Hannibal (novel)

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Title Hannibal

First edition cover
Author	Thomas Harris
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Hannibal Lecter
Genre(s)	Mystery, Thriller Novel
Publisher	Delacorte Press
Released	8 June 1999
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	484 pp (first edition, hardback)
ISBN	ISBN 0-385-33487-7 (first edition, hardback)
Preceded by	The Silence of the Lambs
Followed by	Hannibal Rising

Hannibal is a novel by Thomas Harris, a part of a series involving his iconic psychopathic character Hannibal Lecter. The novel takes place seven years after the events of The Silence of the Lambs and deals with the intended revenge of one of Hannibal Lecter's victims. The novel is also is the source material for the film Hannibal, directed by Ridley Scott.

[edit] Plot summary

Hannibal is set seven years after The Silence of the Lambs. Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the cannibalistic murderer having escaped from custody seven years earlier, is still eluding the FBI. Special agent Clarice Starling, who had interviewed Dr. Lecter during his incarceration to gain insight into the mind of the vicious serial killer Buffalo Bill, is on the case to capture him. In order to convince the FBI directors that Starling needs to be terminated, Starling's nemesis in the U.S. Department of Justice, Paul Krendler, implies that an inappropriate relationship exists between between Starling and Lecter. After a private reward is issued from Lecter's only surviving victim, the disgustingly disfigured wealthy child molester Mason Verger, Krendler attempts to put Starling in distress, so that Lecter will come out of hiding in order to comfort her. For the time being, she is retained simply to help him catch Lecter, so that he will get the reward.

Years earlier, Lecter persuaded Verger to cut off his own face while under the influence of drugs, before he broke Verger's neck. As revenge Verger intends to mutilate Lecter by feeding him piece-by-piece to specially bred boars.

Lecter is discovered to be residing in Florence, Italy under the false name Dr. Fell. Having discovered the true identity of Dr. Fell, the police commissioner of Florence, named Pazzi, assembles a team of independent workers and attempts to capture Lecter. Starling intercepts the plot and attempts to warn him against capturing Lecter. During this time, Krendler plants a romantic letter from Lecter in Starling's office, and upon seeing this falsified letter, the FBI terminates her. Lecter discovers Pazzi's plot and his association with Mason Verger, as a result, Lecter kills him. He then returns to Washington to stalk (without homicidal intentions) Starling upon learning of her termination from the FBI.

When Lecter arrives, he kills a bow-hunter after the hunter offended him. After a short while, Verger's independent workers from Florence capture Lecter; Starling is a witness to the kidnapping, and reports it to the FBI. The FBI doubt Starling's claim, and perform only a brief sweep of Verger's farm, finding no trace of Lecter. Starling arrives at the farm to rescue Lecter from Verger; in the process, she is shot twice with darts filled with a strong narcotic. Lecter, now free, carries the unconscious Starling away from the vicious boars. Verger is killed by his abused sister named Margot at Lecter's urging; Lecter willingly takes the blame for the murder.

In his secluded rented beach house, Lecter begins brainwashing Starling with a mixture of psychotherapy and manipulation; an attempt to turn her into his late sister named Mischa. Lecter captures Krendler and serves Krendler's cooked brain to a drugged Starling. After dinner, Starling and Lecter speak about his failed attempt to transform her into his dead sister. Realizing the pain and shame that her life with the FBI has brought to her, Starling seduces Lecter and disappears with him. The couple are sighted in Buenos Aires, Argentina three years later by Lecter's former orderly, Barney.

[edit] Trivia

• The front cover of the book's first edition shows a giant serpent devouring a man. This is nearly identical to the family crest of the Visconti, an Italian noble family who were Hannibal's ancestors.

• Thomas Harris read the book for the abridged Audio Book version.

• The ending of the novel got mixed reveiws, many of them negative. So the producers of the film adaptation had planned changing the ending even before Jodie Foster said that she would not do the film unless the ending was changed. She moved on to Flora Plum before the re-write for the ending was complete.

• Even though it is clear that Lecter and Starling have a romantic relationship by the end of the novel, it is subtley implied that Lecter's intention was to shape Starling into his protege. The evidence being that in the end of the novel, it is stated that she learned class from him and was capable of murder in cold blood. Starling can also be seen having personality traits similar to Lecter's earlier in the novel.

v • d • e The Hannibal Tetralogy By Thomas Harris

The Books Red Dragon • The Silence of the Lambs • Hannibal • Hannibal Rising The Films Manhunter • The Silence of the Lambs • Hannibal • Red Dragon • Hannibal Rising Main Characters Will Graham • Hannibal Lecter • Clarice Starling Secondary Characters Buffalo Bill • Frederick Chilton • Jack Crawford • Francis Dolarhyde • Paul Krendler • Mischa Lecter • Freddy Lounds • Ardelia Mapp • Reba McClane • Lady Murasaki • Margot Verger • Mason Verger