Reader reviews

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

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with game programming.

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

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. The chapters on graphics & design are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

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

I have been working with software development for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

Solid and well-organised. A couple of chapters dragged a little.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

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

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.

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

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.