So...

[Sethomas]

I've been debating whether or not I should read the entire Hannibal series, of which a background story has just come out. I just find Hannibal Lecter to be too contradictory and thus far-fetched. He eats people out of degradation because he sees himself above the common run of man, he's a brilliant psychologist, yet he doesn't realize that he's trapped in this paradigm. Or, if he does realize it, he does nothing but perpetuate it. I can understand certain aspects of him and his eating of CERTAIN characters, but mostly I think he's a poor taboo-clutching schtick. It's always hard to write about a genius when you're not one yourself (as is my situation), but I doubt Harris has the qualifications to make an Übermensch who eats people because of his troubled childhood.

[xbxDaniel]

Originally Posted by Sethomas

I've been debating whether or not I should read the entire Hannibal series, of which a background story has just come out. I just find Hannibal Lecter to be too contradictory and thus far-fetched. He eats people out of degradation because he sees himself above the common run of man, he's a brilliant psychologist, yet he doesn't realize that he's trapped in this paradigm. Or, if he does realize it, he does nothing but perpetuate it. I can understand certain aspects of him and his eating of CERTAIN characters, but mostly I think he's a poor taboo-clutching schtick. It's always hard to write about a genius when you're not one yourself (as is my situation), but I doubt Harris has the qualifications to make an Übermensch who eats people because of his troubled childhood.

It's an entertaining prequel, at least I think so. It's interesting to read about his early years, and then to see his mental downfall after a key event. If nothing else, it's a good read. Movie comes out this Friday, too, if you care for the films.

Not Harris' best work though.

[King Hadas]

Can't give you a personal recommendation on this one since I haven't actually read it myself but I've heard House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is a great horror novel (I've seen it compared to Silent Hill on more than one ocassion) but I've also heard it's written in a really goofy format. It's sitting on my bookshelve right now, I just haven't quite gotten around to reading it yet. The only book I can personally recommend that you probably haven't already read is The Wasp factory by Ian Banks, not out right scary (most books aren't) but it definetly has it's disturbing bits.

Stephen King's Danse Macabre is another book you might want to look into, the book itself isn't that great (just a long rant about the horror genre) but in the back there's a list of some of King's favorite horror novels, might find something you like there.

If nothing up there caught your fancy here's a short story by Harlan Ellsion called "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream."