Book Review: Professional Cloud Architect Google Cloud Certification Guide
I love reading, although I do a lot less of it than I would like to, you know, life gets in the way. Nonetheless I still get around to reading a few books every year, most of the time, they are books that are of particular interest to me. However, occasionally, I hop out of my comfort zone, stride across the plains of the new but manageable and wonder into realms unknown.
That is what happened as I grabbed hold of the book: Professional Cloud Architect Google Cloud Certification Guide by Konrad Cłapa and Brian Gerrard. Not because I had any interest in getting a cloud certification (although I am now considering it), but because as a Data Scientist, I always find it interesting to lift the veil of the systems we depend on for our work.
As I tend to do when reviewing technical books, my idea is to guide others by answering some simple questions about the actual usefulness of the book, so let’s get started.
What is the book about?
A few books have a ludicrously detailed explanation in their title, this is one of them, no subtlety at all. This book is a guide to achieving your Professional Cloud Architect Certification for Google Cloud. From all the tiny details regarding each and every Google Cloud service (including pricing), all the way to tips on taking your Certification exam, as well as some mock tests to get you ready for it.
Is the book well written?
For a book focused on preparing you for a certification, it is perfectly written. It is clear, concise and to the point. It spends no time on flowery comments or self-considered funny quips by the authors (like I do every other sentence). It is also filled with explanatory screen shots that efficiently guide you through every nook and cranny of the GCP (Google Cloud Platform). Is the book a literary masterpiece? No, it is not supposed to be, it is a study guide, and under that light, it is a optimal piece of writing.
Does it present the material well?
To sum it up, yes, very well. As I mentioned before it comes filled with images of the actual GCP interface, which ease the readers into learning and navigating all the services and features. The authors make no assumptions as to the readers knowledge and everything is explained in minute detail. The structure of the book is well defined, meaning you can jump to the needed chapter quickly and skip over any material that you either already know or you consider unnecessary for your needs.
Is it easy to read?
The last two questions end up tied up in this one, is the book an easy read? This is very important when it comes to learning material. For me, I believe it is. If you have any previous experience with any technical books, you will find this one a breeze to get into. On the other hand, if technology is not our cup of tea, you might struggle a bit with it, although I still consider it easier to read than the average technical book.
Do you need to be an expert to read this book?
Definitely not. You will get something out of this book weather you know nothing of the subject, you need to brush up your knowledge for the certification exam and even if you are just looking for a quick and easy guide to the Google Cloud Platform for those times when you forget what something was or how it works.
How much will you learn from this book?
As much as you put into it, like with most things in life. If you follow the book together with your GCP account and get a feel for each part of each service, you will learn a lot. If you just want a brief introduction to all the services, you will learn some and if you just buy the book and let it sit somewhere in your house (like I have done with many books throughout the years hoping I will one day get to them), you will get a lot of dust on it. But if you do put your time into it, you will get a great learning experience.
Is it easy to reference?
After you finish a technical book, being able to go back to it and check specific contents is essential. The great part is that this book, which is common from the publisher Packt, it is very well structured and easy to just hop on the index and find what you need with barely any effort, even more so if you are using the digital version.
In short, if you are looking to get your Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect Certification, this book is literally for you. If you want to learn more about GCP, even if the certification is not your goal, this is a great book.
This book is already out and you can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1801812292/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk
NOTE: Packt did send me a free copy of the book in advance to be able to write this review. I do not get anything else, either for this review or book sales. I do get a sense of happiness for having been part of this experience, and to be able to help great authors like Konrad Cłapa and Brian Gerrard and his book to get noticed so they can keep up their amazing work.
