Retro Web-Based Game Programming

Well worth picking up if you already have the basics.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The exercises at the end of each chapter are worth doing — they caught a few misconceptions I did not know I had. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

Decent, but uneven. Some chapters are much stronger than others.

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 author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. Three stars feels about right. It will stay on my shelf, but it will not be the first one I reach for.

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

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.