This was the textbook to a college class on Zarathustra, and I have to say not only am I glad I took the class, I'm incredibly happy I have this book. First I'll tackle the negatives. The teacher used this instead of Kaufmann's translation because he noticed it packed in a few lines that Kaufmann's lacked: however it also discarded some. So essentially the translation is incomplete. Additionally, (my professor is fluent in German) there are many words that he himself thought would have been a better translation. Also, on one of the sections on women, the editor puts a notation where he says that Nietzsche says "Women are not yet ready [to be friends]." The text has to be read carefully: It most certainly does not say that.
All that said, if possible I would recommend reading this book with guidance; It is highly allusory (95% of allusions are to biblical scenes) and you have to both have a good knowledge of ancient Greece as well as a very good grasp of the New Testament to be able to more fully understand some of what he's saying. Be prepared for careful study--you cannot just pick it up and read it like a novel. Each section and subsection are poetically and carefully arranged, and all sections link to previous and upcoming sections. Nietzsche's straightforward argument only becomes apparent when the book is finished.
It did indeed personally affect me. It made me realize that I valued creativity and had lost touch with that in my pursuit of a degree in biotechnology. It made me switch to accounting so I can simply make a good living while having all the time in the world to write and engage in my artistic endeavors.
As far as what people say about his views on God, if you read this book carefully, you will realize that he critiques what people say about God, and attacks the image of God as western civilization has made it, not necessarily God itself. He is neither an atheist nor theist and could barely be considered agnostic, because agnosticism implies that there is some kind of absolute knowledge, an idea which he very early decries as nonexistant. Man's role in the world is to deal with infinite uncertainty, and the prescription is to be lighthearted in your dealings and to always work towards a goal, while respecting science albeit not to the point of declaring any of science as an absolute.
I could write much more about what this book has done for me but I'll rob you of your own interpretations. Good day!
