BESTSELLER - "Terrific... gripping... A literally shattering climax." -- The New York Times Book Review All along the Mediterranean coast, the Roman empire’s richest citizens are relaxing in their luxurious villas, enjoying the last days of summer. The world’s largest navy lies peacefully at anchor in Misenum. The tourists are spending their money in the seaside resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii.But the carefree lifestyle and gorgeous weather belie an impending cataclysm, and only one man is worried. The young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct that brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay of Naples. His predecessor has disappeared. Springs are failing for the first time in generations. And now there is a crisis on the Augusta’ s sixty-mile main line—somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.Attilius—decent, practical, and incorruptible—promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. His plan is to travel to Pompeii and put together an expedition, then head out to the place where he believes the fault lies. But Pompeii proves to be a corrupt and violent town, and Attilius soon discovers that there are powerful forces at work—both natural and man-made—threatening to destroy him.With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling author of Archangel and Fatherland, re-creates a world on the brink of disaster.
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"It was interesting to me to read about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius from the view of the local aquarius. To see him discover so many warning signs (i.e. sulfer in the water, the collapse of the Aqua Augusta, etc.) and still not know what was ahead made me squirm. Having walked the streets of Pompeii, I thought the descriptions of the city were fantastic. From the raised cross-walks, to the bath-houses and brothels, it really painted the perfect picture. Overall, I really liked this book. However, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous that such a "happy" ending for the protagonist was tacked on to such a tragic tale. It would have made a better story if he had died, just like the rest of the city." — Laura (4 out of 5 stars)
"It was interesting to me to read about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius from the view of the local aquarius. To see him discover so many warning signs (i.e. sulfer in the water, the collapse of the Aqua Augusta, etc.) and still not know what was ahead made me squirm. Having walked the streets of Pompeii, I thought the descriptions of the city were fantastic. From the raised cross-walks, to the bath-houses and brothels, it really painted the perfect picture. Overall, I really liked this book. However, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous that such a "happy" ending for the protagonist was tacked on to such a tragic tale. It would have made a better story if he had died, just like the rest of the city."
Acclaim for Robert Harris’s Pompeii, the #1 international bestseller
Blazingly exciting...Pompeii palpitates with sultry tension....Harris provides an awe-inspiring tour of one of the monumental engineering triumphs on which the Roman empire was based....What makes this novel all but unputdownable...is the bravura fictional flair that crackles through it. Brilliantly evoking the doomed society pursuing its ambitions and schemes in the shadow of a mountain that nobody knew was a volcano, Harris, as Vesuvius explodes, gives full vent to his genius for thrilling narrative. Fast-paced twists and turns alternate with nightmarish slow-motion scenes (desperate figures struggling to wade thigh-deep through slurries of pumice towards what they hope will be safety). Harris’s unleashing of the furnace ferocities of the eruption’s terminal phase turns his book’s closing sequences into pulse-rate-speeding masterpieces of suffocating suspense and searing action. It is hard to imagine a more thoroughgoingly enjoyable thriller.
Breakneck pace, constant jeopardy and subtle twists of plot...a blazing blockbuster... The depth of the research in the book is staggering.
[A] stirring and absorbing novel...The final 100 pages are terrific, as good as anything Harris has done; and the last, teasing paragraph, done with the lightest of touches, is masterly.
The long-drawn-out death agony of [Pompeii and Herculaneum]—a full day of falling ash, pumice stone, and then, the final catastrophe, a cloud of poisonous gas—is brilliantly done. Explosive stuff, indeed.
" This is a fun beach book, if you aren't on a land mass with a volcano! While it really does not focus on Pompeii itself, it is incredibly illuminating regarding the aqueduct systems Rome built; this is worth the read alone. "
" I don't usually like non-fiction or anything that closely resembles non-fiction but this book was actually really good. I thought Harris was able to weave a plausible story the way life might have been like for the different people living around Pompeii. An interesting perspective. Great book! "
" Thought this was pretty good until I arrived at the anomalous line about global warming. Really jarring. Dropped a star just for that. "
" This book is not what I expected. It started off mildly interesting and went downhill from that. It was full of boring engineering details of aqueducts and one dimensional, lifeless characters. Of course, historically we all know the volcano Vesuvius spews ashes enveloping the entire city but the characters before the eruption could have come alive on the pages by the hand of Robert Harris. Sadly, the Roman culture was never developed. I wanted to know about the interactions of the families that lived there. I also thought a little more action could have livened it up a bit.I don't like books that are a chore to read and this one was certainly that. I am glad it was only 300 pages. "
" Thanks for this lend, Derek! A clearly written account of the last days before the Pompeii explosion from the unique perspective of the aquarius. Great characters and a suspenseful plot that made you curious about the outcome (although you know *basically* what happens) til the last page! "
" A lovely romp through the sunny hills and villas of the bay of Naples. . . as it explodes. I picked this up to tide me over till Harris' third Cicero novel comes out. "
" Outstanding story telling of the big eruption that buried a city "
" A fascinating look at the days surrounding the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Much better than Harris's Imperium "
" This book wraps in a story as well as several historical references; great read! "
" After reading the National Geographic article recently on Pompeii, this book was some extremely interesting historical fiction. It uses an aqueduct expert who travels through the Naples area to tell the story of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 B.C. "
" Action packed to say the least! Particularly liked this since I've visited the ruins @ Pompeii. "
" Excellent book. I listened to it, and the narrator was outstanding. I now have a full and appalled understanding of what happened when Vesuvius erupted in August of 79 AD, a much better appreciation for Pliny, and more knowledge about Roman society. "
" an interesting story of betrayal and romance set in the last few weeks before the eruption of Vesuvius. i was intrigued by the detail of everyday Roman life. Those dudes liked to party! "
" I would recommend this book over "Enigma". "
" It's a bit like reading about the Titanic- you know the volcano is going to erupt and everyone is screwed. But it was an interesting perspective, from the point of view of an aqueduct engineer. "
" A little slow for the first half, but worth it to me to read about how the eruption proceeded. "
" Love the author, hated this book. Just gross. "
" Does an excellent job of creating an engaging story from historical sources. Made all the more enjoyabe by having vistied Pompei anfd Naples a couple of years earlier. "
" An amazing story, really gripping, I didn't put it down until I finished it! In-depth descriptions and fantastic characters.. Brilliant! :o) "
" skimmed through it,.... much potenila.. too much stuff... "
" "People will perish, but books are immortal." "
" Good read. I liked the glimpse into Roman life coupled with the impending doom. "
" Great read! I love this author. His books make anyone become interested in politics and intrigue. I had heard of this event but I didn't realize the complexity of the eruption and how it would have appeared to those in the path. I loved every minute of this book! "
" it just bored me from the very start. i did not enjoy it that much even though i do like to read historical fiction. "
" Absolutely brilliant! One of the best books I have read in a long time. This is a must read or listen to book. The audio is done perfectly too. Easily a 5 star rating. Now I am going to have to research Pompeii and visit there for sure. Read this book! "
" A wonderful perspective from which to tell the story of the doomed city. As to the plotting and writing, howzabout ........ just plain awful! "
" So so. The last 40 pages were not bad, but it wasn't worth the wait. Told me more than I wanted to know about aquaducts. I read this for a book club; otherwise I would have chosen something else. "
" Really liked this one. Feel like in addition to an entertaining read, I got some education on Vesuvius and Pompeii. Will be interested to see other titles by Robert Harris. "
" Interesting account of the days leading up to the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the disaster itself. "
" Epic Harris, an intricate account of events at Pompeii,typing in with historical figures, explaining how water courses and buildings were constructed, and weaving everything together with richly-laden prose and intrigue. "
" This was solid, if not quite as good as I was hoping it would be. Interesting setting, obviously. Not as good as The Ghost. "
" This was so brilliant, the story and the excitement, and his ability to build anticipation when history tells us what will happen anyway is truly amazing. "
" I can't believe I liked a book that was about the eruption of a volcano but it was great and hard to put down. "
" An interesting and quick read. However, it lacked depth od detail and character. "
" Amazing how interesting aquaducts can be! "
Robert Harris is the author of twelve novels, many of which have reached the New York Times bestseller list. Several of his books have been adapted to film, including The Ghost Writer. He has been a television correspondent with the BBC and a newspaper columnist for the London Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph. His novels have sold more than ten million copies and been translated into thirty languages.
Michael Cumpsty is a British actor. He has been acting since childhood. He has worked extensively performing Shakespeare, as well as both musicals and dramas on Broadway. He also performs in films and on television.
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