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Historical fiction about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, covering a period of four days in 79 A.D. Attilius is an Aquarius, an engineer in charge of ensuring the water supply, of the Bay of Naples region. Attilius has been sent by Rome to replace the previous Aquarius, who has disappeared. The plot revolves around the Aqua Augusta, which has been damaged by natural phenomena.

The pace is somewhat slow in the beginning but picks up pace as it proceeds. The author introduces a number of characters, including Pliny the Elder, though they take secondary importance to the natural disaster. The narrative provides plenty of period details, showing the way of life of the residents and how much they stand to lose. Subplots relate to power, corruption, ambition, greed, romance, jealousy, and overindulgences.

Harris has created a compelling narrative, despite an ending that is already known. He maintains dramatic tension by showing the gradual build-up of pressure prior to the cataclysmic event that the reader knows is coming, but the characters do not. Both the storyline and epigraphs of each chapter are filled with history and science (volcanology, hydrology, geology). Recommended to those interested in a nature-driven survival story that educates while it entertains.