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'Sidebar' 1 (excerpt from Gateway). "Gateway is an artificial celestial body created by the so-called Heechee. It appears to have been built around an asteroid or the nucleus of an atypical comet. The time of this event is unknown, but it certainly precedes the birth of human civilization. The environment resembles that of Earth, with the difference that gravity is relatively low; in fact, it doesn't exist, but the centrifugal force derived from the rotation of Gateway produces a similar effect."
Pohl is a fundamental figure in the science fiction field, not only as a writer but also as an editor. His collaboration with Cyril Kornbluth is historic, especially for the masterpiece "The Space Merchants". He will create a literary agency and represent authors as significant as Asimov and Sheckley. Stricken by a profound inner and spiritual crisis in the 1960s, he reacted by creating his most ambitious and complex work: "Gateway" (original title "Gateway" 1977).
Regardless of the experts' opinions and the prestigious literary awards won (Hugo, Nebula, Campbell, Locus), the book breaks the mold with its modern and brilliant writing, and its unusual structure. The author skillfully rejuvenated the genre of classic exploratory science fiction of the vastness of space. The achievement for Pohl was such that it spurred him to write more volumes (Heechee Saga).
The protagonist is the anti-hero Robinette Broadhead, extremely human: within him coexist guilt, fears, resentments, and complexes. Thanks to a lottery win, he has the opportunity to make a journey to the asteroid Gateway, left as a legacy to humans by a mysterious alien race called Heechee, which disappeared half a million years ago. Broadhead is fleeing from a 21st-century Earth, now unlivable and at the limit of its vital resources.
'Sidebar' 2 (excerpt from Gateway). "Welcome to Gateway! Congratulations! You are one of the very few people each year who have the privilege of being able to become, within certain limits, partners of Gateway Enterprises. Your first duty is to sign the attached agreement. It is not necessary to do so immediately. We invite you to study the agreement and seek the assistance of a lawyer if you find it necessary. Accommodations are available at the Gateway hotel and restaurant for those here as visitors, and for those who, for the moment, do not wish to sign the agreement."
Those who wish to seek fortune on the coveted asteroid can use the millennia-old starships contained within it. In this way, by traveling, they might discover alien artifacts or information capable of bringing glory and riches, provided they can make it back. Instead, Robinette will remain on the unknown asteroid as humans, even using reverse engineering, are unable to comprehend Heechee technology.
The plot unfolds on two distinct levels: in one, the character's events are described, while in the other, his memories are recounted during exhausting sessions with the computer-psychiatrist Sigfrid Von Shrink. In addition to the story, the author included innovative elements called 'Sidebars,' which include: scientific and cultural information, mission reports, curiosities, regulations, and more. But not only that: one can read dramatic, caustic, polemical, comical notes, even advertisements and rhyming verses.
This new literary scheme was used to broaden and make the reading more stimulating. Through an unconventional perspective, the novelist was able to set his imagination free, creating a broader and more articulated world. In reality, the method of 'sidebars' is a journalistic technique, and even though it was used in rare previous literary works, it has never been presented quite like it is in this book.
'Sidebar' 3 (excerpt from Gateway). "To cover the costs necessary to maintain Gateway, everyone is required to pay a daily per-capita fee for air, temperature control, administration, and other services."
The value of reading extends to multiple levels: there is the allure of the mysterious ancient and advanced alien race, the uncommon analysis of the intricate facets of the human being with its weaknesses, loves, errors, and a series of exhaustive considerations on the world of Gateway.
Artificial greetings ©.
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