Reader reviews

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

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

Better than I expected. Rare to find a technical book this well judged.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

A genuinely enjoyable read that also taught me a great deal.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.

This is the one to get if you are serious about data visualization.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The early chapters move quickly through material I already knew, but the later sections were genuinely new to me. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. An easy five stars from me. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

This is the one to get if you are serious about game development.

I have been working with game development for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

Finally, a book that treats graphics & multimedia with the care it deserves.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. An easy five stars from me. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.