Gateway by Frederik Pohl
In this science fiction novel, an impoverished miner discovers an alien space station filled with starships. The ships are preprogrammed by a long-dead alien race, known as the Heechee, to travel to different parts of the universe. The miner becomes a prospector, risking his life to travel on these ships in hopes of finding valuable alien artifacts. However, the trips are incredibly dangerous, as no one knows where the ships are programmed to go or what they will find there. The story is told in a series of flashbacks, as the miner undergoes psychotherapy sessions to deal with the trauma of his experiences.
The 1574th greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 84th on 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 (Counterpunch)
- 88th on Top 200 Science Fiction Books (Pre-2000) (Sci-Fi Lists)
- 908th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- Nebula Award (Nebula Awards)
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (Hugo Awards)
- The 100 Best Science Fiction Books of All Time (Tor)