I can understand other reviews about this being the same as past issues. However, I think any CG artist should have at least one issue of this series. The information in here is invaluable, teaching the foundations of lighting techniques.
Worth every penny.

It's true, if you own one of the older books, you don't necessarily need this book to learn the lighting theory but let's be fair. I'm sorry, but as the author I must object to the remark that this is just an old book with a new cover. I spent considerable time on the update. The book is updated for LightWave 9 throughought. It's true that much of the material is the same. In order for it to change, light will have to change. That's probably not going to happen in this timespace continuum. It is still an excellent learning tool with information that is not available elsewhere. If anyone has any specific requests for the next version I take requests on www.spinquad.com.

If you're new to LightWave (or 3D in general) Nick Boughen's lighting book is a must-have. Nick skillfully teaches you to see the various qualities of light in the real world and how to reproduce them in 3D. You'll learn how lights work in LightWave, how color and shadow affect your scene, how to create specialized light rigs, and how to light objects to match background plates. Nicks is an industry veteran with a wealth of film and television credits to his name. When you purchase this book, you're not getting a rehash of LightWave manual. You're getting proven tips and techniques from someone who works as a lighting artist day in and day out.

Some have noted that this book is similar to past versions. If you already own a previous copy of Nick's lighting book you should look through this new edition to determine if the update is for you. For everyone else, you need this book. No other reference can provide you with such a thorough and complete understanding of lighting in LightWave.

If you have previous version of this book, save your money and skip this one, they are basically the same book with different front cover page..