justiceofkalr's review against another edition
2.0
Only an interesting concept saved this book from getting one star because the main character is a complete and total asshole and pretty much ruins the book. Also the whole Freudian psychology thing did not help my liking for this at all.
_cluck_'s review against another edition
4.5
Very intriguing read, hard to put down and easy to flow through. Explores an interesting concept about the future. And although it’s fictional, the read feels very realistic and it feels like looking into the future.
Explores the themes of the dangers and unknown of space, psychology of human beings, and the nature of human societies. This is integrated well throughout the story and still left space for different character developments.
Hope to read the other books in the series in the future
Explores the themes of the dangers and unknown of space, psychology of human beings, and the nature of human societies. This is integrated well throughout the story and still left space for different character developments.
Hope to read the other books in the series in the future
crasscasualty's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this novel. Gateway is hard sci-fi at its best, using astrophysics as a way to understand the human experience. Too often hard sci-fi reads like a textbook; the science is still more important than the story. Pohl balances these things elegantly. For science fiction, there is an astounding amount of character development and depth. In fact, the novel's ostensible goal is to explicate the complicated protagonist.
Related to that, there is a weird obsession with what is now mostly discredited Freudian psychotherapy, but that's the only thing that really bugged me about this novel (and that may be because I've read too much Nabokov).
Pohl writes stylish and amusing prose. He also uses paratext in the most interesting way I've seen in a while.
Related to that, there is a weird obsession with what is now mostly discredited Freudian psychotherapy, but that's the only thing that really bugged me about this novel (and that may be because I've read too much Nabokov).
Pohl writes stylish and amusing prose. He also uses paratext in the most interesting way I've seen in a while.
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
ein's review against another edition
4.0
Интересные идеи и хитрая структура, но немного устарело и несколько провисает в середине.
awilderm23's review against another edition
3.0
‘Anyway, that’s what life is, just one learning experience after another, and when you’re through with all the learning experiences you graduate and what you get for a diploma is, you die.’
Michelin reference pg 185 😂
Michelin reference pg 185 😂
kymzii's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
With an amazing premise, this book has great sci-fi potential. Unfortunately, the story was completely ruined by a misogynistic protagonist which actually betrays a misogynistic writer - i.e. there was no comment when the protag beat up his girlfriend. The writer has no feelings of guilt and no-one shuns him. She acts like it never happened when they meet again. It was nauseating. The writer knows very little about psychology and yet the dual narrative of the entire novel is about our protag being in therapy.
There was also too much 'oh look everyone swings in the future'. Also that character is, in the words of the writer, 80% straight, but like to fantasise about shagging his male colleagues because his mum shoved a thermometer up his arse when he was a kid and he found it comforting'. Just WTF.
There was also too much 'oh look everyone swings in the future'. Also that character is, in the words of the writer, 80% straight, but like to fantasise about shagging his male colleagues because his mum shoved a thermometer up his arse when he was a kid and he found it comforting'. Just WTF.
reddrabbbit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ajali's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
spikespiegel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0