On a Pale Horse

On a Pale Horse (1983), an adult fantasy novel by Piers Anthony, is the first book in the Incarnations of Immortality series. The book follows a man who accidentally shoots the Grim Reaper and must take over his job. Satan, however, has his own plans for the man’s destiny. The author of many science fiction and fantasy novels, Anthony is best known for the Incarnations of Immortality saga.

On a Pale Horse takes place in the early twenty-first century. Although Zane is a talented photographer, he doesn’t have a steady job and is running out of money. He has no friends, and he can’t find a girlfriend. Anticipating that his life won’t get better any time soon, he decides to kill himself.

Zane gets a gun and prepares to shoot himself in the head. However, before he pulls the trigger, he sees a phantom. The phantom is Death, or the Greek deity known as Thanatos. Death arrives to carry Zane into the afterlife, but he doesn’t get the chance. Death startles Zane, and Zane shoots him instead.



Once Zane realizes what he has done, he panics. He has just shot the Grim Reaper, after all. God and Satan will be very angry with him. He dithers over what to do because he only had one bullet, and he can’t shoot himself. Before he goes to find another bullet to put himself out of his misery, another figure arrives. This time, Zane knows better than to attack.

The mysterious figure is Fate, the goddess of fate and destiny. She explains that Zane has changed his destiny by killing Death. There is a rule that anyone who kills Death must take his place as the new Grim Reaper. Zane thinks this is nonsense; he can’t possibly take a god’s job, but Fate warns him that there is no choice.

Fate explains that Zane’s new job begins now. It’s not like he has anything better to do. Reluctantly, Zane agrees to work as Death, waving goodbye to his old life. Fate takes him outside and introduces him to his new ride—a limousine called Mortis. Mortis isn’t just any ordinary limousine. It is Death’s steed.



Fate tells Zane that Mortis might be a limousine today, but a horse tomorrow. An enchanted steed, it takes on any form required. Zane can travel across the world instantly. This is one of the job’s perks. Working as Death doesn’t seem so bad. However, just as Zane relaxes, Fate abandons him, and another god appears.

The god is Chronos, the Incarnation of Time. Chronos asserts that Zane isn’t ready to begin work yet. First, Zane must learn the tricks of the trade. This training phase comprises most of the first book’s plot because working as the Grim Reaper isn’t an easy task. Zane must leave the human world entirely, forgetting everything he once knew.

Chronos takes Zane through everything, from driving Mortis to finding human souls. Zane must visit the right humans, the ones who are due to die according to Fate. He must only take their souls when they are ready to die or when God says they should die. Before long, Zane realizes this is a heavy responsibility to bear.



Zane asks Chronos to show him Heaven and Hell. Chronos lets him visit both, showing him how to deposit souls there. He also takes Zane to Purgatory, because many human souls go there. Most humans aren’t entirely good or entirely bad, and it takes time for God or Satan to decide what to do with them. Zane is pretty sure he would have ended up in Purgatory if he had died normally instead of assuming Death’s job.

Although Zane trusts Chronos, he still doesn’t trust Fate. He believes she is hiding something from him. Chronos won’t confirm his suspicions either way, but he does suggest there’s a greater force than destiny at work. While Zane spends his days training and picking up human souls, he spends his nights investigating Fate and her associates.

One night, Zane learns the truth. Fate conspired with a magician to kill Death. She wanted Zane to take the job. She changed Zane’s fate so that he would shoot Death. Zane is horrified because he feels that he has cheated both God and Satan; Chronos warns him they’re unhappy. However, when Zane discovers why Fate changed his destiny, he is more sympathetic to her cause.



Fate loves the magician and his daughter, Luna. It is Luna’s destiny to bring Satan down, changing the afterlife’s politics forever. Luna is very beautiful, and Fate knows Zane will fancy her. Fate hopes that Zane will keep Luna safe from Satan’s spies and assassins. The magician sacrifices himself and dies in Purgatory so that Zane has an excuse to meet Luna.

Meanwhile, Satan foils Fate’s plans. He wants to kill Luna to steal her soul. When Zane conspires to keep Luna out of harm’s way, Satan tries to corrupt her. Her soul blackens and she is destined for Hell. Luna doesn’t want to go to Hell. She realizes there is only one choice—she must sacrifice herself, as her father did, to restore balance in her heart.

Zane lets Luna swap places with another human client. Luna’s sacrifice saves her soul, and she is now destined for Heaven. However, Zane stops her from dying, letting her live her life for now. The political and romantic relationships between these characters are continued in the next book.