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Rating: 
Summary: Useful, but could be better
Review: The first 'World Stormrider Guide' (Volume 1) to world surf spots was a little bit better than this one, primarily because both the pictures and quality of the surf breaks listed were consistently better.
In this edition, it seems some surf spots are listed to sell copies based on population, rather than surf quality (eg Texas, Perth-except Rottnest Island), or because of tourism (eg Venezuela -"waves are always small"), or because that is where the compilers thought they would like to have a holiday to research the information. And this leads to the second problem-some of the pictures are not up to the standard of a surf publication-many look like they were taken on a single day-stop on a surf trip, which were obviously not even close to the better days of surf at the spot. (Crumbling 2 foot beach breaks do not exactly make a publication). Everyone knows surf pictures are usually exceptional for a particular spot, but at least they know how good it can get.
The detail is as good or better than the first (ie water temperature, swell size, consistency, wind, costs, local stuff, spots highlighted in bold), but the pictures could definitely have been outsourced a bit more. (Hell, I've got better pictures on some spots on some of these-Lennox Head for example is rated as "one of the best right hand points in Australia" (in the top ten or so, along with the likes of Angourie, Burleigh, Kirra, Snapper, National Park Noosa, Winkipop, Bells, North Point, Mays)-yet the picture shows dribbly 3-4 footers-I've got pics which are better). And also, it isn't much value listing so MANY places which are at best average, or too inconsistent (eg like a number in the Carribean-obviously for the American market, the Seychelles-"very small", Northwest Phillippines and Vietnam-"always small"). A few average spots is ok, (or a really good spot but which is inconsistent), but there is too many spots which basically show you that it isn't worth going there (at least to surf, that is). Who wants to travel around the world to surf expensive 2 foot dribblers? (I can get that on an average day in Sydney). Quality, cheap, and uncrowded is what everyone wants-as well as the all-important consistency-ie often breaking!.(Hell, I know some spots in Australia that get absolutely epic, but only a couples of times a year!). In this respect a little more attention could be paid to details on consistency in general-it gives swell consistency/month, but a bit more detail here could be useful-something like actual number of good surf days/each month etc.
Particularly inviting were places like New Zealand (the place in general just gets better the more you look at it-like the first place shown after the inside cover-Mangamaunu Point-looks good), Peru/Lima area, Baja California (with the `seven sisters' stretch of pointbreaks), the `epic' Kumari Point in the Andamans (we'll have to their word for it, the pics look good, but not excellent), Rapa Nui, mainland Sumatra, Philip Island (I've seen better pics), Byron Bay (I've got better pics), Garden Route South Africa (poor quality pics, but there are some good waves on this coast), and the whole pacific side of Central America. Numerous other places like Madagascar, various Pacific Islands, Oman, Brazil, Venezeula, northwest Philippines, Vietnam, northern Spain, Angola, etc didn't exactly overwhelm with quality shots.
A final issue is that always difficult one, the "secret spot". I am one of those people who think the surf is for everyone, and you may as well show on the map where the spot or picture shown actually is. There are several spots described, some with pictures, but which are not shown on the accompanying maps (eg the Philippine Dream-pic looks good anyway, and "Secret Spot" South Africa). (They also say in Volume 1 that they are keeping some spots secret). There is also the annoying occasional picture which has no reference to where it is at all. Some people might like surfers to drive past `their' world-class spot, but it is pretty frustrating to go half way round the world, spend hard earned money, get home and find out you missed the best spot, and you can't go back. And there is always the paradox that others (eg businesses) might want the spot known. Who benefits from the secret? Not you, me or the local businesses-a small group of local surfers only. Also, the world is a big place, and more world-class spots might thin things out a bit, and moreover eventually they are going to find out anyway.
Hopefully the third edition will have some better pictures/surf spots- there are plenty around.
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