Search - Pompeii

I found this book very boring. I expected a more "Human" story and it was really very technical. I think it would be fascinating for a scientist or engineer but I found those details extremely slow moving and put it down after 1/3 of the way through.

Interesting story about the days immediately before and during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius (sp?). Told from the viewpoint of a man in charge of the aquaducts in the area... he knows that something has gone terribly wrong because water flow has stopped and as he goes about investigating, he comes upon the truth. There is a also a love story incorporated, as well as an interesting cast of "bad" guys and "good" guys. I recommend this for light reading.

I loved the way the story doesnt just replay the eruption of Vesuvius. Unforgettable characters, both good and evil, make the book quite different than others I have read. In the course of investigating why the water aqueducts are failing, an engineer encounters mysteries, vio;ence and romance.

A more appropriate title for this book would be “Amazing Roman Engineering Feats: The Aqueduct”. Don’t’ get me wrong- I think what the Roman engineers accomplished by providing running water to cities along the dry Southern Italian coast was nothing short of amazing and I did enjoy the story; however the majority of the book is about the aqueducts.

Marcus Attilius, an “Aquarius” (aqueduct engineer) is sent from Rome to Misenum because their region’s Aquarius is missing. What he finds when he gets there is a mystery surrounding his predecessor’s disappearance, aqueducts failing and government corruption in Pompeii. The young engineer in his haste to prove his worth promises Pliny, the ruler of the area, that he can repair the aqueducts in 48 hours and restore running water to all the cities in the region. He sets off on this task 2 days before Mt. Vesuvius erupts. Can he accomplish his goal in time?

This was a quick, easy read which brings to life Roman culture, politics and the effects of the eruption on people in Pompeii and other coastal areas.

VERY well-written mystery, set in Pompeii just before the eruption of Vesuvius. The historical details are fascinating.

Loved this book. Enjoyed the history & characters. Author told a very believable version of what happened the day the volcano erupted. Well written.