'The scope of Neff's project is majestic, and his scholarly rigor in marshalling evidence on the subject of war from antiquity to today's war on terrorism is impressive. The book is written in an engaging manner likely to appeal to both law of war experts and generalists alike. Neff does not oversimplify, however, and handles even complex legal questions in a sophisticated and nuanced manner. He accordingly makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of the phenomenon of war.' Allen S. Weiner, The American Journal of International Law