Foundations of Graphics & Compute - Volume 3: Computing (Hardback)

Useful in parts. Fine as a reference, less so as a cover-to-cover read.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. Useful as a reference, less so as a straight read from cover to cover.

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

I have been working with databases & big data 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. 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.

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

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 author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. Four stars, and I suspect a second edition could easily push it to five.