Jennifer Schuessler of The New York Times praised the "stylishly lurid graphics and goofy asides". James Hannaham of The Village Voice stated that the book might start controversy. He picked the example of slavery, saying that White claimed it was nearly eradicated, which he argues is not true if human trafficking is accounted for. He complimented the style of writing, stating that "even reading this world bummer with a grain of salt, you can't resist White's witty prose or put the damned thing down". Bill Blakemore of ABC News praised the elegant use of humor in the book, adding that it is a "fascinating, new, big and easy-to-read reference book". He called the style of writing "crystal clear" and said that "White’s list of the 100 Deadliest Atrocities is full of surprises". Randy Dotinga of The Christian Science Monitor said of the book that "despite being a kind of encyclopedia of evil, it actually manages to be a fascinating read thanks to White's keen grasp of history and his wry take on the villains of the past".
