Pompeii: A Novel

By Robert Harris

Language: English

Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks

Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 8 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0812974614

Publication Date: November 8, 2005

Print Length: 304 pages

#1 International Bestseller

In the shadow of Mount Vesuvius along the idyllic Mediterranean coast, Roman empire’s wealthiest citizens revel in their opulent villas, basking in the final days of summer. The vast naval fleet is moored quietly at Misenum, while tourists spend their coins in the sun-drenched resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii.

Despite the apparent tranquility, a looming disaster looms. Young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus, newly appointed to oversee the Aqua Augusta, an aqueduct supplying water to over 250,000 people in nine towns around the Bay of Naples, discovers that springs are failing for the first time in generations. An emergency arises on the aqueduct’s lengthy main line, near Pompeii.

Attilius, a decent, practical, and incorruptible engineer, pledges to Pliny the Elder, the renowned scholar commanding the navy, that he can fix the aqueduct before the reservoir dries up. His plan is to assemble an expedition in Pompeii and proceed northward towards Mount Vesuvius, where he believes the problem lies.

However, Pompeii proves a corrupt and violent city, revealing powerful forces—both natural and human—that threaten Attilius. With his hallmark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris crafts a gripping tale of engineering, politics, and the relentless force of nature as the volcano’s ominous presence casts a shadow over these luxurious lives.