This is supposedly the second book in a series, except that this book has nothing to do with the first book. I can't really even see that it is 'in the same world' as this book.

The writing in this book is not much better and the story is another throwaway adventure masquerading as scifi.

Hoskins does introduce an interesting 'stargate' system that is suprisingly like the one you've heard of, even that it is very old and has been rediscovered by earth some time in the past. BUT, the idea is only the backdrop. The story itself is boring, shallow and over too quickly and easily.

There is a third book in the series, but I don't know that I'll even bother. I've now read 3 Hoskins books and rated them all 2s. ( )

Despite the fact that this book revolves around the use of "stargates," it has nothing to do with the movie or television series of that name, as should be obvious by the publication date. Published in 1977, the book has a very "seventies" feel about it, though it is set a bit more than a thousand years in the future. Even in the seventies, it would probably have been considered little more than a collection of the standard SciFi ideas: Earth as only one planet of an ancient, fallen Empire; stargates that allow instant travel between planets; a shady, quasi-governmental conspiracy to seize control; the plucky, newly-graduated hero the conspiracy tries to silence because he Knows Too Much; etc. The writing isn't bad, just mediocre. This isn't a book that will change your life, but if you are bored it will kill a few hours relatively painlessly.
The sequel, "To Escape the Stars," is quite a bit better, both darker and yet more hopeful.

From the back cover:
Surrounded by armed, watchful soldiers, Shan and Luvici followed the priests down the low-ceilinged corridor. The smell of damp was everywhere. As they turned the corner, the two men had their first glimpse of the room where they would be offered as human sacrifices in some ancient, savage ritual.
"Look!" Shan cried. "The shrine -- it's a gate!"
The Stargate itself was unlike any construction he had ever seen; it was framed by twisting pillars of translucence. What was a Stargate doing here in this primitive place?
How could these barbarians have one of the gates...the very gates which enabled Shan's civilization to move instantly from any one of their 3000 worlds to any other? How could a Stargate possibly be in this dungeon which reeked of human blood and superstition?
Shan followed the steps down, down, down...his eyes riveted on the gate. Would the gate still function? That was his only hope...

(Duplicated from my Amazon review.)