WANTED: ONE ENGINEER FOR MANAGERIAL POSITION IN IRUNIUM. WAGES HIGH. DEATH BENEFITS SUDDEN. "I am the Contessa Perdita di Montevarchi. Here in Irunium the only law is my will. "I shall seek out another engineer. But this time he will be a real engineer from a dimension that understands these things, from Slikitter, probably from Earth. He will be treated with respect because his function is valuable to me. Almost inevitably he will terminate as this offal terminated, but that is to be expected of imperfect tools. "He will not at first see the slaves in the mines and I do not with him treated as a slave. My mines must continue to produce gems for my trace across the Dimensions. An engineer is needed so I shall find one...."

An all-powerful computer takes control of a great metropolis as a man and a woman are drawn into a love affair that may save - or destroy - their world.

This is the story of one member of the Terran Survey Corps. His name is Loftus Tait. There are many men of his stamp in the Corps; men who possess a deep and unshakable conviction that what they are doing has a meaning in face of the great unknowns, men who, recognising the transience and minuteness of humankind, yet believe that Man has a destiny among the stars. Not for him or his crew was there the refinement and luxury of a base ship equipped like a small world; they took their frail craft across the parsecs and set down as and when they could, and worked at their jobs, and came back - if they were lucky. Some were not so lucky.

Rodro's men were pushing past, were blundering with reeking weapons into the room to kill and take the princess away. Lai half stretched up from the princess's restraining arms. The room was empty of other life apart from Sir Fezius and the two knights now lifting their swords, ready to cut down Lai. A popping noise sounded like a drum bursting. A man appeared in the middle of the room. One moment he was not there; the next he stood there, holding a bulky stick in his arm, peering about with a white face. He said something that sounded like "Skeet." The next instant the room resounded with an avalanche roar and a hellfire blast of scorching flame.

The planet Kerim must have been Utopia - once. All its inhabitants had to do when they wanted something was to pray out loud for it - and what they wanted would materialise before their eyes. But by the time Jack Waley crashed on it, its best days had long been gone - and its future was strictly limited. Which was typical Jack Waley luck. He had bungled and blundered his way across the space lanes, messing up everything he tried and being castaway on Kerim looked like the end of the line. For Kerim's people were now bands of confused savages and its cities crumbling ruins. And this time Waley knew that he'd have to change a whole world's luck if he wanted to save his own neck one more time.

Among the myriad colourful characters of the galaxy, men called him a Treasure Troubleshooter. His name was Felix Vereker, and he liked good food and fine wines and his taste ran to Moliere and ancient legends and digging up the fabulous treasures of the past - on whatever planet they happened to be buried. He did not relish the distraction of political assassination, or mysterious attempts on his own life, or the prehistoric savagery and barbarian swords of a playground world of bored millionaires. But when his professional competence as a troubleshooter for a firm of galactic antique dealers demanded, he could be rougher and tougher than all the perils pitted against him. And he knew how to handle Delia Camacho, the lady assassin, and Miss Rosalind Henley - who demanded and then rejected more than he wanted to give. This novel of future speculation and intrigue ranges a wide galactic canvas and a profusion of brilliant colourful incidents pours out in headlong action as Felix Vereker seeks control of his own identity.