What do you do when Death shows up at your door as you’re about to take your own life with a pistol?

You over react and shoot Death.  I thought that was obvious.

For this book review I decided to go to one of my favourites books growing up and give it a review.

On a Pale Horse, by Piers Anthony, was released 1983 and should be officially known as a classic.  It is the first book, of eight, in the Incarnations of Immortality series.  Each series focuses on a different Incarnation and is a standalone book.  The Incarnations are the role of god-like beings that are assumed by humans.

One a Pale Horse is about a man name Zane who has no money to his name, no luck in the world and just sold his final chance at true love for a few measly bucks.  He is about to take his life when Death shows up at his front door and in a fit of panic, he turns his weapon onto Death and pulls the trigger.  Death does the unthinkable and dies, leaving Zane to fill his position.

The book follows Zane as he is forced to become Death, and how he adapts to the mystical position.  Things become more complicated, if that is possible, when a powerful magician thrust Luna, a woman the future is to depend upon, into Zane’s protection.  Now the unlikeliest of heroes my fulfill his role as death, save the girl and go up against the greatest evil, Satan himself.

Piers Anthony is a genius writer who draws you in with brilliant writing.  His characters feel natural and realistic, the strength of the writing makes the character’s seem like they could live outside the pages with no trouble.

All in all On A Pale Horse is a brilliant book by a brilliant writer.

Shoot Death may not be the greatest career advice but it does make for an interesting story.