SF Masterworks Group discussion

Wealth ... or death. Those were the choices Gateway offered. Humans had discovered this artificial spaceport, full of working interstellar ships left behind by the mysterious, vanished Heechee.
Their destinations are preprogrammed. They are easy to operate, but impossible to control. Some came back with discoveries which made their intrepid pilots rich; others returned with their remains barely identifiable. It was the ultimate game of Russian roulette, but in this resource-starved future there was no shortage of desperate volunteers.

Just started to read this. First few chapters have got me very hooked. One of those flashback and diary style stories. Very nice characterization... very believable personalities. Always a good start.

I love 'mankind discovers alien artifacts' sci-fi!

Having enjoyed Jem, I was optimistic about this one, but alas I found it average. The book does what it says on the tin - but nothing more - and I imagine you'd have to work your way through the sequels to get full gratification. And I wish Pohl wouldn't sprinkle his books with sexual material, because it sullies and cheapens them.

I thought this one was great, one of the best SF novels of all time. I couldn't believe how pertinent it felt today, some fifty years after it was written.