Rating: 
Summary: An absorbing, puzzling read....
Review: Mr. Reston has produced an entertaining book about the Third
Crusade. Indeed, I stopped all other activities in my busy schedule to
finish the book.Until I read this book, I had encountered very little about the
Crusades. Last year I read Karen Armstrong's "Islam," in which a few
paragraphs address the subject. So, to this point, most of my knowledge
comes from "Warriors of God." There were a few things that struck me as odd about the book. First, no
footnotes. The book is full of odd and marvelous stories, and I wanted
to look up their sources. However, without the footnotes I could not do
that. Reston does provide a list of primary and secondary sources, but
it's unfortunate that he didn't give us more detail in footnotes. Second, I was struck by his sympathies with the Muslims and relative
disdain for the Christians. I have no idea if his judgments are accurate
or not, but I did find it odd that his description of Saladin was so
deferential. This may be my westerner's view of things getting in the
way, but it's what I experienced when reading the book. Finally, I couldn't tell what was true and what was not. Periodically
Reston would judiciously point out that a certain scribe might be
inflating figures or portraying his master in too favorable a light. But
then Reston doesn't use the same critical thinking, for example, about
the blood flowing in the streets of Jerusalem during the First
Crusade. It seemed to me that it would have helped if Reston had
supported that bit of lore with a not pointing out how it could be true
-- by some calculations in geometry -- that the Crusaders were literally
wading in the blood of their victims. Despite my puzzlement, I heartily recommend Mr. Reston's book. It brings
the Third Crusade to life, the way a good novel would, but it still
retains authority as a historical account of the events of that time.
Rating: 
Summary: "Distastefully Biased"
Review: James Reston's work, "Warriors of God" is distastefully biased. Luckily, the author wastes no time presenting his prejudices in the foreword, so the reader may decide for himself whether or not to continue reading. The basis of this work is James Reston's idea that the Christians were nothing but cruel, savage barbarians, who fought the Crusades under the guise of piety, while committing atrocities on a level second only to the Holocaust. The Arabs, on the other hand, were enlightened, peaceful, and innocent peoples, guarding their land against European opposition. However, Reston fails to point out that those lands were Christian three hundred years before the first Arab ever set foot in Jerusalem; and, furthermore, since 70 BC, Jerusalem had been annexed into the Roman empire by Pompey as property of the Western world. So their claims to the land certainly lack substance when the whole picture is looked at. Anyway, the author's black and white portrait of the Crusades is outrageous and vexing: the Christians are bad and the Muslims are good; Richard the Lionheart is a homosexual and Saladin is a noble prince. This analysis is enough to make someone sick. Perhaps James Reston Jr. failed to mention he wrote this history in Baghdad under the patronage of Saddam Hussein. Stay away from this book like a bad habit.
Rating:
Summary: Crusades Confidential
Review: "Warriors of God," reads like a tabloid history of the third crusade, and that's exactly what makes it so much fun. James Reston got the dirt on the primary English and French players and has no temerity about spreading it around. Who was the regal counterpart Richard the Lionheart was sleeping around with? You'll find the answer right here. Care for a look at the private life of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine? Step right up. Who was the "whore of Europe?" Yes, indeed, find out here. As for the politics, both in Europe and the East, well, nothing much has changed in the modus operandi of the ruling class. Richard fought a bloody war on the battlefields, and deadly political wars on the two fronts of Europe and the Holy Land. Yes, the underlying current was a holy war, but the profiteers, looters, and opportunists steered events as rigorously as the warriors and clerics. Mr. Reston has much less to say about the peccadilloes of Saladin and the warriors of Islam. In fact, they come off as models of rectitude, both in their private and public affairs. However, both sides were equally as blood-thirsty, and the blood flowed ankle deep--such were the times, such are the times. Mr. Reston focuses quite clearly on Richard and Saladin as the protagonists of this third crusade, and in them he has found characters as large as life. They were educated, wily, impassioned leaders whose stature has not been diminished by the passage of nine hundred years. I recommend this book both for the dirt and the history. It's a fascinating look at characters and events, as well as a witness to how the Crusades have never really ended.
Rating: 
Summary: The Forward Got me All Excited
Review: Mr. Reston's forward got me into this book. He drew several parallels between the Third Crusade and current times. I was expecting great things to come. The rest of the book, however, was just an adequate history. If the quotes from bards, chroniclers and poets were removed, it would probably be 100 pages shorter. Obviously well-researched, I found the historical part of the book to be rather thin. Overall though, I found it worth reading. The period is one colored in myth and legend. The book cut through the fictionalized accounts. Mr. Reston's honest assessment of the strengths andd weaknesses of his two heros - Richard and Saladin were interesting and worthwhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Military History Buffs ONLY!
Review: I prefer history to be about people, not pages and pages of battles and how these foot soldiers were moved 2 feet to the right. So I didn't like this book much! If you like to reconstruct battles in your head, this is the book for you. Also, there is no list of illustrations, so I was always flipping through the book trying to find a picture I'd seen of a place being described. And the book needs a good overall map of the region (maybe Europe inside the front cover, Middle East inside the back?), because there isn't one in the whole book. All the little maps (of particular battles) are well done, but again, need to be listed at the front, so they are easy to find and refer to. Finally, and this is rather nit-picky, he refers to Alais (Phillip's sister) as the "whore of Europe." Neither Richard or Phillip gets such a disparaging term applied to them, even though they were basically doing the same thing--whoring their ways across Europe...is it okay because they were gay, or because they were men, or both? Reston has the ability to document battles, but not the ability to bring historical figures alive and make them interesting to read about.
Rating: 
Summary: Battle for the Holy Land
Review: I wish I could give this book more than just five stars. Mr. Reston tells the tale of the Third Crusade in fascinating detail. Three years of research are the building blocks. Interpreted discourse and liberal quotes from the Bible and the Koran are the glue that holds it together. The author also gives us extensive background on the European power struggles that are part of this crusade. And he follows the two heroes - Richard the Lionhearted and Sultan Saladin - to their bitter end. Richard had to fight on may fronts. His arch enemy turned out to be Philip Augustus, king of France, who pulled out of the crusade and went home. A major support fell apart with the death of Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor of Germany. Back home, Richard's brother John tried to take over his domains in England, while Philip tried the same in France, Trying to counter all these threats was Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard's mother and former queen of both France and England. In Palestine, Richard was opposed by the likes of Conrad of Montferrat, Reginald of Chatillon, and Guy of Lusignan. Richard was a man of battle, never shrinking from a fight and always ready to pounce on his enemies. Saladin, on the other hand, was the quiet tactician who tried to outfox the crusaders. In the end, Saladin with his simple life style won over Richard who decides against capturing Jerusalem and wanted to conquer the riches of Egypt instead. The sympathies of Mr. Reston clearly are with Sultan Saladin. And there is, of course, a very strong parallel to today's situation in the Near East. I assume that the author had this in the back of his mind when he wrote this very fascinating book.
Rating:
Summary: Short on Facts
Review: Warriors of God is written in the easy-to-read style of a novel, which makes the non-history student like me excited to read history. But this isn't history. It is mostly the author's attempt to create a visceral backlash against the European crusaders and glorify the muslim world of that age. He fails to put these few centuries in the greater historical context, which I consider a disservice to the student of history. I see no heroes in the crusades, and certainly no Christians. If you really want to know what Christianity is, try Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.
Rating:
Summary: Cliched book on a complex (and deeply misunderstood) topic
Review: Have an interest in the Crusades? The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades is your best bet. If you want drama, Deus lo Volt! is a cracking book. "Warriors of God" is a muddled, cartoonish read. What this book desperately needed was real history and a framing of context. So, if anything, understand this: the European crusading invasion of the middle east took place in an extraordinarily brief period. In contrast, the islamic Moors invaded (eventually conquering) Spain in 711AD, invaded France in 732AD, and islamic offensives against Europe continued for nearly 1,000 years until the last Turkish invasion in 1683AD -- the siege of Vienna. Lots of horrific carnage in all instances. The lesson: Europe was consistently invaded (and under threat of invasion) for a nearly a millennium. "Warriors of God" provided only a caricature of the people and the period. I gave it two stars (instead of one) because it is history, and everybody should read more history ;-) But still, you can do much better elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: This is history writing at its best
Review: I just finished reading this book and could not wait to write this review. James Reston, Jr. writes in a way that makes history vivid and understandable. The Third Crusade is ultimately about legendary characters of history and I came away feeling like I understand Richard and Saladin much better. I knew more about Richard and Christianity; I appreciated Reston's explanations of Saladin and Islam (and have a better understanding of Islam today). To those who would argue that this is not a work of academic scholarship, I say this: it wasn't meant for you. It was meant for those of us who want to learn more and wouldn't examine footnotes anyway. The one suggestion I offer is this: the maps were very good, but it would have helped to have a list of maps in the table of contents. I have to run now and buy more of his books!
Rating:
Summary: Pertinent Look at the Crusades
Review: Warriors of God is a fascinating look at the two great leaders of opposite sides. Though it is cliched, this is certainly a relevant view into western-mid-east relations in today's world. Reston offers the reader an incredible insight into the views and feelings of both Richard and Saladin. It is also fascinating to compare the perspective on "the enemy" between contemporary Christians and Muslims with those of the Medieval era. Propaganda, jingoism, and religious zeal were as essential to Crusades' era leaders as they are to modern leaders. Equally fascinating is the light in which the characters are cast in. Warriors of God also sheds light on an oft-Romanticized topic- the Crusades. Reston dispels the myth that the Europeans were united in their effort against the Muslim 'infidels,' and masterfully depicts the Muslims as more than the blood-lusting, merciless barbarians the Western tradition portrays them as. Perhaps the most important element of Reston's work in "Warriors" is the humanity with which all the characters are portrayed. Reston has ignored, if not eliminated the mythical pedestals certain Crusades leaders were raised upon, and given traditionally trod-upon leaders equal footing. Saladin's and Richard's many weaknesses are approached from a sympathetic, rather than critical view. Also refreshing is respectful view Reston gives of their strengths without taking on a worshipful tone. Warriors of God is a teriffic book for anyone with an interest in history or in current Middle East relations.
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