Ace Double (August) 1969 (#12140, 75 cent cover price.) Condition is VG (-): tight and almost square; spine is flat with one line, a little edgewear, and scrape at blue end; light overall wear - heavier on "Wizards" side, and grease? stain at right side of "Cradle" cover. Age tanning is mild and uniform (insides of covers are darker); pages 33-64 on "Cradle" side are darker because Ace used cheaper paper for that segment. Stamp on each first page & page 85 - from the reserves of a defunct SF library.

In Bulmer's "Keys to the Dimensions" series, there is a dimension-spanning empire headed by the Contessa Perdita di Montevarchi, centered on the dimension/world of Irunium. By ruthlessly controlling "Porteurs" (those who can find and use dimensional portals) the Contessa has access to the resouces of many worlds. As the series builds, more people (many from Earth, some natural Porteurs) are drawn into contact with this empire - which is inherently unstable, and building toward a climactic battle as dissidents and disaffected make their escape and combine forces.

An Ace-Double from 1969 containing Ken Bulmer's The Wizards of Senchuria, bound with The Cradle of the Sun by Brian M. Stableford. Both of these are original - no previous appearance.

The Wizards of Senchuria by Kenneth Bulmer - (cover by Kelly Freas, 113 pages.) Scobie Redfern gets caught up in Alec McDonald's escape from pursuing Trogs. He ends up fighting for the Wizards of Senchuria, who occupy an interdimensional nodal point and bargain and deal in emotion.

(Bound with) Cradle of the Sun (cover and frontispiece by Jack Gaughan, 140 pages.) This is Stableford's first novel - the last living coward must go on a quest to prevent the dying-off of Humanity, and their ancient enemies, the Rats.