In 2079, the world is still reeling from the eruption of the Yellowstone volcano in the US some 20 years before. Brad Sheridan manages to escape from the depressing conditions in the American refuge camps by signing up for indentured labor overseas. He ends up in Pompey during the celebration of the 2,000 anniversary of the great eruption there. This book was OK. The plot didn't always make sense however. Pohl is in his eighties and he's been responsible for some great science fiction in the past but this wasn't one of his best. ( )

Story based in the mid-future basically about terrorism and love. Somewhat of a weird mix... ( )

I was pleasantly surprised to find Frederick Pohl still writing novels in his nineties, and quite pleased to read this novel in which he posits a world where terrorism is a given. Pohl then explores this world in what looks like a coming of age novel but is actual a novel of ideas, among those ideas being torture, compulsion/obsession, exploitation and the harm the human race has done to the earth. ( )

My first Pohl. A decent introduction to his novels, although it does seem incomplete at times. The setting (Pompeii, 2000 years after the eruption) and narration are done very well.

The plot is trifling stuff, but that doesn't matter as much. It's a fun explosive (ha-ha-ha) read, and I'll keep searching out for more of this author. ( )

After reading over 100 pages I was still waiting for something to happen. Soon after things started picking up. But ultimately this book was a letdown. ( )