Red Dragon

By: Thomas Harris

Narrated by: Thomas Harris

Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Sexual hunger; demonic violence; sinister logic; the lethal components of a deadly formula driving a psychopath in the grip of an unimaginable delusion; a boastful killer who sends the police tormenting notes; a tortured, torturing monster who finds ultimate pleasure in viciously murdering happy families, and calls himself The Red Dragon. Special agent Will Graham had been assigned to similar cases before, cases where he was able to see and feel with the madmen, anticipate their moves and, most terrifying of all, be vulnerable to their horrifying brutality. Now Graham is reluctantly lured out of retirement, to find an opening to the evil mind of the Red Dragon. Red Dragon is quite probably the most suspenseful, utterly compelling thriller ever written.

©1981 Thomas Harris (P)2002 Random House Audiobooks

A good listen - but where's the rest?

I know what the word "abridged" means. I know that there are many times where a story is slimmed down in order to make the listening easier for the audience and so the reader doesn't run out of steam (it was a delight, by the way, to hear the tale from the writer's won lips). But how come we audible listeners don't have the non-abridged option available to us? Is it a copyright thing? Unlikely seeing as you have Thomas Harris himself reading for you. Is it because so parts of the book were too graphic to be voiced? I don't think so. I don't think it gets much worse than, what I will call to prevent spoilers, "The Wheelchair Scene". Is it because it just makes it snappier? Maybe, but if I wanted a snappy version I could have just rented the films Manhunter or Red Dragon. When I listen to a story I want the extra details and characters that I may have missed by only seeing the film. I want the world fleshed out for me. And while I can't fault the story or the narration, I feel a little cheated that I didn't get more.
I bought this because I have recently watched Hannibal on NBC, and just in case there are others like me who want to expand their knowlege of the original, let me just put in this warning. There is Jack. There is Freddy. I don't know how reduced their parts are, but they're there at least. But there is only one mention of Alan Bloom and Beverly Katz just barely makes a cameo with no lines. I think Hobbs was entirely cut out. If you want more details for your dollar, more bang for your buck, you may be better off reading, Red Dragon the old fashioned way.
In the end it's a good listen. I'm just not sure whether it's enough.

Not a wasted word

This is my first Thomas Harris story. It is a very pleasant narration of a tight and gripping suspense novel. I will listen to it again.

It's OK, but...

The length is too short and it left me with a "so so" experience.
Thomas Harris is a good narrator but that's it.
I'm enjoying The Silence of The Lambs much more.
I will be returning this book to get my credit back.

Didn't like it at all

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I don't know who would enjoy this, it just didn't have any depth to it at all.

Has Red Dragon turned you off from other books in this genre?

I am about to read his next book 'Silence of the Lambs', so hopefully it is better.

What didn’t you like about Thomas Harris’s performance?

There was no emotion or emphasis. All voices were the same.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not that I could tell

Any additional comments?

I bought this book and his following book because his writing was highly recommended by the '2nd Tuesday Book Club' on ABC. In fact they all said that it was probably the greatest writing ever written, so I can only hope his next book is better.