Review: Act of Oblivion

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A true work of historical fiction. As the author states, all the characters are real save one (the bounty hunter). All of the major events are real, and Harris essentially fills in the gaps.

This is great insight into the United States as a British colony during the mid 1600's, and how it was progressing in relation to the continent.

It was also, incidentally, a riveting story.


Highly recommend, like all Robert Harris's books.


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Review: The Second Sleep

The Second Sleep by Robert Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading the Cicero trilogy and Pompeii, this struck me as a change of pace for a Robert Harris novel. I guess I wasn't prepared for just how different it was. In fact, knowing nothing about it ahead of time (I hate reading too many reviews since people always seem to let spoilers slip in), I was very surprised. 

I confess I enjoyed it a lot, and it never stopped surprising me, right until the end. 

Having said that, I did find the main character a tad unbelievable, in that he made choices and did things that seemed quite out of character, or just forced, so as to move the story along. 

Regardless, I can't say much more without giving away spoilers. My advice is not to read any reviews but just read it. It will be different.

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Review: Pompeii

Pompeii by Robert Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was excellent. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is something we've all heard about. I thought I had heard quite a bit about it, and I also went to visit Pompeii several years ago, and yet it wasn't until reading this book that I felt I got a real sense of what it must have been like to go through this ordeal. I've heard it said that A Tale of Two Cities does a better job than any history book of conveying what it was like to go through the French Revolution, and I suspect this is its equivalent for Pompeii and its inhabitants.

I also enjoyed the angle, and how the observations started from the changes in the water supply and aqueducts.

The (love) story in itself was a tad simplistic, but there were many other reasons to enjoy this book. The story was almost just an excuse to tell all the rest.

Also (SPOILER AHEAD) it seemed to be a bit of a stretch how Attilius manages to be on Mt. Vesuvius when the eruption starts, passes through Herculaneum and then Misenum, and the gets to Pompeii for the final pyroclastic surge (and obviously survives).

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