Pompeii: City on Fire: A Novel [Paperback]

T. L. Higley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2011

Pompeii, a city that's many things to many people. For Cato, it's the perfect escape from a failed political career in Rome. A place to start again, become a winemaker. But when a corrupt politician wrongfully jails Cato's sister, he must oust the man from power to save her. 

For Ariella, Pompeii is a means to an end. As a young Jew, she escaped the fall of Jerusalem only to endure slavery to a cruel Roman general. She ends up in Pompeii, disguised as a young man and sold into a gladiator troupe. Her anger fuels her to fight well, hoping to win the arena crowds and reveal her gender at the perfect time. Perhaps then she will win true freedom. 

But evil creeps through the streets of Pompeii. Political corruption, religious persecution, and family peril threaten to destroy Ariella and Cato, who are thrown together in the battle to survive. As Vesuvius churns with deadly intent, the two must bridge their differences to save the lives of those they love, before the fiery ash buries Pompeii, leaving the city lost to the world.

Endorsements:

"I love T. L. Higley's stories set in the ancient world. Pompeii has a mystique all its own, and Higley brings it to rich life, from glory to destruction, while bringing her well-drawn characters through disaster to salvation."

DeAnna Julie Dodson, author of In Honor Bound 

"T.L. Higley brings Pompeii to life again in this exhilarating tale of love and adventure. The story was so enthralling to me-I want to read it again!"

Elizabeth Goddard, author of The Camera Never Lies

"A glorious storytelling of the plight of early Christianity. Higley's meticulous research enhances readers' understanding of the daring lives of the first Christians."

RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)

"This follow-up to Petra is sure to please readers who enjoyed the history, adventure, and suspense of that first novel, as well as fans of Bodie Thoene's historical fiction."

Library Journal (starred review)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

T. L. Higley holds a degree in English literature and has written seven other novels. She lives with her husband and four children near Philadelphia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books; Original edition (June 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433668572
• ISBN-13: 978-1433668579
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #521,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tracy L. Higley travels the world, brings back adventure and writes novels that transports readers to ancient times and places.

Visit her website at TracyHigley.com or meet up with her on Facebook at facebook.com/tlhigley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Another great read from T.L. Higley, May 28, 2011

By 

Michele - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pompeii: City on Fire: A Novel (Paperback)

T.L. Higley has been one of my favorite Christian authors for years. I am particularly fond of ancient settings, which are her forte, and I like that she doesn't set her books in the overused places (Rome, Judea) but chooses more interesting and unique settings such as ancient Babylon, Alexandria, Rhodes, Petra and now Pompeii.

This newest book is the second in her series set in ancient cities. After being so disappointed with the first installment, Petra, I was a bit uncertain about this one; was one of my favorite writers going into a creative decline? Happily that proved not to be the case, and it seems that Higley's writing slump was limited to just one book.

Pompeii shares many plot elements in common with Petra: both the male and female protagonists flee to the city seeking escape and a new life; both of the male main characters are Roman; both are set in A.D. with the New Testament church as a prominent presence; there is a climactic confrontation between Good and Evil. But in Pompeii Higley's writing is much stronger and the book exhibits none of the weaknesses of the former. For instance, in both books the female main character undertakes an escape from extremely unpleasant circumstances in a manner highly unlikely for a woman of that time and place. But while this was glossed over in Petra, thereby making it impossible for the reader to really believe, in Pompeii the author illustrates some of the challenges Ariella faced, sharing just enough to allow the reader to see how it could have actually happened. Also in Pompeii the Christians were portrayed in a much more realistic way: markedly different from the pagan culture surrounding them, but without being syrupy sweet. I particularly liked Cato, the main male character in Pompeii, because he was flawed. Although he had a good heart, and ultimately made the right choices, throughout the story he continuously made the wrong choices, motived by his own ambition and a degree of self-centeredness. And his conversion to Christianity was depicted in a way that felt authentic; it was not sudden and overly-enthusiastic (which wouldn't have seemed believable at all for someone from his background) but was gradual and cautious. For me, all of this lent more realism to his character and made for a stronger story than if the author had made him a perfect "prince" in shining armor.

All this is not to say that Pompeii is a perfectly-written story; the book does have several small weaknesses, although they are minor and don't really pull down the book overall. The main lack in Pompeii, and the reason I am not rating it higher, is that it doesn't really have Higley's trademark exciting, edge-of-your-seat scene near the end. Yes, the last several chapters are all somewhat tense, as Pompeii is thrown into pandemonium by the eruption of the volcano, but there aren't any real nail-biting moments such as in some of her other books.

Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable book. It is fast-reading, plot- and action-driven, as all of Higley's books are, with no dull spots. And it is an excellent glimpse at life in ancient Pompeii. The author paints detailed pictures of the lifestyles and entertainments of the time, showing Rome in all its brutality, violence, decadence and immorality.

I am looking forward to T.L. Higley's next setting, wherever that might be.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Seriously? Only "Good Guys" Wear White?, August 12, 2011

By 

LovesToReadBooks (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pompeii: City on Fire: A Novel (Kindle Edition)

Though the author presents us with a wealth of historical information (including a brief Roman glossary and a photograph of herself sitting in front of Mt. Vesuvius) and what begins as a reasonably interesting plot involving a Roman who wants to start his life over, escaped slaves, and the Judaean Revolt (they weren't called "Jews" until after the Roman Diaspora) of approximately 67-70 CE, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, then scattered the Judaean population, the story becomes so biased that even the sentient Mt. Vesuvius must have been baptized and converted because only Christians survive its volcanic eruption, lava, and ash-cloud. Even poor innocents who are trapped by historical realities of the period don't survive if they aren't Christian. Really? Seriously? Didn't Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton already give us this version of events, with different characters' names, in his 1834 novel THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII? The Kindle e-book doesn't display any cross or fish on the cover, and the Editorial Review doesn't mention the fact that this book's plot would only be plausible for fundamentally Christian readers. What seems to begin as a book about a Roman politician's escaping Rome's corruption to start life anew with his family in Pompeii, an escaped (ostensibly Judaean) slave seeking freedom from persecution, and other Pompeiian residents (most of whom live decently by the time period's standards, despite the fact that these "bad" people like watching the gladiatorial games and some of the "bad" men go to "legal" brothels) turns into a disappointing story of a "city on fire" when the volcano's Christian "hell" burns anyone not wearing white (figuratively speaking, of course). Sad. The author has a grip on plot, but her proselytizing transforms what could have been a good story and an interesting, historically based re-creation of Mt. Vesuvius' eruption and destruction of the famous cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum into a ponderous vision with flat, undeveloped, ultimately uninteresting characters.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartbreaking and Heart-pounding Read!, May 23, 2011

By 

Amber C. Stokes - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pompeii: City on Fire: A Novel (Paperback)

Like Vesuvius, this book is powerful and should not be underestimated! The tension builds steadily, with short sections from the volcano's point of view that remind the reader that below the surface of political upheaval and emotional drama stirs a dangerous depth that will drastically shift priorities once it explodes upon the scene. When that explosion happens, everything changes.

Until then, different sorts of danger fill the pages--from an evil politician bent on continuing his unjust reign, to fears of inadequacy and failure, to intense gladiator fights. There's a lot to take in as a reader, and some of the events (both past and present) are heartbreaking and disturbing to read about. But through it all is an underlying message of hope and security through the Messiah even in the midst of all the evil and suffering of this life. The glimpses of community, acceptance, and love are very sweet indeed.

The love story between Cato and Ariella is also quite an interesting one! I can't help but compare Ariella (Ari) to the Disney character of Mulan. Escaping from a horrible life satisfying the lust of a perverse man, Ari disguises herself as a man and joins a group of gladiators. She is a fighter through and through, and her spirit and perseverance catch the eye of Cato, who is a prominent, albeit new, citizen of Pompeii with a heart for those under oppression. Their journey is a difficult but necessary one that ultimately demonstrates where real, lasting strength and stamina come from: the Lord.

And no section shows that truth more than the last part of the book, when Vesuvius finally fulfills her role. I admit to being rather fearful of volcanoes, especially since I saw the movie Dante's Peak when I was in middle school. Well, I made it through the conclusion of this book, and it is both gripping and moving! As I read it in the early morning hours, I ended up shedding a few tears.

Pompeii: City on Fire is not a light-hearted read, nor is it an easy one, but it is a powerful one that attests to God's control in all things and the beauty of faith amidst the darkest storm.

*With thanks to the author for providing me with an Advanced Reader Edition of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Note: Since this was an Advanced Reader Edition, some changes might have been made to the final edition which would not be taken into consideration in this review.