全体的に過不足なくカバーできているので、初めて勉強するのには割と良いと思います。
ただ。サポートベクターマシンのチュートリアルのようなものは、その辺にいくらでもあるので、いくつか集めればこの本とほぼ同等なものになると思います。

応用により興味があるかたには、数学的に少し難しい、けど実用上はあまり関係ない部分が前半で出てきて少し凹むかも、、

Support Vector Machines (or SVMs) are a relatively new topic in math/computer science. Currently most people learn abut them by reading papers which are available on-line or in popular journals. Although Vaipnik is recongnized as THE pioneering scientist on the subject, his papers and books are very difficult to understand and digest.

This book by Christianini and Shawe-Taylor is the best introductory one to-date, however, it is not necessarily meant for everyone. There is a lot of mathematics in the first 5 chapters -- I found them interesting, but several of my colleagues who have not had extensive training in graduate level mathematical analysis and integral equations remarked that it was too difficult. The big plus is that the latter chapters on techniques for implementing SVMs can be understood and put to use by folks who had trouble with the first 5 chapters. The book also mentions useful on-line resources, including a Web page with errata and some sample programs.