The winds of limbo

the long version

"The Fireclown raged; he shrieked; he laughed in ghastly mirth. A painted demon, a fat messiah, Fireclown, ever masked, led hysterical subterranean riots, inciting the people to tear down and revolt. For his own deadly power, or for galactic salvation? A grotesque political charlatan, or the only voice of sanity left on Earth? No one knew but everyone was frightened, and there were those prepared to exploit that fear... Earth, with its savage class structure, was dying. Complacently rushing towards a holocaust. Corrupt and weakened by an impotent administration, Earth trembled before the threat of solar war. Only Alan Powys and Helen Curtis saw sense in Fireclown's vision. But by then he had vanished, and the greatest space chase in history was on..."--Page [4] of cover.