There are already a million and one writer's guides out there, and so it might be a little difficult to imagine that there's really much need for still one more. However, 'This First Five Pages' is worth stretching your imagination. Rather than a book that tells you how to write- there are of course plenty of volumes that do that- 'Five Pages' does the reader the courtesy of presuming they already know how to write and now want to polish their manuscript so they have the very best possible chance of success in gaining the interest of a book agent or editor. Lukeman excels here- he is himself a literary agent, and as such is able to tell his audience exactly what agents are looking for-- what will keep them interested, what will cause them to immediately move a book to the 'reject' pile, etc. He gives lots of good advice, advice a new writer might not even think about. For example, buying a Writer's Market guide may be a great place to start, but it is just that- a place to start. Make sure and research the people who will be reading your manuscript. Otherwise it'll be a waste of your time and theirs.

The only complaint that I'd have is that a few years have passed since this book was published, and to be fair, it has suffered a little for the dawn of the internet age. Some of the information does seem a little outdated or irrelevant. However, since for the most part he focuses on the sort of things technology doesn't change- good writing, and how to present it, I can still heartily recommend this book as a 'must-have' for any author hoping to get their first manuscript from the 'in-box' to the 'accepted' sheet.