POMPEI-Historic Novel by Harris - Good Reading if Going There

Before the devastating eruption of 79 AD, the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum were unaware they were living next to an explosive and deadly volcano.   In fact, there wasn't a name for volcanoes until after the fateful eruption of Mount Vesuvius that razed the city of Pompeii, its inhabitants and neighboring Herculaneum.  Following the massive destruction, the word volcano came into being, named for Vulcan, the Roman God of the Flame and Metal Forgery.  In POMPEII, Harris attempts recapture what life was like for the people of this era.  The novel does an interesting job of depicting the wealthy aristocracy at the time as well as slaves whose grueling, subhuman treatments came at the whims of their owners.  Women at all social strata were completely subjugated to men.  It's remarkable to consider how advanced the citizens of Pompeii were over 2,000 years ago having designed and built their aqueduct system as well as the advanced architectural constructions that have remained in existence.  However, it's startling there was no foreknowledge of the massive havoc that was about to be unleashed by Mount Vesuvius.  The were no records of the major destructive force they were about to experience.  Earthquakes were known to occur and a large portion of the population left Pompeii 17 years prior after a major earthquake leveled much of the city.   The novel is most intriguing for having us appreciate what it was like to be a first hand witness to this cataclysmic event that had never before occurred.  It's worthwhile to appreciate how history is recorded.  Pliny the Younger, the author, lawyer and historian, lived 18 miles away in the bay of Naples when Mount Vesuvius exploded.  Pliny is a minor character in the novel.  His quest for knowledge have left us the first detailed descriptions of what he observed.  "It's general appearance can best be expressed as being like an umbrella pine, for it rose to a great height on a soft trunk and then split off into branches."  Plinian is the term volcanologist now used when referring to eruptions with a high plume that expands over a massive area spewing ash.  While this is all significant and serves to pique an interest into life during this epoch, the narrative is drivel in its storytellling.   The young aqueduct captain, Atilius, whose heroic efforts to repair the aqueducts are thwarted by a villainous, wealthy magistrate intent on destroying him.  Alas, Atilius will prevail and he and his nemesis' daughter, may have been the only possible survivors.   If you're planning a trip to Napoli, this lightweight history that may suffice.