First published in 1970, Behind the Walls of Terra is the fourth title in Philip José Farmer’s World of Tiers series. The books are set in a series of artificially-constructed universes that are ruled over by human-like creatures. After people from Earth discover a pathway to these worlds, they begin to explore them and uncover their secrets.
The main character of Behind the Walls of Terra, Paul Janus Finnegan, is a World War II veteran that spends decades in these worlds, assuming a number of identities as he travels from one world to the next. Astute readers will notice that he shares initials with the writer of the series, Philip José Farmer.
This edition of the novel was released by Ace Books in 1976. It features cover art from artist Bart Forbes. Although the woman on the cover resembles Princess Leia, the edition predates Star Wars by one year.
Bart Forbes is a painter that is best known for his magazine covers. He regularly created covers for publications like Time, Redbook, and Sports Illustrated. He also created paintings for a number of sporting events, including the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2017.
Although Forbes primarily worked with magazines, he also painted covers for several other science fiction books. He is the cover artist for several A. E. van Vogt books, including The Silkie and The Anarchistic Colossus. He also provided cover art for Philip José Farmer’s The Wind Whales of Ishmael.