12 Games of Christmas

Good value. Not perfect, but I would buy another book from this author.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. The chapters on game development are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

Three stars feels about right. Useful, but not essential.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. Borrow it first if you can, or at least check the table of contents carefully before buying.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.