This book promises to guide the experienced Java platform developer through everything they need to know in order to build effective Real-Time programs. In fact, I found it all quite complex and a rather boring read and did not actually feel that I had learnt enough to know how to put together a complete Real-Time program.

This is really a book for die-hard Real-Time zealots only and not for the Real-Time newcomer or casual reader thinking that they might find some Java performance optimization techniques within. It contains around a hundred pages on the general theory and problems of Real-Time systems followed by a couple of hundred pages on the solutions and techniques introduced by the Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ, JSR-1). These new techniques include new Non-Heap Memory, Thread Scheduling and Asynchronous Events. Finally, there are just a few pages on recommended practices.

The author does give the impression of a comprehensive knowledge of the subject and the book is well annotated with diagrams, tips and example code snippets. Unfortunately there did not seem to be may full examples of Real-Time Java in action. Instead the snippets were typically up to a dozen lines long only showing certain of the techniques in action.

As is so often the case, the stated web site containing sample code and updates is nothing but a dead link. I was unable to locate errata or source code downloads for this text.

If you are looking for a guide to using Real-Time Java then, with a bit of perseverance, this book will probably help you along just fine. However you will most certainly also need "The Real-Time Specification for Java" (ISBN: 0201703238) for full details of the Real-Time API.