Because the essays are not reticent to deal with issues such as colonialism, racism, and revolution, the prose rings with authenticity. The contemporary reader, skeptical of heroes and wary of emotional manipulation, is disarmed. Martyrs now seem more human. The essays span the twentieth century, beginning with Russia's glasnost in the 1990s and slowly reaching back to China's Boxer Rebellion in the 1900s. One of the most striking qualities of Martyrs is the strong political emphasis.
Social justice emerges throughout the book.
Virtually all twenty of the book's subjects die for at least partially political reasons. We are drawn to examine Christ as the foundational martyr. No definite answers are given. Although some of the contributing writers offer their conclusions, the overall effect of the book is to leave the reader to answer the questions. Susan Bergman's collection of essays is no Foxe's Book of Martyrs.