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Title: Pompeii by Robert Harris, Michael Cumpsty ISBN: 0-7393-0789-4 Publisher: Random House Audio Pub. Date: 18 November, 2003 Format: Audio CD Volumes: 5 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.71 (63 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Harris' Pompeii delights and captivates
Comment: What a great read. Harris delivers a wonderful reading experience in Pompeii. The story of young engineer Marcus Attilius is certainly plausible.
Young Attilius takes over responsibility of the Aqua Augusta, the aqueduct that delivers water to Pompeii and other cities in and around the Bay of Naples. When the small city of Misenum stops receiving water via the aqueduct young Attilius convinces Pliny the Elder to let him investigate. When Attilius arrives at Vesuvius he realizes that much more than water delivery is at stake.
Thrown against the background of history, Harris manages to spin a story of human interest that is at once captivating. Against the history of the time Harris develops characters that are immediately believable and sheds light on a culture that is doomed both immediately and in the longterm. His writing is economical which is refreshing.
A very intriguing story that is well researched. You won't be sorry you read it.
Rating: 4
Summary: Surprisingly entertaining
Comment: I have heard so many good comments about this book, that I decided I had to read it, even though I feared that it may be a little bit boring by giving too many details on the Roman aqueducts. What I found instead was a highly entertaining story, which merges historical facts with fiction in a well thought out way. It is clear that the author went through great trouble to research the topics: aqueducts, volcanoes, Roman civilization, etc; and he presents the information proficiently and without losing the reader in the myriad of facts. Some of the findings exposed are incredible; for example, in the first century AD the Roman Aqueducts supplied Rome with more water than New York received in 1985!
The story starts two days before the eruption of the Vesuvius and focuses on Attilius and Ampliatus. Attilius is an engineer in charge of the Aqua Augusta, an aqueduct in the south of the Campania, which provides the cities of Pompeii, Nola, Neapolis, Puteolis, Cumae, Baiae and Misenum with their water supply. Attilius comes from a long line of engineers, notable for their work with the aqueducts. Ampliatus is a liberated slave who has become extremely wealthy after taking advantage of the destruction of Pompeii by an earthquake seventeen years ago.
At the beginning of the book we find Attilius looking for additional sources of water due to the drought that is affecting the Aqua Augusta. In one of his errands he is interrupted by a young lady, Corelia, asking him for help because her father is punishing a slave that was in charge of feeding his red mullets. Corelia's father is Ampliatus, and upon arrival Attilius discovers that the fish were killed because the water from the aqueduct is contaminated with sulfur. At this point the aqueduct's engineer embarks in a journey to Pompeii, where the suspected failure is located, to find the source of the problem and fix it.
Even though the action is not fast-paced through most of the book in terms of the writing, Harris makes the plot so interesting that the reader is drawn to the story as a scrap of metal to a magnet. There is a very impressive presentation of the aqueducts of Rome as well as of the main traits of the civilization, its politics and the interaction between the different social strata. As most stories dealing with the Roman Empire, this one does not lack in conspiracies and betrayal. It is impressive that the book has such a high level of suspense and tension considering that the reader knows what is going to happen in terms of the eruption of the Vesuvius. This is the first Robert Harris's book I read, but it definitely woke an interest in me to read his previous works.
Rating: 4
Summary: Pompeii fizzles
Comment: A fascinating look at the ancient city of Pompeii, but it seemed rather dull at times. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about Rome's aqueduct system. One would think the eruption of Vesuvius would merit more than just a glancing treatment. Somewhat disappointing, but still a good read.
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Title: Angels & Demons by Dan Brown ISBN: 0671027360 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 26 June, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown ISBN: 0385504209 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 18 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: The Murder Room by P.D. James ISBN: 1400041414 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 18 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Archangel by Robert Harris ISBN: 0515127485 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: February, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier ISBN: 0525947671 Publisher: E P Dutton Pub. Date: 29 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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