It is a good book for beginners in the DSP field. However, I wish the book had been concentrated on applications right from the beginning, instead of spending too much space on well known mathematics that can be found in another classical books. I hope for the next edition to be better, as the book's name implies: real time applications. Nevertheless, the book is quite motivating for the reader and, if mature enough, it can be of extreme value for engineers and scientist that need to solve problems that require real time processing. But, again, this is only found within the last parts of the book.

I must disagree with many of the reviewers here. Certainly the book glosses over many important parts that were worthy of more development. In fact, I am pretty sure that whole chapters of Chung Kuo are sitting in a box in Mr. Wingrove basement because it looks like the editor decided to put an end to this series instead of the author choosing so. Let me tell you that the "suits" makes weird decisions sometimes, whatever the reasons.
Of course, twenty more books could have been written, with more wars and wars. Always more of the same.
I salute the courage of the author to take this direction for the ending of the series. After I have finished the story, I saw the previous books in a new light, thinking back over details that didn't seem important then but were giving hints at Devore and Tuan real signification.
I hope that you will pick up this book (if you find it) and conclude a great sci-fi epic.

Chung Kuo book VIII wraps up the massive series with just the right touch. Too often a series like this ends with a fizzle or a whimper. Wingrove manages to go out with a bang !

Many seem let down by this book, because it is so different from the previous books, but that is the nature of SF, and the mark of a good series. The whole series is about change and growth overcoming artificial controls -- why should the final book cover the same ground as books 1-7 ?

Books 1-6 are about the conflict between 2 groups of humans: those who want to control, and adapt humanity to the strange 'city of levels', a concrete expression of the confucian culture; and those who wish to allow humanity the freedom to grow, change, and live as they like. Within those 2 factions various groups strive to be the ones in control. In story terms we get a lurid, complex historical fiction, set in the future with technology playing a minor role as demon or savior. Basically this story ends with the end of Book 6.

Book 7 is the attempt to translate the same structure from the vertical to the horizontal. The reformers are now in control. But by the end of book 7 it is clear that the reforms have failed.

This sets up book 8, and the amazing job Wingrove does in showing how humanity must change to survive. He weaves it all into the story, but all the terrors under the bed come out and must be dealt with: homosexuality; the idea that one needs to pick or be limited to a specific gender to be human, and worthwhile; sharing of body and mind in a loving manner with others inside or outside of marriage; the need to let go of the the childish crutch of god and the devil to become fully adult beings who take responsibility for who and what they are; the idea that maybe we can be too 'green' and plants may not be our friends; that we are the top of the heap, and have a right to dominion over the earth.

While the series has mostly been dark and violent, the positive ending does work, because it shows the result of the suffering is learning to be an adult species.

Great series! Last book? Nice try to finish a titanic story, and I guess it had to end somehow, but the last 200 pages take some wild gyrations, completely alien to the wonderful Chung Quo universe. These wild plot developments, long with major characters being snuffed out willy nilly, what? dead, just like that? made me think that the author got overwhelmed or over edited. I bet about 300 pages of story were chopped or the author was told to re-write and abbreviate. Where is the rest of the America story? Now don't get me wrong, if you enjoyed the last seven books you must read the finale, but giant spiders? Indeed!! Kan pei!

I agree with the previous reviewer.
It is hard to understand the the equations
if Dr.Bond don't give any explains or derivations.
How could he get lots of formula and paste them together
without any " derivations" ?

it's really a mess when i read this first 4 chapters.
the authors just put all the pieces of concepts together.
i suggest readers to buy another book from purdue's professor.

Good book for reference, but not for textbook. I recommend the author to re-edit the format of this book. It is hard to read it due to it's tight version. Also recommend author can have more examples and clear description for some acrons. Anyway, this is a good reference book to summary some important concepts, but fails to build up the circuit level skills for engineers. Unfortunately, I just can give it a "1 star". Sorry!

Two comments:
1. Content is not up-to-date.
2. Too much complicated maths without explaination.

I know someone may think he/she got lots of SOI things from this book. As a pioneer in SOI field, I think this book is too mathematical to describe the spirits of SOI devices. Authors should have derivated most important equations, so readers know
what's inside. No one cares about "inside Intel", but "Intel inside"!

I like the chapter discussing PD SOI model. It is too concise for
circuit portion, and hopefully the next version will be better!

This book I bought for reference is just good for reference. Some kind of technologies in this book are older reversion nowadays. I recommend the author should revise some topics right away. Anyway, this book is not bad, but I just can give it a grade "*".

Has anyone ever bought this book that wasn't taking his class? Everyone at the University of Pittsburgh knows that Dr. Chang is a joke. It's time for time to retire.

This book presents a old point of view about tectonic of China. Concepts involve into this book are extremely old to be written in 1988 when plate tectonic was a well stables theory. I found this book useless, because you have to traslate old basin concepts into modern basin concepts. Information about stratigraphic throughout this book can be read, but reader has to be careful, some of the information is wrong or too old.