The crusader world is an exciting piece of work. In essence it is a collection of thirty-eight articles produced by a broad range of scholars working in the flourishing field of crusader studies. Divided into eight thematic sections its focus is intentionally broad, with studies encompassing a range of topics including pieces concerned with the affairs of geographical regions (the Crusader West, the Latin East, medieval Byzantium), major areas of thematic debate (including sections on crusading ideology and Christian/Islamic encounters during the crusades), as well as further blocks devoted to different forms of contemporary evidence and historiography.

In its far-reaching scope, The crusader world does not seek to offer a collaborative, all-encompassing account of crusading history of the kind produced by Setton in his History of the crusades. This is not an introductory survey for the non-specialists; there are plenty of these already. Nor however is it a straightforward essay collection of specialist studies. Rather it is a collection of articles which include some broad surveys, some assessments of the current state of research in a given area, and other more focused research articles. In this way, it speaks to multiple audiences and its constituent works perform a range of rather different roles. The one quality, however, common to almost all the studies included within its pages, is that they are of a very high standard.

To begin with the more survey-type articles, there is a varied assortment of introductory pieces and these include Nicholson's overview of women's involvement in the crusades, France's survey of crusading warfare in the twelfth century, and Burtorf's very lucid account of the tortuous events of the Antiochene war of succession. From the Muslim perspective there is also Amitai's clear account of the rise of the Mamluks and their involvement in the final collapse of the crusader states. Coureas also discusses the Mamluks in his overview of their relations with the Cypriots between 1250 and 1517. Among the few studies to discuss the Northern Crusades, Von Güttner-Sporzyński provides a very readable overview of the early holy wars fought in the Baltic.

Then there are those studies which offer an summary of the progress made in a specific field of research in recent decades or which showcase what can be learned from a specific form of evidence. These include Stern's piece on ceramics, Mitchell's discussion on intestinal parasites, Boas's survey on our growing understanding of domestic life in the crusader states and Lewis's exposition of what can be learned from battlefield archaeology. There is also Piana's excellent analysis of the various phases of fortress construction conducted during the crusading period and its attached historiography. Also notable is Folda's examination of the academic debate surrounding the role played by crusader art as an intermediary, bringing Byzantine artistic influences to Western Europe.

Among these articles, there are also several that address themselves to a specific theme or issue. Lower, for example, looks at the theological debates and anxieties – both Christian and Islamic – surrounding those occasions when Christian warriors fought for Muslim rulers. Forey similarly looks at paid troops, offering a survey of their use by the military orders. Shotten-Hallel et al. offer a valuable summary of the archaeological work conducted to date on the Hospitaller fortress of Belvoir. Jacoby demonstrates that Venetian influence in the city of Tyre fell into long-term decline following their pivotal role in the conquest of the city in 1124. Particular attention, however, should be given to Borchardt's superb analysis of the hierarchical structures employed by the largest military orders to manage their western estates.

Other scholars offer revisionist arguments or critical analyses on key terms or concepts. These include Chevedden's piece on the origins of the concept of crusading and García-Guijarro Ramos's thought-provoking article on the early origins of the Reconquista. In this piece he draws particular attention to the fact that the concept of religious reconquest was present in Christian Iberia long before the advent of the crusades. Among the various studies on Byzantium, several explore – in some form or other – Greeks attitude towards crusading or the Latins in the Levant. Chrissis makes the point that the Greeks often projected a crusading-friendly image of themselves when it suited their policy. Papayianni and Angold also discuss Greek attitudes towards the Franks; Angold offering an insightful commentary into Byzantine reactions to the fall of Jerusalem in 1187 and how these changed over time (particularly after the fall of Constantinople in 1204).

The crusader world’s articles will be of interest to scholars from a range of different disciplines. Those interested in the Muslim world will find much to think about in Frenkel's piece, which shows how Saladin's admirers compared him to the biblical Joseph son of Jacob. Researchers exploring concepts of pilgrimage, piety and its manifestations in art/architecture will find Fischof's fascinating piece on the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth and its rivalry with the nearby church at Sepphoris to be of particular interest. Marcus Bull's shrewd exploration of narratological readings of crusade texts suggests new forms of engagement with such contemporary textual sources. Scholars interested in Outremer's dynastic politics and the exercise of female royal authority will find Hamilton's illuminating unpacking of the furiously complex political world surrounding Queen Alice of Cyprus to be highly stimulating. The penultimate piece is rather different in purpose in that it discusses the huge contribution made by Joshua Prawer to the study of the crusades, both internationally and within Israeli academia.

In short, The crusader world represents a forum within which scholars from a range of disciplines linked to the study of the crusades either assess or summarise the achievements of their various fields and subfields, or open up new avenues for future research (or both). The standard of the essays is generally very high and the sheer quantity of good research contained within its pages is remarkable; sadly its sheer size renders it impossible to recognise, in this short review, all the thought-provoking arguments advanced by contributors. There are some minor stylistic quibbles connected to some of the articles that could be raised. For example, the referencing style differs between articles, which feels a little odd, but this hardly detracts from the quality of the published work. Overall, this book is likely to be a ‘must have’ text for anyone interested in the study of the Crusades and the Latin East.