretches well into the world of other serial killers and also settles comfortably into the roots of the FBI. From his prison Lecter wreaks pure terror on Will Graham (but only in the most polite way possible, of course). With Will Graham out of the picture, Lecter can once again sit peacefully in his little cell of boredom. That is, of course, until Clarice Starling steps into the light.

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The Silence of the Lambs is the second book in the series, and probably the most popular (in film adaptation, anyway). Hannibal Lecter is given a bigger role, and is even given feelings to round out his character into a terrifying piece of art. With little mind games and clues, Hannibal Lecter assists FBI agent Clarice Starling in hunting down the notorious “Buffalo Bill”, a serial killer who skins his female victims for reasons unknown. Throughout his relationship with Clarice Starling, Hannibal Lecter begins to feel Starling’s innocent allure as he reaches into the troubled depths of her psyche. Perhaps it is that attraction, rather than the respect Starling suspected, that kept Lecter from going after Starling when he’d made his gruesome escape from behind bars.

Hannibal is the third book, leaving off not too long after the second book had ended. Clarice Starling’s career was marked as over before it had even begun, and Hannibal Lecter was off enjoying himself in Florence, Italy. The distance between Starling and Lecter, however, did not keep Lecter from getting in touch with Starling, and before long the game of cat and mouse begins again. The third book is probably the most complicated of the whole series, as it gives even more depth to Lecter’s character and the types of “wrongs” that he had committed. The reader really gets a chance to know Lecter for his tastes (so to speak), habits, and what really drives him forward on his missions to kill people. The relationship between Starling and Lecter also becomes dramatically clearer as the book goes on.

Hannibal Rising is the fourth and final book of the series, but was written as a prequel to Lecter’s mature psychotic days. Born in Lithuania, Lecter was a victim of World War Two, with his entire family (with the exception of his little sister) being killed while trying to hide from the invading Nazis. After trying to survive without their parents, Hannibal and his sister find themselves prisoners of some starving and deranged Nazi soldiers. Before long Hannibal’s sister is killed and eaten by the soldiers, who also feed her to Hannibal. Hannibal was rescued soon after and sent to an orphanage (which was founded in the castle where Lecter had once lived). The rest of the book takes Hannibal through his journey of growing into the man that he would ultimately become, giving readers a very private, inside glimpse to Hannibal’s world of cannibalism and killing.

To say anything more about Hannibal or the books would completely steal away the thrill of the disturbing tales of Hannibal Lecter. The four books; Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising are fascinating reads. The movie adaptations of the books just can’t cover all of the intricate details of each story; hence, one can only catch a true glimpse of all that Thomas Harris has to offer as a writer by reading the books. It will be well worth your time.