Hannibal Rising

by Thomas Harris

Audio CD

English language

Published Dec. 5, 2006 by Random House Audio.

ISBN:: 978-0-7393-2105-8

View on OpenLibrary

(19 reviews)

HE IS ONE OF THE MOST HAUNTING CHARACTERS IN ALL OF LITERATURE.

AT LAST THE EVOLUTION OF HIS EVIL IS REVEALED.

Hannibal Lecter emerges from the nightmare of the Eastern Front, a boy in the snow, mute, with a chain around his neck.

He seems utterly alone, but he has brought his demons with him.

Hannibal’s uncle, a noted painter, finds him in a Soviet orphanage and brings him to France, where Hannibal will live with his uncle and his uncle’s beautiful and exotic wife, Lady Murasaki.

Lady Murasaki helps Hannibal to heal. With her help he flourishes, becoming the youngest person ever admitted to medical school in France.

But Hannibal’s demons visit him and torment him. When he is old enough, he visits them in turn.

He discovers he has gifts beyond the academic, and in that epiphany, Hannibal Lecter becomes death’s prodigy.

17 editions

Chris Aldrich reviewed Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris (Hannibal Lecter, #04)

Review of 'Hannibal Rising' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I vaguely recall having watched the film version a few years back, but expected more nuance in the book given Harris's other work. The tough part about selling this is having some great plot building up to one of the most famous villains in modern literature, but not having the character overdone in comparison to his later (expectedly scarier) self. While not as engaging as I remember his other books, this was certainly interesting and entertaining. He does have some lovely turns of phrase that made me stop and reread several sections to appreciate not only his language, but the means of expression, and creativity.