Although the preface mentions that basic knowledge of astrology would be the prerequisite, but that is clearly not the case. If you are picking this book, read the appendices first, then go to the second half and skip the first half(ok.... read it if you really need to but it is too advanced!) For a new student of astrology, the book is too long drawn in the first half. The authors starts getting to the real predictive part in the second part of the book. That said, I think the book could be written in a simpler manner, so that the readers could understand and implement what they have learnt, with a couple of charts to practice, and check. This would be one of those books which could be really consolidated into like 10% or so of the actual volume. Those talks of different realms and planes(emotional, physical, material, etc.) just came out as it went in. It may also mean that I was probably was not ready for such an intense read, but when I am ready I will be sure to skip it!