Reader reviews

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

This is the third book I have read on ai & machine learning this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

Outstanding. I kept finding reasons to come back to it.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. 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. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

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 progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

Hard to recommend. The examples assume too much and explain too little.

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. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. Not one I will be returning to. There are better introductions to game design available.

Worth every page. I have already recommended it to two colleagues.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.