This scholarly study contains expert advice and instruction regarding weapon use and various attack and defense modes. 

Any single fighter (including a bard, but not a paladin or ranger) who reads the manual' and practices the skills described therein for 1 month will go up to the mid-point of the next higher level. 

The book disappears after it is read, and the knowledge therein will be forgotten within 3 months, so it must be acted upon with reasonable expedition. The fighter cannot articulate what he or she has read, nor can it be recorded in any fashion. 

A paladin or ranger will understand the work but it cannot benefit either class. 

Any cleric (including druid), thief (including assassin), or monk who handles/reads the manual' will not understand it. 

If a magic-user (including an illusionist) so much as scans a few of its letters, he or she will be stunned for 1-6 turns and lose 10,000-60,000 experience points as the work is so opposed to the magic-using profession. 

Only one perusal of the work will benefit the same character.

Special Note. All magical books, librams, manuals, tomes, etc. appear to be "normal" works of arcane lore. Each is completely indistinguishable from the other by visual examination of the outer parts or by detection for magic aura. 

Bard characters will have normal chances of finding out the nature of such writings, as will an identify spell from a magic-user. 

Otherwise, only a wish will be useful in typing a magical writing, i.e. alter reality, commune, contact higher planes, limited wish, true seeing, true sight, and other spells or powers are useless. 

A wish will reveal general contents of a book, telling what characteristics or class is most affected (not necessarily benefited) by the work. It requires a second wish to determine exact contents. 

After being perused by a character, most of these magical works will vanish forever, but those which are non-beneficial to the reader will typically be attached to the character, and he or she will be unable to be rid of it. 

If the work benefits another alignment of character, the possessor is geased to conceal and guard the writing. 

As Dungeon Master you should use your judgment and imagination as to exactly how these items will be treated, using the rules herein as parameters.