Worth the read, but get a different edition

books:


	• The Last Days of Pompeii Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton Wildside Press, 2006 - 360 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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A Wonderful, Exciting Drama/Love Story

I bought this battered old book at an antique shoppe because I was intrigued by the title, and the obvious age of the novel. I sat down to "skim" the book a couple of days ago, and was delighted to have found such a gem! The writing is intelligent and for an intelligent reader; something that we almost never get to expeience anymore. The story is rich in historic details and mythic references. But, the saga is truely nail-biting excitement and suspense! What a wonderful surprise! If you want to take a vacation from watered down superficial writing and what passes for suspense too often today, if you want to experience something noble of your time and enriching, read with pleasure, this book!

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A romantic (?) tale of a fabled city.

Lord Lytton could write historical novels, and this one is actually one of his best. Lytton was a very prolific writer, but quality was not sacrificed for quantity. This particular book though is the one that has stood the longest. Lytton does a pretty good job with the strange names in this book. We still learn to know and enjoy all the characters in spite of the unfamiliarity of the names and the places. He wrote this book and his other historical work "Rienzi" after he had made a trip to Italy, and when he was experiencing major difficulties with his marriage. In spite of these personal problems, Lytton wrote on and the people of the time snapped up his work. His books are certainly worth the effort and the time. Some may say that he is melodramatic and typecasts his characters. He does do this, sure, but he still gets his story across.

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Worth the read, but get a different edition

I agree with other reviewers that this is a wonderful story based in 79 AD just prior to Mt Vesuvius' fateful eruption. The characters are vivid and the story is very rich. However, the prose is completely overblown which is sometimes a distraction. I couldn't even read the lyrics of the various songs and odes in the book. Too much to slog through.

My main complaint with this book, however, is the editing. This edition is really horrible. The introduction alone has glaring errors (such as the author lived from 1803 - 1873, but was married in 1927). This mistake is repeated on the back cover blurb. Entire pages in the book are blank. Whole words and phrases are missing in the chapter titles. For a $20 paperback, I would expect a bit more.

I would recommend the book if you have an interest in the ancient Roman empire, but definitely buy a different edition.

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Best of the worst?

Bulwer-Lytton was a notoriously bad writer, and I can't honestly say that this book does anything to save his well-earned rep. However, it's a lot of fun, partly because it's so melodramatic. The bad guys almost hiss, the good guys shine and sparkle, the damsels are definitely placed into distress. Good prevails, evil is punished. You can almost hear a rinky-tink piano player off to the side of the stage, plink-plunking out chords meant to signal suspense, then fear, then true and undying love, then imminent disaster. Don't model your prose on this, unless you're hoping to win the Bulwer-Lytton prize for lousy writing -- but it's definitely worth reading. You may find yourself gritting your teeth, or laughing out loud -- not because of the realism, but because it's all just SO awful!

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reviews: page 1, 2

Classic Victorian tale of the last days of Pompeii, doomed city that lay at the feet of Mount Vesuvius. From poets to flower-girls, gladiators to Roman tribunes, here is a plausible story of their lives, their loves, and the tragic fate that awaited them.