Rating: 
Summary: The worst wow book in the series
Review: I have purchased each and every PhotoShop wow book since version 3, and now that Illustrator has transparency, I wanted to see how I could use it to do some of the things I've been doing in PhotoShop. Instead of instructions, however, all I got were pretty pictures which look terrific, but with no nuts and bolts descriptions of how to create them myself.I have learned more from the manual that came in the box than I have from this book, which is unusual. The single star is for inspiration: the book has shown me that there are fantastic and beautiful things that can be done with Illustrator. I only wish this book had explained the nuts and bolts of how they were created a little better
Rating:
Summary: Full Color! Loads of Pictures! Little Content!
Review: I loved the format of the book and full color drawings. Even the paper quality is excellent! You might think since the book looks so good that everything that is in the book is clear and precise and right.......BUT!! The surprise comes with the written material. Out of 40+ Illustrations and text, I can honestly say that for 10 of them I had NO Idea what they were talking about and 15 were created primarily with other software like Photoshop or plug ins (Both of which are barely covered in the book). The examples and "techniques" are NOT anywhere near what you will have to face in the real world if you plan to use Illustrator.
Rating:
Summary: Very little worth reading or reccomending
Review: I was very disappointed in this book, which covers Illustrator 9 in a very broad sense. It seems to be saying "look what people are doing with Illustrator" instead of "look what YOU can do with Illustrator." An excellent marketing tool for Illustrator, but a feeble attempt at actually helping you to understand techniques or other capabilities.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply the most useful Illustrator 9 book
Review: I'm a relatively new user, and I'm compelled to say that the Illustrator 9 WOW! book is by far the easiest to use and most inspiring book about Illustrator. It goes way beyond the usual stuff, and it's really my "go to" reference. I've tried them all, and this is the one to own.
Rating:
Summary: Love it or hate it!
Review: In my case, I'd have to say hate it. It misses the mark in most areas. Sure, the pictures are nice, but it isn't a coffee table book. It is supposed to be a book that is informative. With the exception of the first section, the rest of the book is pure fluff. Look elsewhere if you really need a book to learn good tips on Illustrator.
Rating:
Summary: More Wow! than ever...
Review: The CD-ROM from this book is worth the purchase price by itself! It includes loads of valuable tools, software & the bug fix for IA 9! The book is bigger, better and more beautiful than the previous versions. It truly serves all levels of users with critical information on printing high rez output from Illustrator 9. It also covers all the power-user bells and whistles such as transparency, gradient mesh, layers, etc. It will be the required class book for my students learning Illustrator 9. If you want to know how to do something - this is the book to look it up in.
Rating:
Summary: A unique, award-winning work
Review: The Illustrator WOW! Book, is amazing and wonderful because it *works* on so many different levels: as a basic teaching tool, as a source of inspiration, as a reference... almost as a friend. For example, Illustrator is so complex and powerful that at first it's impossible to wrap your mind around it. "The Zen of Illustrator" chapter shows you how to "think Illustrator" -- when you understand this chapter, you'll understand Illustrator. Sometimes you just want to learn how to create one particular effect -- each chapter (type, layers, brushes, blends, etc.) includes Gallery examples that were created by top designers (you'll probably recognize the examples), with a description of the techniques used to create each one. Maybe you need to do some really intense work using one of the techniques -- each topic includes Advanced Technique tutorials. If you use Illustrator for hours on end, you'll become more efficient by learning key commands -- enjoy learning them in the "Finger Dance" chapter. Experienced users will appreciate that this book covers Illustrator 9's new features more extensively than any other book. The book also covers Web techniques and using Illustrator with other applications, and includes a CD containing many examples from the book, additional lessons, and more. In all, a remarkable achievement.
Rating:
Summary: Love that art, hate the rest
Review: The samples in this book look great! It has the best graphics I've seen in any Illustrator book. Unfortunately that's where the book stops being good. The book seems to be missing the "Meat". I actually regret buying this book, next time I will read the first chapter of a book before buying it. You can't judge a book by it's cover, or the graphics inside! Hope this review helps anyone trying to decide what book to buy. It is severely lacking for a comprehensive Illustrator book. It really seems like this book was written for Illustrator 8, as none of the new features in Illustrator 9 seem to be covered. Any of the examples can be done in Illustrator 8, verbatim. I agree with the guy in another review - this thing is even less useful than the manual that comes with the program, and not much better looking. I would suggest any potential buyers to seriously look at other books before buying this one.
Rating:
Summary: The Illustrator 9 WOW! Book
Review: The title of the Illustrator 9.0 WOW! Book is not an understatement. This beautiful production is unique among software-related titles; the balance of clear step-by-step instructions, color illustrations, and side bar tips will deliver value to both seasoned AI 9 users and novices. Perhaps best of all are the many gallery entries by an international cast of Illustrator experts--a diverse array of graphic designers, artists, and, even cartographers--that are liberally interjected throughout the text. It is enjoyable to see what the pros can accomplish with Illustrator 9.0, which when coupled with the targeted analysis of techniques, makes learning a pleasure and inspires readers to push their abilities further. This is a book that promotes learning through quiet reflection and experimentation rather than the frenetic pace so typical of computer training classes. I'll be keeping my copy of WOW close at hand for frequent reference.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and useful
Review: The trouble with most computer graphics books is...well...the graphics. There's no such trouble with Illustrator 9 WOW. It shows some great examples in a range of styles, and gives you just enough detail to go out and try it for yourself. It's good looking, clear, and written in a light and engaging style. I mean honestly...what more do you want in a how-to book?
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