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God's Battalions: The Case For The Crusades (2009)

by Rodney Stark(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0061582611 (ISBN13: 9780061582615)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

HarperOne

review 1: Oh my... I really look forward to reading other reviews of this book, because it is guaranteed to raise some protests and lamentations. Personally I had several quiet chuckles while reading it, because the author says pretty much what I've been thinking for very long time and provides solid arguments for the point of view that I wholeheartedly support.At the same time it must be admitted that Stark constantly flirts in his narrative with 'the dark side', pretty much for the same reasons why I disliked Amin Maalouf's 'Crusades Through Arab Eyes' - he is blatantly partisan and therefore cannot be fully trusted. Thankfully unlike Maalouf, Stark avoids gliding into modern political rhetoric and really makes an effort to ground his opinions in primary sources or work of other s... morecholars. Nevertheless, it is obvious that he IS cherry-picking his sources and constantly draws his conclusions to an abrasive edge. The combative nature of author's narrative actually caused me to suspect that he's some sort of religious nut, but quick Google-search revealed to my great surprise that the man is an agnostic.The content of the book itself, if judged solely on facts presented in it, is really quite interesting if one doesn't mind the dryness of authors writing style. The Crusades have been having an undeserving bad rep in western society for quite some time and it is refreshing to read a book by someone who doesn't feel the need of apologizing all the time. Furthermore, the author really does make many sensible arguments against popular assumptions about the Crusades and in my opinion at least, manages to smash some of them to pieces.'God's Battalions' isn't the first book I would recommend on this subject, but it is definitely worth picking up for deeper understanding and a perspective of this conflict that is quite different from the mainstream academic view.
review 2: A well-researched book and important for an understanding of what caused the Europeans to believe a Crusade was important. Stark does not defend the sometimes terrible consequences of the Crusades; he does attempt to set the record straight by balancing the European reaction to Muslim atrocities that had been continuing from the time of the death of the prophet until the Council of Clermont in 1095. less

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