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Title: A bland writing style hampers a fine tale
Review: From the pedestrian dialogue to the adequate prose, Harris attaches lots of research. But there's a reason he opens each chapter with quotes from texts on volcanoes. He's too inadequate an author to incorporate this material into the actual text. No Leon Uris he! All the characters are cardboard with the possible exception of Pliny, but Pliny's views as expressed here on sexuality do not seem bona fide. Additionally, the hero's behavior and thoughts are inconsistent. A better writer would have used this book as an outline for a much richer work. The basics are here, but little else. Don't be surprised to find yourself skimming towards the end.
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