The book establishes a landmark in the broad field of this type of algorithms that are also known as metaheuristics. This book is the first in unifying the dispersed field of Stochastic Local Search (SLS) algorithms. Written in a clear and easy-to-read style, the book tries to cover all possible audiences, from graduate students or doctoral students to practitioners and researchers. The book more than accomplishes its main goal of covering both the foundations and the many applications of SLS algorithms. It provides an excellent empirical scientific methodology geared towards the successful application of SLS algorithms in practice. Furthermore, it presents advances in the explanation of complex SLS behavior, something which is much needed and refreshingly new in the field.
The book and companion web page are well written, easy to read and suited for students, scholars, researchers and practitioners alike