Fractals The Definitive Guide

A useful guide. The examples assume a particular environment, but that is fixable.

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 found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The exercises at the end of each chapter are worth doing — they caught a few misconceptions I did not know I had. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.

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

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. Three stars feels about right. It will stay on my shelf, but it will not be the first one I reach for.