Reader reviews

Finally, a book that treats javascript with the care it deserves.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.

A useful guide. The examples assume a particular environment, but that is fixable.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The chapters on game programming are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

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

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with algorithms.

I have read a lot of books on this subject and this is the clearest.

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

Three stars feels about right. Useful, but not essential.

I have been working with research for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. Fine, but there are stronger books on the same subject if you look around.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I have been working with workbooks for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.