Rating: 
Summary: Nothing but great fun
Review: Of the three great reads I've come across lately, POMPEII is definitely the best. For one thing, it was well-written and expertly paced--something a few other authors could take lessons in. For another, it wasn't about the volcano that much but rather human relationships. The settings and descriptions were full of life (at least for a while . . .) and the time just flew by reading this wonderful story. Would also recommend THE BIRTH OF VENUS as another great read, along with THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD. Both are excellent and on the same level as this book.
Rating:
Summary: Pompeii Comes Alive
Review: Pompeii by Robert Harris has received some excellent reviews, and it was on the strength of these that I decided to read the book. I was not disappointed. Mr. Harris does have the gift of giving his reading the feel of a place and time. He breathes life into the late first century and presents the many facts and customs in a way that sparks interest and not boredom. The novel begins on August 22, 79 CE, and the chapters are cleverly organized following the Roman hours of the day and also give the actual hour when the events are taking place. Each chapter is prefaced with an excerpt from a technical work on volcanology that provides the reader with an idea of the activity going on inside Mount Vesuvius. The story revolves around the Aqua Augusta, an aqueduct that the protagonist of the story, Marcus Attilius Primus, first becomes the aquarius (the person responsible for maintaining the structure) of the aqueduct and then searches for a break that prevents the flow of water to the drought stricken countryside. Atillius is a noble character, an imperial official who takes pride in his work and is incorruptible. But he is now in the self-proclaimed city-on-the-make: Pompeii. Along the way we meet Ampliatus, a wealthy freedman who is, ironically, marrying his daughter to Popilius, his old master. Ampliatus represents a long line of uncouth and ambitious freedmen that came to dominate the principate in the early empire under Claudius and Nero. Mr. Harris paints a probing and revealing portrait of Ampliatus and draws an inevitable comparison with Trimalchio of Petronius' Satyricon, with the freedman presiding over a similar overly sumptuous banquet Ampliatus. As a classicist, I found the banquet scene a little too reminiscent of the novel by Petronius. The characterization was a little too close and I did not want a parody of that famous literary banquet scene. However, I think Mr. Harris more than makes up for identifying his character so closely with Petronius by giving him a darker and more ruthless side. Ampliatus' daughter Corelia is the conscience that her father does not have. She is a teenager of marriageable age and chafes under the ruthless nature of her father and her own helplessness before her own loveless marriage. The novel presents an interesting portrait of Pliny the Elder that I found captured his interest in the world around him and his battle of filling his days with as much activity as possible. We also have the embittered Corax; the overseer of the men who maintain the aqueduct, an enemy of Attilius, who is ready to do anything to get rid of the "new man in town." A central part of the story is the mysterious disappearance of Atillius' predecessor Exomnius. Is he alive or dead? Little by little Attilius pieces together Exomnius' background and his association with Ampliatus, a revelation that places his life in jeopardy. In the background is Vesuvius. We know the catastrophe that is about to happen and look on as the trembling of the earth raises the curiosity of Pliny and the rumblings of the volcano remind people of thunder and giants. Pompeii is a well-conceived novel that presents a plausible story populated with flesh-and-blood characters. It is a fast-paced book that is a joy to read; a book that is hard to put down, and a must read for people interested in ancient history or who find the city of Pompeii a fascinating place.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: It's always great to come across a novel that is not only entertaining and well written, but actually has something to offer with regards to research. A few come to mind (The Da Vinci Code and McCrae's Bark of the Dogwood), but on the whole, they're few and far between. What a pleasure it is to actually "learn" something via a great read, and in this sense Robert Harris doesn't disappoint with his Pompeii. But it's ultimately not about the volcano---it's about the human relationships and while Harris peppers his novel with interesting facts about giant earth pimples, he does it in such a way that's informative but not obtrusive. When the lid does eventually blow, it's dramatically where it should be. A well written and well researched novel by a wonderful writer. Also recommended: The Da Vinci Code and The Bark of the Dogwood
Rating: 
Summary: The People Of The Doomed City Live Again
Review: Robert Harris has managed to interweave a fine thriller and an entertaining history lesson in his latest novel, "Pompeii." The story unfolds over a three-day period, August 22-25, 79 AD....the days that spelled doom for Pompeii and its neighbor on the Bay of Naples, Herculaneum. A young engineer, Marcus Attilus Primus, has been sent from Rome to take charge of the Aqua Agusta, the great aqueduct bringing water to the communities on and near the bay. His predecessor as Aquarius, or chief engineer, has suddenly vanished. As the new chief takes charge, his path crosses that of Nuemrius Popidus Ampliatus, a former slave who has amassed a personal fortune and political influence; Ampliatus's independent, headstrong daughter Corelia; the great scholar Pliny, who is serving as admiral for the navy; and other vivid personages. Looming over them all is Mount Vesuvius, soon to rain death and destruction. This is probably not an original observation about this book, but it's a worthwhile one--much like the story of the Titanic, we know the outcome from the beginning, but nevertheless are swept up by the drama and driving force of the narrative. The author's careful research is evident, as is his skill in interweaving these details so as to add life to the story. These are vividly-drawn, fully dimensional characters who almost leap to life off the page. Harris' story reflects a world almost two millennia in the past. At the close of the book, I found myself thinking about how much progress humankind has made in that span...and how little. The last couple of centuries have brought great strides in manufacturing, transportation and communication, yet the Romans enjoyed a standard of achievement and civilization that was not to be surpassed for centuries. We can be proud of many of our advancements as a people, though some steps--such as the abolition of slavery--have come very recently in the context of our overall history. The labors of generations of archeologists have unearthed the buried remains of this once-thriving seaport. The skill of Robert Harris has brought its people vividly back to life.--William C. Hall
Rating:
Summary: If You Love Historical Fiction and Thrillers
Review: If you love history, thrillers, human drama, this is a very good book. The research is impeccable, the action very strong, the characters interesting. I read voraciously and just finished Pompeii; Isaac's Storm, about the Galveston hurricane in 1900 (excellent); and James Dalessandro's 1906, about the great San Francisco Earthquake, which I discovered after reading a review on Bookideas.com. I highly recommend all three, particularly 1906, which is one of the best novels I have read in years.
Rating: 
Summary: Good idea - no follow through
Review: The author cane up with a great time and setting for the novel and he provides some interesting historical details but the plot is otherwise weak. The characters are barely defined and the action other than the volcano's eruption is limited. Enjoyable enough read but not exactly a page turner since you know what happens to the city and you won't much care what happens to any of the cardboard characters that inhabit the novel.
Rating:
Summary: Pompeii is mind blowing
Review: The book pompeii is a must read for all of you history buffs and historical fiction buffs. i first started reading thins book about 3 mounths ago and i havent be able to put it down yet. Im actually reading it agian to see if i can get more from it. the way Robert H. bring the first centery back to life is amazing. all the detail that he has in his writing is great and you can actully see the setting. im not a very big read but this is a book that i have enjoyed and the first book i havent beable to put down. i suggest that eveyone should read this book if they could.
Rating:
Summary: A fast paced action novel with an historical bent...
Review: Eminently readable and encompassing a break-neck pace, "Pompeii" by Robert Harris is a delightful, action-filled novel that also has a unique historical side that should appeal to all readers. Under the aegis of the imminent eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Roman dominated Italy in 79 A.D., Harris presents us with Marcus Attilius, a young Roman engineer who's suddenly charged with oversight of the massive Aqua Augusta when it's former manager disappears inexplicably and with troubleshooting of a seemingly damaged section of the Augusta. Right from the start, subtle clues and occurances force Attilius to consider that this is not a normal maintenance project. Coupled with the rougue state of the characters under his command, Attilius sets out to find whats wrong with his beloved Augusta. Character development and subtle plot twists overlay the coming disaster and Harris is superb at describing Roman life and 1st century Italy as it fits this story. What Attilius discovers and how he finds himself ensconsed in the tragedy is brilliantly depicted by Harris...we not only get a first-rate thriller, but an important geology lesson as well (Harris supplements each chapter with an excerpt from his various sources of scholarship on Volcanology). The apex of this work is without doubt the eruption of Vesuvius and how each character is then affected. Using the afore mentioned sources of Volcanology, Harris paints a truely realistic picture of what that massive explosion was like and the immediate after-affects on the towns and country-side. Without giving too much of the ending away, Harris provides an entertaining and plausible conclusion that should please all readers. Whether your interested in geology, Roman history or just enjoy an action-filled read, "Pompeii" should satisfy all these needs. Robert Harris is to commended for expert research and sublime story-telling that should make Pompeii not only a great story, but an important source on the Vesuvius eruption. I would not hesitate to recommend this work very highly.
Rating:
Summary: Erupts Mildly
Review: Pompeii is interesting from a historical standpoint because in 79 A. D. it was buried by rock and lava from the nearby volcano, Mt. Vesuvius. It was therefore preserved in its intact state for many centuries until it was excavated in the last century, and now stands today as a mostly uncorrupted example of and ancient Roman town. So when you see a book with this title you don't exactly have to be a genius to figure out what eventually is going to happen. Nevertheless, it is an interesting tale and seems to be an accurate representation of life in the ancient Roman empire. The story has to do with an "aquarius," who is a fellow whose job it was to maintain the architecturally impressive Roman aqueduct system. He comes to the area after the previous guy disappears, and one of the subplots of the novel is how this happened. As a precursor to the event we all know is coming, there is also a rupture in the aqueduct system he must find and fix, which requires him to interact with various historical and fictional personages of the day. This is pretty much the plot before the big one hits, and it's at least mildly interesting. The historical detail also seems to be accurate and is also interesting. One gets a pretty good sense of life in an ancient Roman town. There is a memorable meal ending with a purge at a wealthy fellow's home. There is an investigative visit to a house of prostitution and a description of the building and the ribald goings-on there. There are descriptions of clothes and tools and weapons and other ancient paraphernalia. Things of course pick up a little after Vesuvius blows up and this is also well described. Interestingly, the thing was witnessed by a Roman historian, Pliny--who is an important character here--and the events described in this novel accurately reflect his observations. After the first explosion rocks literally rained from the sky, filled the bay, and were eight feet deep in some places in Pompeii. It then blew up again, and of course things became much worse. All in all, it's a pretty good, light read. There's not a lot of depth to the characterizations, though, and although the historical aspect is accurate, one would not really describe it as being richly detailed. One can't help but wish there was a little more to it.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it more than I expected
Review: I bought this book two months ago, along with several other novels and guidebooks, to help me prepare for a trip to Italy. I read a few reviews that were less than favorable and was a bit worried that the book would get tied down in engineering prose about aquaducts... Don't get me wrong. I am curious about the technology of such amazing architectural feats... but I would need visuals to tackle such a topic.
Needless to say, I was totally surprised at how much of a #pager-turner# this was for me. I began and finished the novel on the subway, with several reading breaks snuck in at home and basically whenever I could (standing on the street waiting for a bus, etc.). I was wholly engrossed by the first pages and hated arriving at my destinations and having to put the book down until the next ride.
If you are the type to fantasize about what it might have been like to witness life under the Roman empire and in the fateful city of Pompeii, I would recommend this book. I am generally a skeptic when it comes to historical fiction and documentaries that attempt to put a face on ruins and skeletons, but this book failed to offend my sensibilities. I gave it four stars rather than five only because I am sure there will be some historians who challenge some of the facts or liberties taken by the author and because I was so disappointed to finish the novel! As for wanting more, I do!!! Now who will write a nice non-fiction that delves into some of the details that Harris attempts to recreate??
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