American diplomat Brion Bayard is on assignment in Stockholm when he notices he's being shadowed. Before he can escape, Bayard is kidnapped and transported to a parallel universe: the Imperium, where history has taken a different turn and the British Empire and its allies rule the world. Yet another parallel world exists, and the Imperium has a task there for their reluctant visitor: the impersonation and assassination of a global dictator who happens to be Bayard's otherworldly double.This adventurous, action-packed novel is the work of award-winning author Keith Laumer, creator of the Bolo and Reteif stories. Science-fiction enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy alternate histories, will savor the twists and turns of this imaginative thriller.