Overall Rating: ***** (Excellent)
I have personally taught more than 32 weeks of the SAP ABAP/4 Partner Academy courses and read several books on ABAP/4.
This book is definitely "best in its class" covering material from SAP's BC400 and BC430 courses (week 1 of the ABAP/4 Partner Academy) and beyond. Ken is a master at making complex concepts easily understood. The book is full of helpful diagrams, R/3 screen captures, program cutouts (explained line by line by Ken), and helpful tips.
The end of each chapter concludes with a "Summary", a table of "Do's and Don'ts", "Questions and Answers", and a "Workshop" that includes a "Quiz" and, where appropriate, one or more "Exercises". This is truly an excellent training tool, going far beyond the typical "reference" books I have read in the past.
The CD-ROM at the back of the book includes an "uploadable" copy of the source code of programs used in the book, 58 Lotus ScreenCams that demonstrate many key tasks on a live R/3 System (extremely helpful for those who do not have access to an R/3 System), four very useful utilities for ABAP/4 developers (written by the author), and even a trial version of a "German-to-English" translator (seasoned ABAP/4 programmers will understand the value of this tool for interpreting German-only documentation found in many SAP function modules!).
Warning to all ABAP/4 instructors: get your hands on this book quick before your future students do - they may end up knowing more than you do!
Overall - an excellent resource!