Pompeii

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Summary: pompeii
Review: If you are expecting a well-crafted, literary historical novel (regarding the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in ancient Greece), you will be disappointed. this book seems to have been designed for a mass audience. the plot of this book is not very imaginative or interesting and the prose is annoyingly slick. Finally, there is neither much detail regarding the history of ancient greece nor to volcanology, either of which might have provided more redeeming value for this book.

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Summary: Pompeii: the movie ?
Review: A fascinating novelization of the hours before Vesuvius's eruption, Robert Harris' romantic tale of good and evil weaves threads of volcanology, lessons from history of the Roman Empire with fascinating facts of the most revered of Roman technological accomplishments; the aqueduct. A must read for those who love ancient history or historical fiction.

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Summary: Little suspense but a lot of fun
Review: Okay so anyone who starts out to pen a tale of the eruption of Vesuvius is severely crippled in the 'unbelievable twist' department but since the majority of people who choose to read this are going to be aware of it the task is really to create an interesting story before the inevitable happens. By and large, Pompeii succeeds.

The characters are fairly obvious-- 'hero', 'love interest', 'traitor', 'corrupt politico'-- and show little growth but since the story only takes place over four days I prefer it this way rather than have Harris try and cram in sudden, miraculous conversions. It's the plot that's important and the discovery of political skullduggery, bribery, and broken waterworks running perpendicular to a major catastrophe lends a lot of anticipation to the story. I was sneaking in chapters during class because I couldn't wait to see how subplots were going to turn out.

Harris never bogs us down with overly technical engineering details or geological facts (although I did skip the uninteresting quotes at the head of each chapter) and seems to know exactly how much info is exactly to enough to make us understand what's going on without boring us to tears. All the wonderful little details of Roman baths, banquets, and even fisheries add an extra layer of depth. I never even knew wealthier citizens kept their own fisheries, let alone prized some creatures so highly they decorated them with gold and diamonds.

The love between Antellius and Corelia does ring false, or at least severely premature, but in an age where women were chattel it's entirely probable a girl would fasten on to a total stranger rather than want to amrry someone old enough to be her father to maintain the family's wealth. I saw Corelia as a modern woman born into the wrong time (a nice change from the self-sacrificing wife or salty mistress these books usually offer) who found Antellius exciting and romantic because he stood up to her father and her family didn't approve. When you're young and oppressed you always embrace the rebellious choice.

I'm baffled by all the complaints about knowing exactly where the story was going, considering just looking at the cover tells you how it's going to end. Did you think the volcano wasn't going to blow up after all? This is clearly labeled 'a novel' not a mystery, a thriller, or even a novel of suspense. If you prefer improbable surprises to historical fiction I suggest you go browse that section but for an entertaing read about Roman life along with some action and intrigue this is an pleasant selection.

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Summary: Arm-chair volcano and archaeology buff? You'll love it!
Review: What a great escape. Step back into time to experience what life in Pompeii might have been like. Robert Harris does an outstanding job transporting you there. You can see it, smell it, hear it, and feel the human dynamics. Much like Titanic, you know the ultimate outcome, but it doesn't prevent you from wrapping your arms around the characters you come to know. It's elegant in it's simplicity. A very good read. I didn't want it to end.

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Summary: Secondary Characters and Setting Keep It Going
Review: Pompeii is an entertaining novel with a bare bones plot and a small number of characters. The description of Pompeii and the surrounding area, the discussion of the Aqua Augusta, and the rendition of Vesuvious erupting is excellent.

However, the main character - Attilius - and his love interest are rather bland and one dimensional. A serious flaw - to have a main character and a love story poorly developed and of little interest to the reader.

The secondary characters are fabulous though - Pliny the Elder, the bad guy Ampliatus, Brebix the gladiaitor, the short scene with a prostitute and the "never seen" Exomnius. These are just some examples.

One final flaw - the book ends with a whimper and not a bang. Almost as if the deadline was up and the author just tied all loose ends together and submitted the work.

I do recommend the novel though. The novel is well written and for all it flaws it is as they say: "a good read".

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Summary: Not as involving as I thought it could have been.
Review: I was excited to see this on the shelves, but somewhat disappointed in the overall story. The story focus is on the water engineer Attilius. He's been sent by Rome to Pompeii to repair a breach in the aquaduct. The mysterious disappearance of the local Aquarius, the title for the water engineer, factors into the storyline.

I love the history of Pompeii and so I wanted to love this book. Where I feel this book failed me, at least, as a reader was in trying to build up the suspense of the eruption which we know is coming, know will be devastating and result in burying two entire cities at the expense of developing the characters. There are only a few characters to follow. Attilius and Corelia, the daughter of the corrupt rich freed slave Ampliatus. It seems Ampliatus has rebuilt Pompeii from the devastating earthquake that shook the region years before. Ampliatus is the bad guy here, but the fact he was a former slave takes away the edge of him being the bad guy, at least for me. To elevate his status in society he is going to marry his daughter Corelia to his former master's son. Pliny the elder factors into the story as well.. which is fun because I love the blending of fact and fiction. Unfortunately, Corelia is thinly drawn and has too little to do in the story - we don't even have the benefit of seeing her emotional attachment to Attilius develop. This is a shame because I eventually cared more about what happened to Pliny than Corelia! That's because this takes place 3 days before the eruption. Very little time to throw Attilius and Corelia together since he's trying to repair an aquaduct in the hills. In fact Pliny has more to do than the heroine in the story. The ending was a bit blah as well... I'm not in the habit of ruining plots so I won't mention what happens, but it was a big build up and then... a sketchy epilogue, as if even the author wasn't invested enough emotionally in his characters to give them a proper resolution. Oh well. I do have to say the description of the town, how citizens and slaves went about their daily lives were all fabulous. I can't get enough of Pompeii, and it helps if you've been to the ruins to try to place yourself in the story when a town square is described, the mention of fountains etc. In short, Mr. Harris did a fabulous job of making a doomed ancient city come to life. His characters on the other hand were left out in the cold. So, overall, in my humble opinion, it was just okay.

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Summary: Village of the Predictably Damned
Review: In Pompeii, the first impression you get of every character is absolutely accurate throughout the story. Not a single character offers up a surprise or a twist for the reader with the possible and generous exception of Pliny. A subject seems to be in the "good" camp? Bingo, he is good! Someone seems a bit nasty? Wow, on the money again, o keenest of readers.

Furthermore, since we know that Vesuvius did indeed blow its top, there is no real suspense regarding the eruption. Like the movie Titanic, where we all know the ship goes down, we wonder how entertaining the writer makes the explosion. Here, Harris is at his best as the final 75 pages or so breeze by detailing the volcano's fury. It does not atone for the fact, though, that the entire plot was a fabricated snooze.

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Summary: Well researched and fascinating
Review: It is August of 79 A.D. in the Bay of Naples and the Aqua Augusta, the aqueduct carrying water to the cities of the area, begins to dry up. Fish are mysteriously dying in their ponds. There are ground tremors and rock falls in the cities surrounding Mount Vesuvius. Some residents attribute these things to giants or to the wrath of the gods. But Marcus Attilius Primus, the aquarius, or water engineer of the Aqua Augusta, who is sent to Misenum to research and repair the problem, knows that there is a scientific explanation. As he tracks the aqueduct from its terminus in Misenum to Pompeii and then onward to the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius, he observes unusual natural phenomena, discovers the upheaval that disrupted the water flow, and realizes that an inevitable cataclysmic event is about to occur.

In this painstakingly researched story, Robert Harris has produced much more than a historical thriller. Although we know the story will end with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of the surrounding cities, Harris has built suspense by describing the mysterious disappearance of the former aquarius Exomnius and the attempts of the officials of Pompeii to prevent Attilius from discovering the truth. This book also provides fascinating detail on the culture of ancient Rome, from the feasts in the sumptuous villas to the ingenious plumbing in the bath houses. It provides details on the aqueduct system, a marvel of Roman engineering. Each chapter is prefaced with an excerpt from a treatise on volcanos that describes the causes of, and events occuring during, an eruption. The reader is entertained while learning all this, and is not overburdened with facts and figures.

The characters are well developed and fascinating. The brilliant writer, naturalist, and scholar Pliny the Elder, and the pompous and wealthy city developer Ampliatus come to life through Harris' talent. From slaves to powerful land barons, from laborers to statesmen, the reader is treated to all facets of the citizenry of ancient Pompeii. There is also a weakly developed love interest between Attilius and the daughter of Ampliatus. This is the one part of the story that would have been better if left out. Even with that flaw, the book is compelling reading with a built-in ancient history lesson.

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Summary: Pompeii: pre and post cataclysm
Review: Robert Harris skillfully recreates the events leading up to and following the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. in his extensively researched historical fiction Pompeii.

Through the eyes of Marcus Attilius Primus, aquarius and chief engineer of the Aqua Augusta, the aqueduct providing fresh water to the cities sitting on the Bay of Naples, we experience Roman society in and around Pompeii. Attilius is summoned by the emperor to Misenum, home of the royal navy, to evaluate a problem with the water supply. Pinpointng the problem to an area adjacent to Mt. Vesuvius, Attilius aided by the scholarly Pliny, commander of the navy, sails to Pompeii.

While in Pompeii, Attilius learns quickly that the real reins of power are wielded by Ampliatus, a former slave and now a land speculator and richest man in Pompeii. Ampliatus cultivates a level of decadence and ambivalence in Pompeii that leads to inactivity as it becomes apparent that their are some major geologic problems facing the inhabitants of the city. Attilius, a widower, becomes enamored with Ampliatus' insightful and compassionate daughter Corelia.

With materials supplied by Ampliatus, Attilius sets out to repair the damage to the aqueduct on the slope of Vesuvius. While affecting repairs, he observes the initial seismic events which will lead to the eventual eruption.

Harris masterfully narrates the events resulting in the tremendous devastation to the cities bordering on the Bay of Naples. He interestingly explores the psyche of the citizens of the area who at the time were more apt to shun scientific explanations and base these events as signs from the gods. Harris immerses us in the ancient world of Rome as we live through four monumental days of nature's havoc.

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Summary: an interesting read
Review: pompeii was my first robert harris book.
i found the story interesting, nail biting, and sometimes funny, overall, it's a very well written novel.