Yes, reading the Thompson Chain-Reference can be a challenge, partly because it's so packed full of information. Even the large print edition doesn't have really large print . . .

One negative is that there are a few notations in the margins with alternate readings from the revised version. They're clearly marked, and they're never inserted in the text. They don't bother me--I treat them like "dictionary" type definitions, using them only if they're helpful (they rarely are).

The Open Bible is also a decent reference book. It has minimal cross-references, but lots of supplemental material.

Alex