It was never meant to be built because it cannot work as advertised.

Does it want a semen sample too? Christ.

You can’t tell me what to do!

You might try gateway. First book of heechee by Frederick pohl. The science is a bit wacky (think 1960s people thinking we would be on the moon with lasers in space 1999) but there are themes of depression and mental health. I’m not sure if I could suggest the rest of the books, but gateway is pretty solid imo.

I’m in the middle of trying to make aspects of it into a mod for stellaris right now but I’m not a good writer so I’m procrastinating!