Praise for the first and second editions:

"An unsettling book but also a courageous one. No one who truly cares about matters of faith can afford to ignore the dangers that lurk within religious extremism, and Juergensmeyer is ultimately serving the highest aspirations of organized religion when he insists on shedding light on the darker corners of human belief and human conduct."—Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

"This dark, enthralling book not only documents the global rise of religious terrorism but seeks to understand the 'odd attraction of religion and violence.' Juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathetic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late twentieth century's most feared religious terrorists."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Written well and engagingly for a popular audience."—Jonathan Groner, Washington Post Book World