"In Praise of Blood" follows the timeline of a Canadian reporter who in 1997 stumbled on a big "story" about the RPF and later pursued it. The book describes events in Rwanda and Zaire (later the DRC) that according to Rever's sources were crimes committed by the RPF during the rise to power of Kagame, now Rwanda's president. The book discusses several periods during which these events took place: the Rwandan civil war including the 1994 Rwandan genocide (1990–1994); the counterinsurgency period in Rwanda (1994–1997); RPF participation in two Congo wars (First and Second); and more recently, deaths of Rwanda dissidents. RPF massacres of Hutu civilians described in the book include Byumba, Kibeho, Karambi, Gabiro, Gikongoro.