akcam states in the book that the committee of union and progress (cup) orchestrated the genocide out of fear of losing additional territory during world war i. gary j. bass wrote in "the new york times" that the book is a "dense, measured and footnote-heavy book poses a stern challenge to modern turkish polemicists". kirkus reviews stated that the author "is unsparing in his evidence, including proof that turkish officials who refused to obey murderous orders were themselves murdered."