"A too often forgotten time in History"
Too often we think the Crusades were battles between Christians and Moslems over the so called "Holy Land". That was only a part of it. It was motivated by religious, political and economic factors and enhanced with a promise of an eternity in paradise. While the book presents the European warriors as saviors, the similarities to Al Quida are there. This book concentrates not on the battles over Jerusalem but rather on the conquest of Christian Constantinople by the European Christians. It sanitizes the events and presents Europe as the hero, to which I disagree, but it is still an important book to read, as too few understand the Crusades, and an understanding of the Crusades is an integral part of today's conflict in the Middle East.
"A lot of artistic license"
This is a very entertaining series but it is not intended to be an audio Bible so a lot of additional dialog is added. Once you accept that, it is very well put together and a great tape to listen to while working or driving.
"A fun read but don't take it seriously"
I loved the book and the reader was excellent. His ability to change his voice as he moved from character to character enhanced the listening and kept my attention. As to the book, the codes were simplistic and the author's understanding of the content of Nag Hammadi books erronious, to say the least. If you don't take the author seriously and enjoy this as a work of fiction, you will have a good time.
"Take in the Meat and spit out the bones."
Reading nonfiction is a lot like eating a fish you have to learn to swallow the meat and spit out the bones. This has some bones but as the saying goes history is very much his (or her) story. Read the suggested books which the author calls the books you are not supposed to read, but read others on Islam also. You will find this book is closer to the truth then many other books on the subject. This has renewed my reading of the Qur'an and histories of the era surrounding the crusades. Over all, I recommend it as an addition to anyone's library.
"Mediocre audio quality"
Should this be digitally enhanced it would get a five star rating. Unfortunately the downloads are limited to quality 1 or 2 and it shows. The reading is very good with some occasional background music which I find bothersome but not annoying as in other readings of the Bible that I own. One feature that is unique and should be in all audio Bibles is that there is a different download for each of the Books of the Bible. This is an excellent feature and is enough reason to buy it.
"Detailed and interesting"
It is hard to imagine how such a long listen can still be interesting but it is. I have all 3 volumes and I am amazed at how the level of detail coupled with the excellent reading has maintained my interest. One suggestion for the listener, the author presents the events of both sides of the conflict, so it would help to know who the major characters are and what side they are fighting for before listening.
"An entertaining listen."
If you are conservative and like to hear yourself talk this is the book for you. The author is a master of rhetoric. While I agree with her on every point discussed and admire her research, her extensive use of logical fallacies would be transparent to an educated liberal. If educated liberal was an oxymoron, this would be the book to quote. The reader is excellent and reads the book as if she was having a conversation with the listener. Even with it’s flaws, I still highly recommend listening to it.
"Excellent perspective"
Great book and excellent reading. While the perspective is almost entirely that of the armies of the revolution and its characters the book still seems balanced. By showing the successes and failures in a style that places you back in time, I gained a new perspective of the war that established the United States. In my opinion this is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the United States.
"New spin on classic stories"
If you are a fan of the classic TV program you will recognize these stories but don't let that stop you from getting this collection. The minor revisions bring the stories up to date and the actors are effective in sparking the imagination. Even knowing the outcome, the stories still held my attention and entertained.
"Neither cold nor hot."
I have read both extremes politically and religiously, regarding this subject and this author's opinion is in the middle. There were several quotations from the founding fathers that would have swayed the reader toward another opinion but they were not included, perhaps due to space limitations, perhaps intentionally. I believe one needs to read a variety of points of view to form their own. Therefore this books serves a purpose, but I would not use it alone to form an opinion. Read other books on the subject and primary sources, but include this book also.