One of the best futurist writers ever imagines an international detective--a professional risk taker working outside government, law, and order--and takes him on an adventure to what may as well be an alien planet as he goes on a mission into deepest Iran in search of the black opium of Baluchistan.    From the very beginning of his career, Robert Sheckley was recognized by fans, reviewers, and fellow authors as a master storyteller and the wittiest satirist working in the science fiction field. Open Road is proud to republish his acclaimed body of work, with nearly thirty volumes of full-length fiction and short story collections. Rediscover, or discover for the first time, a master of science fiction who, according to the New York Times, was "a precursor to Douglas Adams."