Rating: 
Summary: Avoid -do NOT use book as reference do NOT use in a class!
Review: A huge re-write is needed, the author overpowers the basics of modeling and industry used methodology with his semantic object ramblings. The author contradicts himself in several chapters, which are bloated with useless words and ridden with mistakes. I was forced to use this as a class textbook, however I would not consider the book worthy of keeping for reference. Urge your professors to use another text - the author is simply fixated on semantic objects - to the detriment of the victims who have purchased this book. If your professor insists you use this text, change classes. If you are considering this book for reference material - it's a waste, unless you are a fan of the little used, (if at all) semantic object modeling. Summary - too little focus on basic entity relationships, diagramming, and normalization - very heavy on author's fixation of semantic objects. It's disgusting that Kroenke recently released another book on the basics of databases - and did NOT damage the customers with the semantic object fixation that makes this book an absolute mess.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for the faint of heart
Review: I can see where this book would get a bad review; this is NOT a step by step book, but a real technical manual that explains DB model specifications (why they exist, how they work) with real database application development jargon. Not an easy read. However his writing (English technical merit-very concise-to the point- language) and technical (database) expertise deserve David a 5 star rating. Beware that this is not a weekend do it yourself build a database book, this would do as a text book for a university (in fact that is why I got it (berkeley university).
Rating:
Summary: Miserable Book
Review: I have to agree with the negative reviews so far. This book is a nightmare! I'm currently using this book for class.
The author contradicts himself not only from chapter to chapter but within individual paragraphs.
He spends entirely too much time on simple ideas and breezes through complex ones.
I find myself reading through paragraphs thinking, "Oh, he's still talking about that? Why is he still taking about that?"
Then the next paragraph, "What the hell is he talking about!?"
His sentences are wordy and complicated. He has forgotten the basic structure of the English sentence. That being: Stick to one subject per each, please. Throughout these verbose outbursts, he combines terms that are so similar they cause confusion. As an example:
"The physical description of a semantic object domain is just a reference to the semantic object description." This gem of a sentence is halfway through Chapter Four. However, since this book is so poorly thought out and written, I still don't know what any of those terms mean or refer to.
If I knew what he was talking about, I would rewrite that sentence. However, I don't. So I've given up reading and am now writing a scathing review. What does that tell you?
Thankfully, there are many figures scattered throughout the book to attempt to clarify what the author can't seem to. Unfortunately, none of the figures being refered to are ever on the same page. The student must read the sentence, flip the page, try to remember what the author was rambling about, flip back, ... you get the point. All in all, this is the most miserable textbook I have ever read. And perhaps one of the most overpriced. At "this cost", not only do expect this book to basically read itself, I would expect it to teach me through osmosis while I sleep.
Rating:
Summary: Good book for beginners.
Review: I was a beginner on the subject Database Principles and the
course I had taken recommended this book to be followed. At first I was skeptical about the book but after the quarter heat caught-up, this book proved to be of immense support for the database course. I recommend this book without any reservations. This is one of the best books I have read on this topic.
Rating:
Summary: Miserable Book
Review: In response to some negative reviews, I think some are missing the point of why this book was written. This book's goal is not to teach you how to totally design and program a database from scratch. Its purpose is to familiarize readers with the various methods of designing and interacting with databases. The coverage of SQL is well done. Yes, there is more to it than what the book covers, but most of those details vary from DBMS to DBMS. Also, the ER diagram is covered well, although I would have appreciated a few more problems and examples that give the student practice in constructing a diagram from scratch. The much-maligned SOM was for me a good alternative perspective. Maybe it isn't used as much in industry, so what? It still helps the introductory student grasp the underlying concepts and think outside of the box. The later chapters are not extensive in their coverage of xml, asp, and the like but they don't have to be. Remember, this is NOT a book about any specific language. Professors have the freedom to delve into areas that they think are more important in more detail. It is a fine companion to professor lectures.
Rating: 
Summary: Serves its purpose
Review: In response to some negative reviews, I think some are missing the point of why this book was written. This book's goal is not to teach you how to totally design and program a database from scratch. Its purpose is to familiarize readers with the various methods of designing and interacting with databases. The coverage of SQL is well done. Yes, there is more to it than what the book covers, but most of those details vary from DBMS to DBMS. Also, the ER diagram is covered well, although I would have appreciated a few more problems and examples that give the student practice in constructing a diagram from scratch. The much-maligned SOM was for me a good alternative perspective. Maybe it isn't used as much in industry, so what? It still helps the introductory student grasp the underlying concepts and think outside of the box. The later chapters are not extensive in their coverage of xml, asp, and the like but they don't have to be. Remember, this is NOT a book about any specific language. Professors have the freedom to delve into areas that they think are more important in more detail. It is a fine companion to professor lectures.
Rating:
Summary: NOT a good book for beginners
Review: One person calls it a finger, another person, a digit, and still another person insists it is a phalange. What is the problem? They are all the same thing. This sums up chapter 3 through 5 perfectly. The author uses different terms for the same word. We are using this book for our Intro to Database class, and NO ONE is understanding it (there are two sections of this class, and the other section doesn't understand it either). My professor, who builds databases for a living, had to read chapters 3 and 4 about 4 times just to understand what the author was trying to say. I'm not going to say that this is a bad book, I'm just saying that it isn't a good book for beginners. It should be more for graduate-level students. Summary: Hard to understand, and difficult to read.
Rating:
Summary: Does this guy work for Microsoft?
Review: The author of this book seems to think the sun rises and set in Redmond, even contending that Microsoft is solely responsible for the success of ODBC. Yes 90% of the world's desktops have some version of MS Windows, but databases run on servers, not desktops. The complete neglect of non Microsoft products make this book incomplete at best, and present a very skewed view of the database world.
Rating: 
Summary: Author Knows, The rest of us guess
Review: This book in its 8th edition still lacks clearity. I have a copy of the 7th edition also. Whats wrong with this book:
1. Chapters are too wordy, examples fail to fully clearify what the author is trying to convey. 2. End of chapter questions have no solutions to review questions/problems to verify readers understanding of material.
Companion web site is weak also.
Author offers no real RE-Enforcement of topic. 3. Seems to rely on instructors to clear up text material.
Which in my opinion is a very bad mistake. 4. I had to search out other resources for re-enforcement and claification of material. 5. The author writes a whole appendix B section on a software product that covers designing databases(that I will never use). I think if the author would have taken the time to do that for chapters 3 and 4. One read through would have been enough.
Bottom line if you have to read a chapter more than twice to understand what the author is trying to convey. Then its not worth reading and a waste of time. Technology curve is at a 6 month change over, you no longer have 2 years to learn a subject.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Database Tool
Review: This book is an excellent tool for young aspiring DBA's and System Analysts. Kroenke is long reknowned for his extensive database knowledge and techniques - and rightly so. I reccommend this book to anyone wanting an analytical approach to designing a database. The semantic object model is a masterpiece. Obey it. Use it. It works. Don't dis' Kroenke because he utilizes Microsoft in the book. I hate Microsoft as much as anyone involved in the IT field. Kroenke only uses Microsoft tools as a way to explain and provide examples of the text.
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