"Fascinating... Amos describes such experiments beautifully, combining laboratory drama with technical explanations. His lucid and punchy prose conveys a genuine excitement of the frontier." Steven Poole, The Meccano of life, The Guardian, January 6, 2007.
"What do encryption, the double helix and sudoku have in common? They are all bound together...in rather surprising ways, as Martyn Amos masterfully shows in this compendious volume. Amos is a born communicator, that rare breed among scientists who write fluently in an understandable and approachable way about difficult concepts." Tony Valsamidis, From sudoku to DNA in six steps, Times Higher Education, February 2, 2007.
"It is hard not to share Amos's excitement as the computational possibilities of the DNA revolution become clear... Amos makes the science accessible, with well-plotted and nicely structured explanations. It's clear that this field will continue to throw up dramatic advances, even if we don't quite know what, yet...Genesis Machines provides a fine introduction to those wishing to follow its progress." Roly Allen, Beyond grey goo, New Statesman, December 4, 2006.
"Informative and engaging... Genesis Machines is a readable and excellent - though at times challenging - introduction to the swirl of recent activity at the intersection between mathematics and biology." Andy Clark, Artificial Life 15, Spring 2009.
"...An elegant primer on a mind-blowing technology that could change our lives out of all recognition... On the way to describing...this new science, Amos provides lucid histories of mathematics, computing, the invention of the integrated circuit and discovery of DNA, all of which are improbably knockabout and entertaining... As compelling as anything by Isaac Asimov or Philip [K] Dick... For an early and intriguing glimpse of one possible future, Genesis Machines is highly recommended." Andrew Smith, Mail on Sunday, January 7, 2007.
"Sounding like something out of a futuristic science-fiction thriller, this book tackles the topic of what kind of computers the future holds in store for us - based on fact, and not fiction... A fascinating insight into tomorrow's world..." The Good Book Guide, December 2006.
"[Amos] provides a readable and engaging description of his and others' adventures in the overlap between two major realms of current technology, computation and biotechnology... He does an excellent job in conveying the excitement of working at a remarkable new frontier of human ingenuity and invention." Jonathan Hodgkin, Times Literary Supplement, March 28, 2007.
"This is an enjoyable book... I recommend it to anyone interested in computation writ large who is not afraid to cross disciplinary boundaries that once seemed impassable." Chris Adami, Biological programming, Nature, March 15, 2007.
"A fascinating and pacey account of scientific efforts to harness the computational potential of our own biology... " Tim Cribb, South China Morning Post, August 12, 2007.
"Amos has witnessed the early years of this nascent science and writes about them with affection and enthusiasm. To make the case that computers might one day be made out of DNA, he recounts potted histories of computing, mathematics, molecular biology and various pieces of physics, which he does with a sure touch." Matt Ridley, Sunday Times, December 10, 2006.
"Amos, a pioneer in biocomputing, is a lucid guide to this extraordinary new scientific field and he makes it all sound a probability rather than sci-fi wishful thinking." The First Post, November 20, 2006.
