# "GATEWAY" by F. Pohl - Why is this POS on a list of "Top 100 Science Fiction Stories"? -Spoilers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098 "2011-04-04T00:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/1 "2011-04-04T00:24:14Z")
[Gateway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_(novel)) is the first book in Frederik Pohl’s the Heechee Saga and I was really looking forward to it This was on a list of the [top 100 science fiction](http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/lists_books_rank1.html) stories at # 33 on the list, and it was one I had not read before so I decided to give it a shot. Wow… I can’t really recal reading a more tedious, frustrating, non-sensical piece of science fiction in some time. I kept on because I figured it had to get better, but it didn’t. The story telling was ponderous, and the whole AI Freud-bot scenes were just unbearable. I [went to Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Gateway-Heechee-Saga-Frederik-Pohl/dp/0345475836) to see the reviews and people just love it to pieces so it’s obviously my issue, but man…woof… no more Heechee for mechee. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/2 "2011-04-04T00:59:33Z")
Sorry you don’t care for it - to each his own, I suppose. It’s been a decade or so since I read “Gateway”, and I guess it’s possible I wouldn’t like it as much on a reread. Back in the day, though, I found the premise of ships-to-who-knows-where-possibly-death to be fascinating. This novel seemed to do a better job of showing people using alien tech they really didn’t understand than most. And I liked Freud - thought he was amusing. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/3 "2011-04-04T01:30:50Z")
Fie, Sir. I must agree with my colleague MrExcellent. It has been a while since I read them, but I recall it to be outstanding. The later novels as I find to be usual with series, were progressively worse. I thought the premise was great, and the angst the protagonist felt to be quite compelling. Ziggy was cool, too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/4 "2011-04-04T13:10:38Z")
I enjoyed it a lot when I first read it, shortly after publication. De gustibus non est disputandum. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/5 "2011-04-04T13:39:32Z")
The first one was good. The rest of the saga is tedium. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/6 "2011-04-04T15:22:47Z")
I adored it, but heard the sequels sucked so didn’t read them. I mean, the framing device was a bit dull, but the actual story? I loved the “realism” of how humans would actually try to use forgotten relics of an alien culture. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/7 "2011-04-04T16:43:45Z")
Add me to the list of those who loved it. Read it again about two years ago and still liked it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/8 "2011-04-04T16:46:34Z")
I liked it (and the sequels) a lot. I haven’t read them for at least 15 years however, so they may not have stood my test of time. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/9 "2011-04-04T16:47:46Z")
Another Gateway lover checking in. One of my all-time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/10 "2011-04-04T17:09:28Z")
I loved it too. I read it when it first came out, and I’ve re-read it and the sequels every so often. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/11 "2011-04-04T17:31:44Z")
Yup, love it. Fascinating story IMO. Very well worth the read. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/12 "2011-04-04T19:45:34Z")
In my opinion Pohl’s best works as a science fiction author were those he produced in collaboration with Kornbluth: _The Space Merchants_, _Gladiator-at-Law_, _Wolfbane_, etc. His later stuff I can take or leave (and I usually leave it). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/13 "2011-04-04T20:31:03Z")
Another vote for the book deserving its place on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/14 "2011-04-04T21:32:11Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > In my opinion Pohl’s best works as a science fiction author were those he produced in collaboration with Kornbluth: _The Space Merchants_, _Gladiator-at-Law_, _Wolfbane_, etc. His later stuff I can take or leave (and I usually leave it). And Pohl’s solo-written sequel to _The Space Merchants_ was pretty weak. Kornbluth’s best work was done without Pohl. Funny how that works, eh? But yeah, another vote for Gateway belonging on the list. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/15 "2011-04-04T22:07:00Z")
> [@astro](#): > > [Gateway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_(novel)) is the first book in Frederik Pohl’s the Heechee Saga and I was really looking forward to it This was on a list of the [top 100 science fiction](http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/lists_books_rank1.html) stories at # 33 on the list, and it was one I had not read before so I decided to give it a shot. > > Wow.. I can’t really recal reading a more tedious, frustrating, non-sensical piece of science fiction in some time. I kept on because I figured it had to get better, but it didn’t. The story telling was ponderous, and the whole AI Freud-bot scenes were just unbearable. > > I [went to Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Gateway-Heechee-Saga-Frederik-Pohl/dp/0345475836) to see the reviews and people just love it to pieces so it’s obviously my issue, but man…woof… no more Heechee for mechee. That list is obviously flawed as it has _Ender’s Game_ @ #1 and an Arthur C. Clarke _novelization_ @ #8. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/16 "2011-04-05T06:26:44Z")
I very much enjoyed this book as a teenager and re-read it recently and it was still good. I agree that some of the psychoanalysis stuff is a bit tiresome and dated but I thought the overall concept was fantastic and the story compelling ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/17 "2011-04-05T08:28:40Z")
It’s on the list because it deserves to be on the list. It’s a great book. So there! ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/18 "2011-04-05T14:53:36Z")
It’s one of my favorite books ever. The high-risk, high-reward random space prospecting is really exciting IMHO. The book stands alone well, but IMHO the sequels are worth reading. You could also only read the first two books. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/19 "2011-04-05T15:15:49Z")
It’s also on the list because a number of people voted for it. “Good” has nothing to do with it. Proof? “Battlefield Earth” is on the list as well, which only means that Scientologists can take computer polls. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098/20 "2011-04-05T16:14:16Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It’s also on the list because a number of people voted for it. “Good” has nothing to do with it. Proof? “Battlefield Earth” is on the list as well, which only means that Scientologists can take computer polls. If you want to avoid a book like the plague, there is no better choice than _Battlefield Earth_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gateway-by-f-pohl-why-is-this-pos-on-a-list-of-top-100-science-fiction-stories-spoilers/577098.md?page=2)