Reader reviews

Well worth picking up if you already have the basics.

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 particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.

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

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

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

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

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. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. 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 had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with game development.

Good book. The writing is direct and the author is honest about limits.

This is the third book I have read on javascript this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. The chapters on javascript are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. Four stars, and I suspect a second edition could easily push it to five.