One good book leads to another.

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

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.

Excellent from start to finish. No filler, no padding.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

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. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.