This is by intention the continuation and completion of Quasten's Patrology, a standard work much valued by students of ancient Christian literature. Title and contents of the present volume do not entirely match: the temporal limits are overpassed at both ends; writers rather than ‘Fathers’ are the subject. Manlio Simonetti provides the introduction of twenty pages of general background to the period. He takes a dim view of its contribution to intellectual life and certainly no theologian of the period aspired to be original; but there is a good deal more than he allows to be said about innovation, and how it occurs in, with and under intense respect for tradition. I would fully grant, though, that the pro- and anti-Chalcedonian polemics and the one versus two natures polemics become quite as tedious as later western arguments about eucharistic change. Short historical accounts introduce sections devoted to the individual writers grouped by area. Greek literature predominates with other writings enjoying separate treatment in sections devoted to ‘Syriac literature’ (Paolo Bettiolo), ‘Patristic texts in Coptic’ (Tito Orlandi) and ‘Patristic texts in Armenian’ (Sever J. Voicu). (I do not understand why Georgian, Ethiopic and Arabic are left out.) This separation produces a muddle when, for example, Greek writings are preserved only in Syriac: see the difficulty in understanding the literary remains of the tritheist controversy under the names of Theodosius, Damian, Conon and Eugenius etc. Carmelo Curti and Maria Antonietta Barbara deal with ‘Greek exegetical catenae’, Angelo di Beradino and Manel Nin with ‘Canonical and liturgical literature’. Conciliar acta are not included. Twelve hard-working scholars have written the individual entries. The three most important writers of the period, Severus, Maximus the Confessor and John of Damascus appear with entries of suitable magisterium from Lorenzo Perrone, Andrew Louth and Basil (but typically in this translated text ‘Basilio’) Studer. Notably worth consulting by historians of philosophical theology are the entries under Aeneas of Gaza and John Philoponus by Salvatore Lilla. The raison d'être for graecophone entries outside the chronological limits is obscure. Why, for example, is Succensus the correspondent of Cyril of Alexandria here? Indeed, the very first entry is a rogue: Eudoxia Augusta (wife of Arcadius and the volume's token woman) appears here in error for Eudocia (Athenais), wife of Theodosius ii, and both died prior to 451. (The error seems to be repeated from the same editor's Encyclopedia of the early Church where an account of Eudocia is given under the name of Eudoxia.) The candid reviewer, therefore, must make regretfully make plain that this work of reference does not score marks for reliability. There are many causes of frustration besides. I wanted to read the text of Antony's letters. I learned that the ‘fullest version is in Arabic’ but no help was given as to where to find it or any other edition of the text. What is the use of a ‘patrology’ which does not always list at least the following: authors with dates, works briefly described, editions and secondary literature? There are various other imperfections. I will not catalogue them. I recommend patience and the exercise of prudent disbelief in the use of this book.