Another fast-paced, well-plotted book by Harris. Most people are familiar with the Academy Award-winning movie; the book is just as good (if not better).

Within this series (which begins with Red Dragon and ends with Hannibal) this book contains the best portrayal of Lecter. He plays a bigger role than he did in Red Dragon, but he is still absent enough to induce a sense of dread in the reader. Indeed, like most fictional villains, Lecter is far more terrifying when his whereabouts are unknown than when he stands in front of you (although he's still pretty damned scary even then).

But I had problems with this book. For one thing, Clarice Starling, though not a bad character, is nowhere near as interesting as Lecter; nor did my interest in her rise as high as it did in Will Graham (from Red Dragon). Small wonder that Harris felt compelled to write his next book primarily about the good doctor rather than about the detective. In addition, the villain in this book was not well portrayed at all. Harris devotes a few chapters in a half-hearted attempt to make us understand the killer's psychology, but he doesn't spend enough time or effort on the killer to make him/her a truly interesting character (again, in contrast to the excellent villain in Red Dragon).

Still, The Silence of the Lambs is a fun read: not quite as gripping as Red Dragon, but a good book in its own right.

Copyright © 2001 Steven Wu