This book investigates the psychological and social mechanisms that drive individuals to commit extreme acts of atrocity during civil conflict, specifically focusing on the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone. Kieran Mitton, a scholar specializing in conflict and security, moves beyond traditional rational-choice or purely irrational explanations for violence. He presents a framework that examines how individuals are socialized into brutality, arguing that the 'rotten state' environment creates conditions where violence becomes a functional tool for identity formation and group cohesion.

Experts and academics recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of conflict, particularly for its focus on the internal logic of atrocities. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the prose and the author's ability to synthesize complex psychological theories with historical case studies.