As a new student and program user, I find that 3ds Max 9 Essentials is an outstanding book to start with in 3d modeling and animation. The chapters are well organized as well as the companion CD, making hands on use easy to incorporate with each lession. This book develops a strong foundation for those who plan to move on into either the 3d modeling or animation areas. One important item that needs to be taken into consideration is the need for the Autodesk 3d Max software (2009), which has a 30 day free trial available to download online.

When I opened this book to Chapter one,I then had some doubt if this book was not a good book. But I soon learned that this was very effective book. Each lesson gives you precise explanation as to how to handle software on different level of development. Indeed, learning 3ds Mas is very very difficult. But this book opens up the way for leading you into
most effective tutorial process. Besides, each pictorial illustration on each lesson is geometrically shown for learner's convenience.
I used to rate never more than good books I had purchased before but I can difinitely say that 3ds Max should be rated more than excellent.
Before I conclude my opinion, let me add this. I once attended free-trial
3ds Max lesson provided by courtesy of Autodesk Company in Japan.
This trial lesson was very good but I feel this book can give you more detailed explanation and perhaps answer your long-held question in a very precise manner. By the time you have finished reading combined with your computer handling of the software, you will have become a expert on 3dx Max.
Hidemasa Yamaguchi

If you're new to 3ds Max and are looking for a book written primarily for beginners, Essentials serves as a pretty good selection. It offers easy to understand step by step tutorials that take you through the majority of the production process. Also includes a few projects for Intermediate users. Not a bad addition when building your 3ds Max home library.

This book is a reflection of the program it 'teaches,' namely out-of-date and growing quickly obsolete especially since Autodesk makes Maya and offers it for both Mac and Windows (3DS Max is only PC, an ungainly setup at best). 3DS Max's interface is convoluted, clunky, and the book is way too thin on explanation of even basic 3D Modeling concepts. Here's a quick hint: if you flip to the index section of a beginner's book on 3d modeling and don't even see things like "NURBS," "Sweep NURBS," and it mentions in the chapters concepts like Loft creation that then are used to create geometric basics like a screwdriver (as opposed to a more irregular, organic shape...like what nearly 99% of Loft NURBS are used for in reality), then put the book down and go find another program. Cinema 4D, Maya, Rhino, even Bryce 3D or Poser or SketchUp are better novice introductions to 3D modeling than this program or this book. Steer far and clear of this system. Find something that is just as or more affordable and can work on any system and has an interface that doesn't take ten minutes of hunting (even WITH this 'helpful text') just to do a simple boolean operation.

In my opinion, I think this book is fantastic. You might be able to find the tips, tricks and shortcuts in the help documentation, but only if you know what to look for in the first place. The book is not simply a printout of the help files. It is full of useful information, helpful advice and tutorials that actually help you to learn 3ds Max. Max is a complicated program when you transition from simple modeling to particles, scripts, rigging, animation, etc. This book dives right in and helps you out every step of the way. It teaches good workflow and I consider it to be an invaluable resource.