We all know about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, which obliterated several towns in southern Italy – like Pompeii and Herculaneum. But Robert Harris's novel, Pompeii, brings it all to life. This was my first Robert Harris novel, and I really enjoyed it. He seamlessly integrated the factual aspects of this historical event with a compelling cast of characters, providing a personal perspective on this devastating tragedy. If you are looking for thrilling historical fiction, look no furt...

This is only the second Robert Harris novel I’ve read, the other being *An Officer and a Spy*. On the whole, I didn’t find *Pompeii* quite as compelling – apart from the last 100 pages or so – but it was still a decent story. Harris knows how to deliver for his readers.The main character here is one Attilius, who arrives in Pompeii in the days leading up to the eruption of Vesuvius to take up the post of Aquarius, or chief engineer of the *Aqua Augusta,* the aqueduct bringing the water supply to...

I've been to Pompeii twice, once in 1992, and again in 2017. And I'd go again in a heartbeat. What happened in Pompeii is a valuable lesson in listening to the scientists – which we should always do! Robert Harris's *Pompeii* was a breathless romp through the Roman aqueducts and the life-giving importance of water to the townships they served. I couldn't put it down. If you've ever visited the ruins of Pompeii, or dreamed of visiting them, then this is the book for you. Everything is so beautif...

I picked up Robert Harris's "Pompeii" after visiting the actual ruins. Seeing Pompeii firsthand really brought its tragic history to life. Plus, I'm a bit of a volcano geek, so I thought reading this would give me some insight into daily life back then, as well as the eruption itself. A fast-paced novel was perfect for my trip. And it delivered on all fronts, but it wasn't exactly mind-blowing. The thing that kept it from being a 4-star read was the language and behavior, which sometimes felt of...

Pompeii... obliterated in history's most infamous volcanic eruption in 79 A.D., claiming thousands of lives at the Roman Empire's zenith. Ironically, the people were unaware that Mount Vesuvius was a volcano. This is understandable, given the previous significant eruption occurred 1,800 years prior. No town existed then, and the name 'volcano' was unknown because the word hadn't been invented yet, but it soon would be, perhaps borrowed from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. Our story begins with Ma...

A natural history page-turning thriller!Dateline, August 79 AD: Marcus Attilius Primus, a young and sharp water engineer, is sent from Rome to replace the AWOL Exomnius. His mission: ensure the Aqua Augusta aqueduct, lifeline of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the towns dotting the Bay of Naples, is properly maintained. But his investigation into the aqueduct's mysterious drying up uncovers more than just municipal water theft and corruption on an epic scale. He finds natural problems tied to Vesuvius...

Ever since I was a girl, I've been captivated by Pompeii, especially after seeing those National Geographic photos of people frozen in their desperate attempts to escape the eruption of Vesuvius. Robert Harris's *Pompeii* brings us right into that world through the eyes of Attilius, the engineer responsible for the aqueduct system that supplied the region. The story unfolds before the eruption, focusing on a critical problem: the water flow has been disrupted. Attilius's quest to repair the aque...

Attilius's job is that of an aquarius in the Roman Empire, a role we'd probably call "director of waterworks operations and maintenance for the southern district of Italy" today. As the earth begins to swell and shake, ominously warning of the tragedy to come, the main aqueduct cracks and fails, and Attilius is dispatched to repair it. So, this is a historical novel, and we're immersed in life in the Roman Empire around AD 79, just before Vesuvius erupts. We encounter masters and slaves, the obs...

Think of this as a historical Super Mario, starring an Italian plumber who tackles impossible odds to restore water to Naples and its surroundings, just before Vesuvius ruins everything. Alright, I'll admit I'm oversimplifying a fantastic story. It's really about Marcus Attilius Primus, an *aquarius*, or chief water engineer, dispatched to the Bay of Naples to manage the region's water supply. The Aqua Augusta aqueduct, possibly built with Attilius's grandfather's help under Agrippa, is the life...

This should have been a two-for-one deal: a suspenseful novel perfect for the beach, offering insight into life in the Roman Empire and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. (Maybe even a mini-lesson on ancient plumbing!) Unfortunately, it ends up being a zero-for-one.The plot is functional enough. Marcus Attilius Primus, an engineer, has just taken over the aqueduct section that supplies Pompeii. He looks into the strange water supply failure and discovers his predecessor was corrupt. He falls in love ...