Reader reviews

Almost excellent. A second edition could easily push it to five stars.

This is the third book I have read on game programming this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. Four stars, and I suspect a second edition could easily push it to five.

Very good, with a few caveats. The core material is strong.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.

Finally, a book that treats databases & big data with the care it deserves.

This is the third book I have read on databases & big data this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The chapters on databases & big data are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with databases & big data.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

The clearest explanation of software development I have come across.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. The exercises at the end of each chapter are worth doing — they caught a few misconceptions I did not know I had. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

An enjoyable and informative read, though it could have been shorter.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.