He is number one at the movies and has been number one in print; yet his name strikes fear into almost everyone’s heart — Hannibal Lecter.Thomas Harris waited eleven years to write a sequel to “Silence of the Lambs.” But was “Hannibal” worth the wait?The novel does not pick up right where “Silence of the Lambs” ends. Instead, seven years have passed by and Dr. Lecter has seemingly vanished from the face of the earth. He appears to be content with his freedom. That is, content until FBI agent Clarice Starling runs into some trouble.An FBI drug raid goes terribly wrong and matters are made worse by the media. Starling is caught on tape killing five people in self-defense. However, the media soon dubs her “The Angel of Death.” Hannibal Lecter cannot help but send one of his characteristic cryptic notes to mess with her mind. Around the same time, a side story develops. One of Dr. Lecter’s victims is out for revenge, and he will not stop until Lecter is dead.The novel shifts to focus on the minds at work. Who will develop the ultimate plan for success? And if along the way a few people meet horrible, grisly deaths, so much the better. “Hannibal” allows readers to see more of what made Lecter and Starling who they are. Little is mentioned about the seven years between the two novels. Harris tells the reader that Lecter has spent time all around the world and is currently in Florence. Other than that, he leaves readers in the dark.In essence, “Hannibal” is not a sequel, but a totally different story than “Silence of the Lambs.” However, by moving away from his successful formula of psychological thriller, Harris sets himself up for failure.”Hannibal” is an enigma. The story line is not that great, and the characters do not seem real. Yet, I could not put this book down. I was carried from page to page looking for something great to occur. “Hannibal” did not provide any of that.The novel was not scary or suspenseful. The reader will be able to figure out the plot and character fates quickly. The only surprising thing is the ending. But even that fails to make an impact.Thomas Harris is another mystery. He is the author of four novels, all of which have been made into movies. “Red Dragon,” which introduces Hannibal Lecter, was brought to the silver screen under the name “Manhunter.” But with the success of “Hannibal,” plans are being made to dramatize “Red Dragon” again.The biggest mystery of Harris is the fact that he has taken twenty-five years to write his four novels. Most successful authors of today write a book a year. No matter what is said, Harris and “Hannibal” are a success story. The buzz created by the two has taken hold of the nation. Getting the audience’s attention is the whole idea of the entertainment industry. Back to the original question at hand, was “Hannibal” worth the eleven year wait? There is no simple way to put it — yes and no. Yes because it gives the reader more information and maybe some closure on the subject. No because “Hannibal” is just not that good. However, the book is better than the movie. The book tells the story Thomas Harris intended for the fan