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steven_lamb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall, I quite enjoyed the read and Pohl's writing style. The main character is written to be unlikable and over the course of the book, he goes from unlikable to truly despicable.
This may turn some readers off, but I remain thoroughly entertained and invested in the world. I felt that the world-building was excellent, and the world really felt lived in.
This may turn some readers off, but I remain thoroughly entertained and invested in the world. I felt that the world-building was excellent, and the world really felt lived in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual content
eayelizabeth's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What more do you want out of sci-fi than a great premise, space travel, a psychological deep dive into human beings, and also a therapist robot, with a little cosmic horror thrown in? Pohl makes our protagonist remarkably compelling for someone who is objectively a rather bad person, and I certainly didn’t see that ending coming!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death and Ableism
fairybotmother's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Domestic abuse
qnoodles's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a fast and interesting first-person read, but many times it showed its age, especially with the psychobabble and smoking in spaceships. The world building was enough to put me there and want to see more. Thus the sequels, I suppose. I'd read another. But I do hope the next one doesn't have the random pages of news clippings and classified ads interrupting the flow. Bottom line: unlikeable narrator but solid writing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Misogyny, Gore, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, Racism, Gore, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
lbrex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was very interested in this book after first hearing about it, and I will admit upon finishing it that it has a great premise and that the "computer psychoanalysis" bit of it grew on me, even though those chapters of _Gateway_ felt clunky at first. The ideas of the Heechees, Gateway station, and the risk and anxiety associated with the different expeditions are all interesting, but the larger story, the main character, and the pacing of the novel all seemed off to me. The revelations in the last few pages didn't seem as earth shattering as I had hoped, and I also couldn't find much that was redeeming about Robinette Broadhead. I'm glad I read this, but I wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend it. I do wonder, though, if the subsequent books in the series are worth reading...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
christyjoreads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Loved the story...hated the main character. The problem with classic scifi is often these man-child characters. He was sleeping with every other woman in the book and physically abusive to "the woman he loved". There are weird conversations about an oedipal attraction and he responds "doesn't everybody?". (Ew. Noooo.) And he states he is okay with homosexuality but mad when anyone brings up his attraction to Dane.
The book was written in 1977 so I tried to just realize this was a different time. His awful behavior did help cement a certain tone that just worked for this story. He was overwrought with emotion due to circumstances in the book and his immaturity and lack of awareness made everything very real. I can see why this won the Hugo
The book was written in 1977 so I tried to just realize this was a different time. His awful behavior did help cement a certain tone that just worked for this story. He was overwrought with emotion due to circumstances in the book and his immaturity and lack of awareness made everything very real. I can see why this won the Hugo
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
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