The proliferation of opening theory has created a need for books that help the amateur player get a handle on things. That is, books that select variations for the player and focus on just what is essential. There has been no shortage of such "repertoire books" the past decade, but the quality of offerings has been all over the place.

Emms advocates a repertoire built upon the Closed Sicilian with Be3, the Bishop's Opening, King's Indian Attack (2.d3) versus the French, 2.c4 against the Caro-Kann, the 150 Attack (Be3 and Qd2) when faced with the Pirc or Modern and the Exchange Variation versus the Alekhine. He offers the reader a clear explanation of the main ideas in each variation, while still offering the reader some meat (detailed analysis) to sink his teeth into.

If I have one reservation with Emms' book it's that some of the opening variations suggested don't naturally mesh well with each other. What I mean by this is that you might expect a book that advocates the Closed Sicilian and Closed French to suggest 2.d3 against the Caro-Kann and 3.g3 (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3) in the Vienna. Emms could have done this and mentions so in the introduction, but the fact is that his suggestions, 2.c4 and 2.Bc4 respectfully, are more promising tries for an advantage. The flip side is that with his proposed repertoire 1.e4 players need to learn how to play not only open games from 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4, but also d4 openings like the Old Indian (1.e4 c6 2.c4. e5 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 Nd7), as well as closed maneuvering in King's Indian Attack structures. Either way you go it's a tradeoff. Recommended.

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