It is a surprisingly short book. It definitely delivers on its promise: gives a context to the orgin of the first crusade. It also rewrites a lot of Byzantine’s history during the first half of Alexius Commenus’ regin.
The Byzanthine perspective dominates the book. There is little left for the crusade itself. Which is a bit disappointing. The author has knowledge, curiosity, and the investigative mind to tell us more about the events surrounding the First Crusade.
Regardless, it is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the crusades.
