This book has been written as a guidebook for anyone thinking of venturing into the world of software architecture from either management or development backgrounds. As you would expect from any good book, it has recently been updated to address changes in the technologies and processes that it examines; this includes a refocus on enterprise technology frameworks e.g. .Net and Java, and a brief introduction to emerging technologies such as Web Services and other XML technologies.

The running theme throughout the book is that of the Army 'bootcamp'. Each chapter has a name and an introduction that lamely tries to tie the chapter's content to the Army theme. I wasn't that impressed!

As a junior developer, I felt that there were areas of the book addressing my desire to rise in the development ranks - providing me with direction, inspiration and lessons to learn in software architecture that could make me stand out from the 'mass' of developers. Additionally, I found some areas of the book to be targeted at those with many more years of experience - perhaps those that had already started their steps into Software Architecture but who need direction, or perhaps need help in addressing problems that they have experiences along the way.

The book includes an introduction to enterprise technologies such as OO-Programming, delving into .Net, Java and particularly CORBA; then explains where these technologies and tools could usefully be deployed. There is also an introduction to design patterns, to software engineering practices, to people management, documentation and communication management and, perhaps the crux of the book - to software architecture lesson-learning and decision-making.

This book is packed full of diagrams and textual examples. Each exercise at the end of the chapter contains an anecdote from the authors. Towards the back you will find an appendix of UML, software engineering and software architecture titbits for future reference.

I loved this book. I shall keep it with me and aim within 5 years to be in the great places it suggests I can be.