Yes, there are a lot of parts.  It will take several hours to put together.  But, everything is pre-drilled and perfectly lined up.  Instructions are nicely described and labeled so you know exactly what goes where.  One person is really all you need to assemble, as I did it myself.  Very happy with this desk.  If you are looking for a hardwood desk of supreme quality, this is not the desk for you.  If you are needing something for light use that looks nice without inspecting too closely to see that this has a "wallpaper" overlay in most areas, then this is the desk for you.  It serves my needs perfectly for the price and what you get and it is really quite nice looking and very heavy once assembled.