I think that probably the most important thing to understand about this book is that it is not about what the novice considers a file system. It will not explain how the formats used by Windows NT differ from those used by Windows 95. What this book is largely about is writing kernel-mode drivers. If you have a need for this type of low-level programming expertise this is one of the best sources that I have come across.

I must admit that this kind of low-level work always leaves me nervous. One of the key features of Windows NT is the quality of security that it provides. Work at this level has the potential to breach the security walls. On the other hand many programmers are convinced that they need this kind of access. In other words they are not content to use the high-level interfaces that are readily available. Of course if you need to write driver code for a new peripheral you will need to understand how to get Windows NT to mediate between your hardware and your software.

Like the previous book, this is NT specific but the author aims to develop your understanding of what you are doing and how it works. In this sense it is a far superior book but do not look to it for lots of code examples, its aim is to help you write your own code.