I think the vast majority of us will have watched Anthony Hopkins play Hannibal Lecter, and those films were all incredible. So into this comes the original books, and I wondered whether or not the movie or the book will come out on top. Well... it's a tie.

I struggle to recall what was different between the Red Dragon book and the movie. Nothing of import. There's a few changes in pacing, a bit more backstory, but I have never been more appreciative of the effort spent by the cast for their superb on-screen adaptation.

So I guess I'm slightly sad because I was hoping for something that only the novel could do, which the movie eschewed. And yet the movie was brilliant, and the book equally so. I can't fault either, I just don't think anyone needs to read this after watching the film. My first read of the novel felt like a re-read.

A very conflicted four stars from me.