"Few battles in World War II can surpass Crete for high drama, both on land and sea. Beevor, formerly of the 11th Hussars, writes about that battle with a soldier's eye and a historian's insight. Crete was a campaign unique in many respects, not the least of which was its ferocity. Beevor has a flair for re-creating the historical moment, and during sections of the text even the most detached reader will pause to catch a breath. He dissects the leadership of some of the war's most intriguing personalities, both Allied and German, illuminating their achievements and follies. His book is enriched with wonderful anecdotal material, some of which will both amuse and puzzle his American counterparts, whose military traditions are often so dissimilar. Recommended for both professional and general readership."--Library Journal

"Excellent books have been written about the battle for Crete, but none, for me, has been as vivid and clear and exciting as Antony Beevor's. His unerring flair for the climate and the feel of the conflict . . . his insight and his grasp of these events make them seem as though they had happened last week . . . This brilliant book."--The Daily Telegraph (UK)

"Excellent . . . an arresting account of the whole war on Crete, including the ghastly experiences of the Cretans under German occupation."--John Keegan, The Sunday Telegraph (UK)