Rating: 
Summary: Broad coverage, but lacks depth
Review: This book is a handy reference to a variety of ORACLE 8i topics. But, it doesn't go into any chapter in depth. For instance, if you look into PL/SQL, there is hardly 15 to 20 pages of reference material. Most of the times, I end up searching the web to get the answers (technet, metalink etc).The syntax reference that you can view online at TECHNET.ORACLE.COM, fills up almost 25% of the book. Overall, it is a bulky but shallow reference book.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent and complete Oracle reference book
Review: This is a great book to help you get up to speed and stay on top of Oracle-centric concepts. It helps to have some experience using an RDBMS before climbing the Oracle mountain, but the early chapters will help even the novice database designer get up to speed. I bought two Oracle books, this and one from another publisher, and this is always the first book I'll grab. The reference manual in the back is superb, complete and well-organized. There are several handbooks in the middle that detail the basics of database administration and optimization. There is a wealth of examples throughout and the book is well-written in a relaxed, non-academic tone. My only wish would be for the index to be a little more complete. I've literally spent hours thumbing through the book for obscure topics that should have been listed.
Rating: 
Summary: Essential Reference
Review: This is an absolutely essential reference for Oracle. Though you probably want to buy the new edition, Oracle 9i: The Complete Reference. I don't recommend these for reading straight through, just as terrific references. Both editions include the book on CD that I keep installed on my laptop and other development machines. It is very, very handy.
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