This has to be one of the best examples of that old adage that I have ever seen. And it did prevent me from buying the book for a long time. It was only after having a chance to read the book in real life that I went here and purchased it. As an owner of almost every reputable knife book on amazon, I have to say this book is among some of the better ones as far as instruction goes. It's almost like a less wordy version of Richard Ryan's book. Maybe somewhere in the range of Michael Janich's book. Though those books are better on tactics in application. This book - Brazilian knife fightin' - is superior to those as far as fundamentals and illustrations go.