Inverse Kinematics Essentials

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

Finally, a book that treats kinematics with the care it deserves.

This is the third book I have read on kinematics this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

Better than I expected. Rare to find a technical book this well judged.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The chapters on kinematics are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.