Introduction to Quantum Computing and Algorithms

Some sections were excellent and others felt like filler.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The chapters on quantum computing are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. 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.

Mixed feelings. The good parts are genuinely good; the rest is forgettable.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The chapters on quantum computing are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. Fine, but there are stronger books on the same subject if you look around.

This is the one to get if you are serious about quantum computing.

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 writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with quantum computing.