Nature , 10/16/08 “[A] gripping and varied account&Fascinating final chapter.” Publishers Weekly , 1/26/09 “Marchant goes behind the scenes&[and] gives clear explanations of the questions and topics involved, including Greek astronomy and clockwork mechanisms&This globe-trotting, era-spanning mystery should absorb armchair scientists of all kinds.” Booklist , 2/15/09 “Science readers will be entranced by Marchant’s vibrant depiction of the characters in this remarkable story of ancient technology.” Huffington Post , 2/14/09 “A fascinating new book&Clear prose&An intriguing journey into science, archaeology, and history&An intelligent account of what is apparently the world''s first analog computer. The book and the story are well worth your time.” Los Angeles Times Book Review , 3/8/09 “[The] author deftly handles technical material&[A] marvelous first book&[A] busy, elegant narrative&Marchant''s account is the most up-to-date and the first to document the full story&In her hands, a book that could have been a historical autopsy for tech nerds blossoms into an epic of forgotten geniuses, lost treasure, death-defying underwater exploration and egomaniacal scientists&It takes a disciplined brain and a talented writer to explain so many processes with such painless lucidity.” New Scientist , 2/25/09 “A fascinating tale&Conveys the wonder of [the] find.” Physics World (UK), March 2009 “The strengths of Marchant’s book are those she brings as a professional science writer.

It is a lively and engaging account, almost addictive reading&An accessible and enjoyable book.” Washington Post Book World , 3/22/09 “The secrets of an ancient computer are unlocked in Jo Marchant’s Decoding the Heavens &Marchant tackles the struggle to understand the machine with gusto.” ForeWord , March/April 2009 “A revealing all-angles account&An enthralling tale of research and reconstruction&Archaeology, conceptual thinking, mathematics, and the successful reconstruction of the mechanism all are engrossingly presented.” American Authors Association “Reads like a great novel! Author Jo Marchant has created a book that makes the ‘Indiana Jones’ adventure movies seem boring!” HistoryWire, 3/31/09 “Clear, engaging and consistently accessible.” Blogcritics.org, 4/8/09 “A mystery story perhaps unlike any other&A top-notch portrayal.” Augusta Metro Spirit , 4/15/09 “Those in search of adventure, intrigue, science, and the magic of history could not hope to do better than Jo Marchant’s account of ancient technology&Marchant offers a talented pen and a nose for intrigue.” Archaeology magazine, June 2009 “Follows the efforts of specialists to unravel the inner workings of the famous device.

” American Scientist , June 2009 “[Marchant’s] account is engagingly human&Captures both the endless elusiveness of the past and our ever-evolving attempts to understand it.” Chicago Boyz, 4/28/09 “The first comprehensive book on the device in the last 35 years&A straight-forward and well-written account&The author adds atmosphere to the people and places without pitching over into melodrama&For those with an interest in astronomy, the history of science, or Greek archaeology&this would make an excellent gift, or a fascinating read&.Inspiring, thought-provoking, and well-done.” History Magazine , June/July 2009 “Takes readers on the device’s fascinating journey from the bottom of the sea to cutting edge X-ray technology.” Choice , July 2009 “Marchant does an excellent job&Highly recommended.”.