This book is the best piece of science fiction I have ever read, it takes a truly astonishing imagination to create something like this. The story is based on an alien space station found in earths solar system full of interstellar ships with preset destinations. The adventurers who enter these ships are desperate for a way to change their lives by finding the big score, alien artefacts that will bring them enormous wealth, there is however a catch. There is no way of telling where the ship will go, if it will be a trip that will make their fortune or cost them their life. The glimpses Pohl gives of these flights are often heartbreaking, strange diseases, horrific accidents and perhaps the saddest of all a journey so long that the people on board realise they will not have enough food to last the trip. Part of the draw of the story is finding out about the people who undertake these hazardous journeys, looking at their motivations. The statistics are harsh, there is little chance of finding the riches they all crave and a good chance of never coming back.
Frederick Pohl is a wonderful writer. He introduces his main character many years after his time on Gateway. From the start we know that Robinette is repressing a terrible event which happened during one of his flights from Gateway. Through a series of memories we find out what happened to him on the station and on his flights into the unknown regions of space.
This is a masterpiece of the genre, any science fiction fan should read this. I would recommend this to anyone it's a fantastic story whatever your tastes and like all good science fiction an intelligent exploration of humanity.
