Frederik Pohl's Jem is not as good as Gateway, better than Man Plus. What does that mean? It means few books are as good as Gateway, and rarely has an SF author immediately followed a major triumph with as major a triumph as this. What do I mean by "good?" I mean the author was in clear command of all the essential details of a worthwhile narrative. What do I mean by "major?" I mean the narrative embodies a theme of significance beyond the immediate fortunes of the characters involved, and the theme is dealt with intelligently….

[The extrasolar planet] Jem as Pohl has created it is believable and often beautiful, without being obviously just Earth in a funny hat…. With systematic, undeviating logic, Pohl depicts [its] rape…. (pp. 27-8)

As each of [three competing Terrestrial] expeditions struggles to do its best, there are moments of hope, and...