Pompeii: A Novel ebook

by Robert Harris

Robert Harris Thrillers and Suspense English

Pompeii is a novel by Robert Harris, published by Random House in 2003. It blends historical fiction with the real-life eruption of Mount Vesuvius on 24 August 79 AD, which overwhelmed Pompeii and its surrounding environs. The novel is notable for its references to various aspects of volcanology and use of the Roman calendar.

FREE shipping on qualifying offers. A literally shattering climax.

Robert Harris With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling . This book does an excellent job of reconstructing the Pompeii eruption

A literally shattering climax. With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling author of Archangel and Fatherland, re-creates a world on the brink of disaster. This book does an excellent job of reconstructing the Pompeii eruption. The main character is a water system engineer, responsible for maintaining aqueducts, and I appreciated the setting even more. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Электронная книга "Pompeii: A Novel", Robert Harris With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling author of Archangel and Fatherland, re-creates a world on the brink of disaster.

Электронная книга "Pompeii: A Novel", Robert Harris. Эту книгу можно прочитать в Google Play Книгах на компьютере, а также на устройствах Android и iOS. Выделяйте текст, добавляйте закладки и делайте заметки, скачав книгу "Pompeii: A Novel" для чтения в офлайн-режиме. Другие книги автора Robert Harris. Ещё. Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome.

Robert Harris is the author of Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, Imperium and The Ghost, all of which were international bestsellers. His latest novel, Lustrum, has just been published. The film of The Ghost – for which he co-wrote the screenplay – directed by Roman Polanski and starring Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, is due to be released at the beginning of 2010. He is married to Gill Hornby and they live with their four children in a village near Hungerford. Also by Robert Harris. Fatherland Enigma Archangel.

Da ingeniøren Attilus omkring år 80 kommer til Pompeji for at udbedre en fejl ved vandtilførslen, opdager han hurtigt, at noget .

Da ingeniøren Attilus omkring år 80 kommer til Pompeji for at udbedre en fejl ved vandtilførslen, opdager han hurtigt, at noget katastrofalt er under. We’re dedicated to reader privacy so we never track you.

Robert Harris's skilful and provocative evocation of Pompeii has chilling echoes of modern times, says Mark .

Robert Harris's skilful and provocative evocation of Pompeii has chilling echoes of modern times, says Mark Lawson. Now, switching his fictional co-ordinates from 1939-45 to AD79, he attempts, in Pompeii, a suspense novel in which every reader knows the close before they open it. Rather than a whodunit, Pompeii is a whenwillit in which the killer looms in full view over the city, hissing magma. Frederick Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal (1971) is generally held to be the model here, because history made it impossible that his assassin could succeed in killing De Gaulle.

Robert Harris is the author of thirteen bestselling novels: the Cicero Trilogy - Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator - Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, The Ghost, The Fear Index, An Officer and a Spy, which won four prizes including the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, Conclave, Munich and The Second Sleep. Several of his books have been filmed, including The Ghost, which was directed by Roman Polanski. He lives in West Berkshire with his wife, Gill Hornby

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.

Sennnel

I read this book while on a trip to southern Italy, and visiting Pompeii was part of the trip. I thought that reading this would help me visualize the city as it was before the eruption. I was about 2/3 through the book at the time of the visit to Pompeii. We had a guided tour for 2 hours, and then had an hour to ourselves to explore. Some of the ruined houses have the names of those who lived in them on signs. As soon as we started exploring, I saw a sign for the house of one of the characters in the book! The book's descriptions were very accurate, and after reading the letters of Pliny the Younger, I realized that the author had incorporated many of the details in the letters into his book.

Besides being well researched, the book is well written with an appealing hero. I was absorbed by the story, and had trouble putting it down near the end.

Haracetys

Whether you are into ancient history or not, this will wow you. Of course if you are, or have ever seen Vesuvius up close, it will wow you even more. I remember my own trip: Vesuvius was sitting there, perfectly quiet, but emitting a constant plume of smoke. As if to say: watch out. You never know what I will do next.
The engineer Attilius , who possesses far more honesty and integrity than anyone else in Pompeii, has his work cut out for him. The aqueduct is not flowing and he has to turn the water back on. This is much easier said than done. Especially when dealing with the totally corrupt ex-slave Ampliatus. (This creep is based on Trimalchio, a character in the original Satyricon, and if you have never read Trimalchio's Feast, do so. It is a perfect description of having a lot more money than taste, and it is uproarious.)
Ampliatus regards investing on Pompeii as the perfect way to get rich quick. (Sure it is.) He even insists that by mid-day tomorrow, the water will be flowing in Pompeii. (That's not all that will be flowing in Pompeii, Fool.) He will get what's coming to him. Vesuvius will show him the mercy he showed his own slaves.
At the end, no one seems sure if Attilius and the daughter of Ampliatus, whom he loves, were among the survivors. I hope they were, that they had long and happy lives, and that their descendants are still among us.

Kendis

The book was very informative for a work of historical fiction. The insights into Pompeii every day life and ancient Roman life in general. One of the fascinating aspects of the story of Vesuvius and Pompeii is that ancient life was preserved in a way that is so pristine. It offers a unique view of Ancient Rome lifestyle and even political lifestyle. Robert Harris does an effective job translating the actual minutia of Roman life in Pompeii and explaining the background of the eruption. Taking the viewpoint of the keeper of the aqueduct is a unique touch that helps make the story more personal.

The reason I only gave 3 stars out of 5 is that I feel the ending of the story, while perhaps efficiently closing off all the story threads, seemed rushed to me. There was a lot of build up as far as relationships and even Pliny the older and younger's viewpoint during the story, but it seemed to me Harris took the easy way out to sum up the conclusion of the story in a way that took up as little amount of pages as possible. This was disappointing to me. Otherwise, this was a very well written, well researched book that delivered in openign insight into a fascinating event in history.

Fesho

Before reading “Pompeii,” I had already read Robert Harris’s Cicero trilogy. The Cicero trilogy is an enthralling work of historical fiction, part mystery, part thriller, which introduces the reader to the wonders of Ancient Rome and the illustrious characters of the Late Republic, like Caesar, Crassus and Pompey the Great. Having thoroughly enjoyed the Cicero trilogy, I was glad that “Pompeii” lived up to my high expectations.

I like my historical fiction to be informative, and I came away from Harris’s book knowing more about Pliny the Elder (who died during the eruption of Vesuvius), volcanoes, aqueducts and Roman architecture. Harris clearly had to do a tremendous amount of historical research to produce this book. I also like my historical fiction to be well-written, and “Pompeii” is fast-moving and captivating. The action of the novel takes place over a period of just four days. It is in part a mystery, beginning with the disappearance of the aquarius, the engineer responsible for the maintenance of the aqueduct. The mystery deepens as sulfur is discovered in the drinking water. Not satisfied to write just a mystery story, Harris also gives us action, political corruption and a love story. For anyone who likes historical fiction or simply enjoys a mesmerizing thriller, I can highly recommend Harris’s “Pompeii.”

Doomwarden

I am taking a trip to the Pompeii area this summer and wanted to get a refresher on Roman life. This book was great in describing exactly that - how the Romans lived at the time of Pompeii. I was pleasantly surprised at the engineering details describing the aqueduct and Roman water systems in general. The author did a good job of depicting the events leading up to the eruption and the event itself. Was fun following the protagonist through those days and now I can't wait to see Vesuvius and Pompeii. I now have a "feel" for what the people went through during those several horrific days. Nice work, Robert!

Tyler Is Not Here

Another well-written, entertaining story of the Roman Empire by Robert Harris. This time he tackles the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum. If one has to complain, the build-up to the eruption was long and at times, tedious. Yet, the climax was worth it, the death of Pliny the Elder was beautifully described, scenes of both heroism and cowardice vividly portrayed, as Harris is so talented a writer.