Great information, excellent layout, clear writing, brilliant examples -- this one is truly worth the price.

"Good Reference", This is a great reference tool to be used in conjunction with other Illustrator References.

"Great Map examples", Ilustrator Wow goes into great detail explaining Illustrator tools that an experienced Illustrator user can easily over look. The examples in the book encourage the reader to use these tools.

Many Illustrator users are quoted and have artwork featured in the book. As a cartographer, I was particularily glad to see how other cartographers do things - how David Nelson strokes lines on a map or how Steve Gordon has created a scenic background for one of his maps.

The accompanying CD has lesson plans, so that the book can be used as part of a class. The book really works for me as I try to improve my ability to draw 3D buildings. I can pick a section out of the book and try to recreate the examples or follow some of the extra lessons on the disk. When you have instructions provided in an Illustrator file (such as the ISO Actions sheet), you can recreate the drawing right next to the original step by step example. The book has many examples perspective drawings used for different purposes.

Like another reviewer mentioned, the book has fantastic illustrations, and I think these illustrations inspire the reader to try new techniques. While I ocassionally use a scanner when starting a project, this book motivated me to do more scanning.

"Wow ! I wish I could do that with Adobe Illustrator", Let me start by saying that this is a beautiful book. I drool every time I flip through its pages. Imagine being able to do artwork of this caliber with a software program.

Unfortunately imagining is still all I can do after reading this book. The steps or processes given to accomplish what is shown just didn't help me get there. Some of the steps were outright ridiculous. It reminded me of a joke that went... "3 easy steps to make 5 million dollars: step one - Get yourself a million dollars" I won't tell the rest of the joke; you get the idea.

The odd thing about the book is that every time you pick it up and peruse it, you wish it would help you emulate the artwork shown. Too bad. Mind you, I wouldn't give the book up for anything. I love looking through it.

I guess the bottom line is buy this book if you want to see what can be done with Adobe Illustrator 8. If your already semi-pro at using Illustrator you most likely will gain more "Tips and Tricks" as the cover touts. For the rest of us it's 'too bad, so sad'.

"Long on "Wow!", short on HOW! .", I can't figure out what all the fuss about concerning this book - I'm afraid I didn't find it particularly helpful. Yes, it does contain a large number of excellent illustrations from artists who obviously know how to get the best out of illustrator, but there is very little information on the techniques used to produce such illustrations for the novice user. As someone trying to get to grips with Illustrator, I would recommend Deke McClellands "Real World Illustrator 8" as a far better (and wiser) way to spend your money. It has an excellent hands-on approach to getting to grips with the complexity of Illustrator. Steuer's book will probably end up on my coffee table until I can get up to her level.