Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book by Horton (as always!)
Review: This is definitely one of the best books on Java out there. After reading Horton's Beginning C++ book, I was expecting a lot out of his Java book, and I must say I wasn't disappointed. The most astonishing thing is that there is hardly any reference to any other programming like C or C++, which was a bit difficult for me to swallow, coming from a C++ background. But all the same, this is a really good book for beginners as well as somewhat experienced programmers. A note of caution: The book is very verbose (but comprehensive!), and it's hard to read it from cover to cover. Also recommended: Thinking in Java by Bruce Eckel (another 5 stars book!)
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, though a bit verbose!
Review: The book will take you from a beginner level to at least an advanced level. The fundamentals are very well explained. More importantly, the examples are not just thrown in there but to act as a support for the discussion.The book is very verbose and is almost impossible to read from cover to cover. Moreover, the chapter on Handling Events is too entangled to tell the differences between the various approaches. The examples are fairly large, and since they are not independent (one Sketcher application being stretched over chapters), you cannot skip chapters. Code snippets would have been more helpful - with a full chapter dedicated to putting pieces together (like in Core Java Book). I got tired of typing such large examples. Glancing over them reduced my interest in the latter chapters. I hope the Wrox press would pick up these reviews. Another annoying thing about this fine book is its faint font print that is very hard to read at times!! Another great work from Horton.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!!! This is a great book for all skill levels
Review: Anyone of wants a solid foundation in Java without spending thousands of dollars on classes needs to pick up this book. Horton's team does an excellent job of thoroughly covering the fundamentals of Java. I think non-programmers will have some trouble with it in the beginning. But if you re-read the chapters and do all of the examples, you will find yourself understanding Java. This is a book that teaches you all aspects of basic Java. Not one that just shows you examples like others I have seen. Hats off to Ivor Horton
Rating:
Summary: Well Done !
Review: A joy to read! (A few errors, but within tolerable limits.) A more "linear" read than Horstmann's Core Java (which is also very good.) (I also really liked Horton's "Beginning Visual C++ 6.0".) My biggest complaint is the title.;) I have a hard time having a "Beginning" book on my desk. -- I can live with this. ;)
Rating:
Summary: Magnificently furnished and presented.
Review: This has to be one of the finest works pertaining to Java that I have encountered in the past few years. I was absolutely delighted at the concise and complete details with respect to the specifics of the language. One unusual style I noticed was that there was not even a mention of "C++", "C" or any other programming language comparison made whatsoever. This book provides the foundation for becoming a proficient Java developer. Excellent book for professionals and students.
Rating:
Summary: Great for beginners
Review: Aside from the author's inflated ego (I can do without Ivor's face staring at me from the cover), this is a well-written and organized book on Java 2.
Rating:
Summary: A very good introduction for Beginners on Java
Review: This is the ideal book for any novice on JAVA 1.2. I really wanted to augment my knowledge on JAVA. This book gave me everything that I needed to know about JAVA. The depth of coverage, structure and the arrangement of topics is very ideal for a beginner. Inshort a gem of a book.
Rating:
Summary: Two thumbs up!
Review: You get your money's worth, and then some, with this book. There is an awful lot to learn about Java before you can do much of anything useful with it--but once you've learned it, it's tremendously powerful. Ivor Horton has done an amazing job of packing all of the fundamental concepts of this amazing language into only 1000 pages. As has been noted before, the average newbie to programming will find it challenging (but not impossible) to keep up. This is not because there is anything wrong with the book, but just because learning Java is not a trivial undertaking. To overcome any possible difficulties, I would recommend that newer users spend extra time experimenting with the exercises at the end of each chapter. In any case, unless you are some sort of bithead genius or a seasoned pro in C++, you should give yourself at least 10-12 weekends to let it all sink in thoroughly. Buy this book, read each and every page (several times, if necessary), and do all the exercises. Then you'll be ready to start doing serious work in Java. --Erik
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Coverage!
Review: Horton's book cover Java extensively and just like the title, it allows readers to begin Java at a steady pace. Have very good content and clarity however, does not really cover every single detail in Java. Nevertheless, a must for a beginner and is worth getting one at home.
Rating:
Summary: Very well-written book with great detail
Review: This is really one of Horton's best writing efforts to date, and I would recommend this book to anyone who's trying to learn Java. Although the book may be a bit steep for true "beginner" coders (I'd consider it a mid-level book), it provides a very well-structured and evenly paced overview of the language. I think it will serve a variety of experience levels quite well.
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