What if death, time, fate, war, nature, evil and good were not mere concepts but offices held by actual people, like any other occupation?

In this first book in Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series, a young man, Zane, is despondent over the abysmal state of his life and the poor choices he’s made, and decides to kill himself. Just as he’s about to pull the trigger, however, he sees the image of Death enter the room, having come for him. Instinctively, Zane shoots the intruder instead, discovering afterward that Death is an office, and that he who kills Death becomes Death. The story follows Zane as he begins to learn the ropes, collecting the souls of those who are destined to die. His new job is always interesting, if not always easy, and he receives help and advice from Mortis, Death’s pale horse.

I initially enjoyed this series in high school and just recently decided to give them another try to see how well they hold up 15 years later. The overall premise is just as fascinating today, but the writing feels a little stiff, especially dialogue.

This book is sorta like “Piers Anthony’s meditations on life and death”, but couched in an amusing form. Zane is a young man who hasn’t seemed to do much right in life, so he resolves to die. But when he tries to kill himself, he accidentally kills Death instead – and has to take over Death’s duties, much to his horror. As he tends to the dying he reflects on what it means to live a good or evil life, and why some wish to live while others wish to die. Along the way he finds love, and himself embroiled in a struggle between G(o)od and (D)Evil.

It’s quite interesting and philosophical, and quite funny in its fantastical form. This is only book one of his Incarnations of Immortality series, each of which stars one of the Incarnations – here, Death, but in future stories Nature, War, etc., some (all?) of which are introduced in this series. I’m definitely going to be reading the whole series, I hope!

I finished reading this book again for the nth time. I take back what I said about Piers Anthony’s writing in previous posts – this book is very well written (as I have always thought) with only a few little annoying bits. I guess his writing had just matured over time.

I feel good about having recommended this series to one of my friends.

I love this book, and all the other Incarnation books that follow. Great series!