This novelette of space exploration reminded me quite a bit of the Heechee-stories by Frederik Pohl. Many planets are connected through a vast network of jumpgates built by a now long gone unknown species, but for some reason humans and another race called the Phuili are not connected. Gia sets out to find uncover the mystery accompanied by a Phuili.

Analog, May 1985

The general premise here isn’t a bad one as it has that aura of ancient alien technology that I never quite get tired of. However this story doesn’t do much more than provide the mystery of the jumpgates and while the conclusion is actually a nice one, it does show that the story is part of a series. There was a lot of filler that I didn’t think added much to this particular story, but would give a broader world-building or characterization.

Read in The 1986 Annual World’s Best SF, edited by Donald A. Wolheim
Originally published in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, May 1985
Rating: 2