Reader reviews

Finally, a book that treats game development with the care it deserves.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with game development.

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

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 chapters on game development are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

A superb guide. The examples are small but complete.

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. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

Finally, a book that treats javascript with the care it deserves.

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 book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.

I got a lot out of this, even if a few sections felt rushed.

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. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. Four stars, and I suspect a second edition could easily push it to five.

Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.