Rating:  - Excellent
The best book about PIC microcontrollers.
It covers 16F and 18F families.
Rating: - All in one
As an amateur roboticist, I wanted a book that would cover the PIC16 and the PIC18 architecture in detail, and this is the book I needed. I was hesitant to learn PIC Assembler since I already knew x86 C, and it was no problem to move to PIC C for me. This book showed me that PIC Assembler is necessary if you really want to know about the architecture (and if you really need precise timing). I realized it was not a big hassle after all. Although the author tells you to skip the chapters on PIC Assembler and move on to C if you wish to do so, I did not, and I am glad I did not. This books is the PIC Bible for me. It is an awesome tutorial, and a marvelous reference for the beginner and the novice PIC enthusiast. The author provides many working examples (on a pong game, and a complete robot - the Derbot AGV). I have not finished it yet, but I use it as a reference all the time as I also continue learning more about the PIC architecture and assembler. Assembler was scary for me before I bought this book, now it is not. If you need a book that covers it all, buy this book, you will not regret it.
Rating: - Finally a practical decent book
It's been a long while now that I have been purchasing every PIC related book that I can find and finally this one was recommended by my local Micro supplier. The fall down with most publications is that you start with the 16F84 (fantastic micro, no doubt) and then just as things get interesting the book ends.
This book avoids that and does a whole lot more. The first few chapters devoted to theory, but then hey we are not all genius level. The book then takes the reader form the 16F84 right the way through to more advanced micros e.g. 16F873. All the while expanding on the knowledge base and building ever better projects. The overall project theme of the book is the little Robot, which is great. You apply what you learn as you go practically.
Another major advantage is that in the latter part of the book the transition is made to C i.e. that High level language the gets you away from assembler. Not really a teach all you need on C, but enough to get you going and get the projects working.
I would really recommend the book to anyone who wants to avoid buying every other book just to find the right one. All the essential detail and information required is contained within these two covers and is great value for money for novice or intermediate / Advanced user.
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