He will help you for a price...

 

 

Antihero: Hannibal Lector

Genre: Adult Fiction / Crime / Mystery / Thriller

Citation: Harris, Thomas. Red dragon, London : Arrow, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

Annotation:

 

Definitely more on the “anti” side of Anti-hero is Hannibal Lector. Hannibal first appeared in the novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris which was first published in 1986. Doctor Hannibal Lector is an intelligent, sophisticated and charming man. He is a brilliant and skilled psychiatrist and is often called on by the authorities to help get into the minds of the criminals they are chasing. In particular he is very close with a brilliant young FBI profiler named William Graham. William often will come to him for advice whenever he is stumped by a case. However before the events of the Red dragon Will uncovers that Dr Lector himself is in fact a cannibalistic serial killer and captures him.

 

Set in America in the 1980’s the novel begins with Hannibal locked away in an insane asylum for criminals. He has resided in the asylum after being captured three years earlier by William who went onto retired after Hannibal almost killed him during his arrest.

 

A new serial killer is on the loose stalking and murdering seemingly random families each full moon. The FBI is desperate for assistance and seeks out Will. William’s old boss manages to persuade him to reluctantly take part in the investigation.

 

After visiting the crime scenes and reviewing the case files Will is unable to make any progress to the already stalled case. He decides he must do what he always used to do when a case truly stumped him. He must visit Lector and ask for his help in capturing him.

 

Hannibal happily toys and manipulates the situation. At some stages he appears to happy assist with the investigation for his own enjoyment and at other times using the investigation to gain himself more privileges in his confinement. At the same time as he assists the FBI he is also secretly corresponding with the killer offering him his assistance as well for his own entertainment.

 

Thomas Harris keeps you guessing until the end with this disturbing and well written thriller. Hannibal’s brilliance is highlighted as easily manipulates almost everyone around him. Enjoying all elements of the situation and spinning everything to his advantage. Even though he is incarcerated for the entire novel it is clear from the start the only one with any true power in this novel is Hannibal as he is the one pulling the strings of both the killer and FBI.