Gateway

Published in 1977, the novel follows Robinette Broadhead, a traumatized prospector who risks his life traveling aboard ancient, pre-set alien spacecraft. The ships, found in an abandoned alien space station called Gateway, blindly jump to uncharted destinations, often resulting in immense wealth or a gruesome death.

The book was written by acclaimed American science fiction author Frederik Pohl. It went on to win multiple major industry awards, including the Hugo Award, the Locus Award, and the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1978.

The Heechee are the mysterious, highly advanced alien race that built the Gateway asteroid and the faster-than-light ships that human prospectors attempt to pilot. In the first novel, the Heechee are entirely absent and remain a massive enigma, though their leftover technology drives the human economy.

Yes, Frederik Pohl expanded the story into a full series, writing several sequels throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The most notable sequels include "Beyond the Blue Event Horizon" and "Heechee Rendezvous," which further explore Robinette Broadhead's story and the mystery of the Heechee.