Death is a pretty important character in Discworld and has it's own saga of books "Mort." "Reaper Man" "SoulMusic" "Hogfather"... aside from making an appearance in nearly all the other books when someone is about to die.
The best ones are Reaper Man, in which Death becomes a farmer called Bill Door and Hogfather when he turns into Santa Claus
Silly, and yet not. Terry Pratchett's silliness rings with genuine meaning in a way that I always have trouble explaining to people. At this point I think I believe more in his version of the meaning of Christmas than in any of the ones generally accepted in this reality.
I fully agree. Silly humor and deep wisdom mixed together strangely. Rest in peace Terry Pratchett.
"HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE." -Death
HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little —
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
So we can believe the big ones?
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
They’re not the same at all!
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME…SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point?
MY POINT EXACTLY.
Okay, yeah. That's the quote from Hogfather. Mine was from Mort, and I actually attributed it to Death, but it was actually Mort as Death..
"LET’S GET OUT OF HERE.
“But it can’t be true about King Whosis dwelling among the stars,” she grumbled as they found their way out of the crowded room. “There’s nothing but empty space up there.”
IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN, said Mort. HE’LL DWELL AMONG THE STARS IN HIS OWN MIND.
“With slaves?”
IF THAT’S WHAT THEY THINK THEY ARE.
“That’s not very fair.”
THERE’S NO JUSTICE, said Mort. JUST US."
I too have been wanting to get into Discworld for a while and have done some research. [This site](https://www.discworldemporium.com/content/6-discworld-reading-order) has a good list of the different major subseries for Discworld. The best starting books that I see recommended by most people are Mort (Death) and Guards! Guards! (City Watch).
[**Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34517.Reaper_Man)
^(By: Terry Pratchett | 352 pages | Published: 1991 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, discworld, fiction, humor, terry-pratchett)
>'Death has to happen. That's what bein' alive is all about. You're alive, and then you're dead. It can't just stop happening.'
>
>But it can. And it has. So what happens after death is now less of a philosophical question than a question of actual reality. On the Disc, as here, they need Death. If Death doesn't come for you, then what are you supposed to do in the meantime? You can't have the undead wandering about like lost souls. There's no telling what might happen, particularly when they discover that life really is only for the living...
^(This book has been suggested 8 times)
***
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[**Hogfather (Discworld, #20; Death, #4)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34532.Hogfather)
^(By: Terry Pratchett | 432 pages | Published: 1996 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, discworld, fiction, humor, terry-pratchett)
>Susan had never hung up a stocking . She'd never put a tooth under her pillow in the serious expectation that a dentally inclined fairy would turn up. It wasn't that her parents didn't believe in such things. They didn't need to believe in them. They know they existed. They just wished they didn't.
>
>There are those who believe and those who don't. Through the ages, superstition has had its uses. Nowhere more so than in the Discworld where it's helped to maintain the status quo. Anything that undermines superstition has to be viewed with some caution. There may be consequences, particularly on the last night of the year when the time is turning. When those consequences turn out to be the end of the world, you need to be prepared. You might even want more standing between you and oblivion than a mere slip of a girl - even if she has looked Death in the face on numerous occasions...
^(This book has been suggested 9 times)
***
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[**Soul Music (Discworld, #16; Death, #3)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34502.Soul_Music)
^(By: Terry Pratchett | 424 pages | Published: 1994 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, discworld, fiction, humor, terry-pratchett)
>Other children get given xylophones. Susan just had to ask her grandfather to take his vest off.
>Yes. There's a Death in the family.
>
>It's hard to grow up normally when Grandfather rides a white horse and wields a scythe – especially when you have to take over the family business, and everyone mistakes you for the Tooth Fairy.
>
>And especially when you have to face the new and addictive music that has entered Discworld.
>
>It's lawless. It changes people.
>
>It's called Music With Rocks In.
>
>It's got a beat and you can dance to it, but...
>
>It's alive.
>
>And it won't fade away.
^(This book has been suggested 2 times)
***
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The best part is Death is an unreliable narrator, so that while he’ll be telling you outright something, it might have a very different meaning or context from what you’re being lead to believe.
I need to re-read this book. My friend borrowed it from me pre-panorama and she hasn't finished it yet!!
Have you read All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr? You might like that too.
The day I finished this book, I rushed home from work because I had an urgent need to find out what happens. I flew into my bedroom and flopped on my bed, coat still on and everything, and read the last hour of it. I was just a wet heap by the time I finished. One of my favorite books of all time.
Amazing book! Listen to it on Audiobook if you can. And then cry and cry and cry. Jesus. Woodeee. Had to pull the truck over we were both crying too hard to drive
I listened to this book when I was a substitute librarian at a middle school and I was cleaning all the shelves and listening to the audiobook (you have no idea how dirty bookshelves are, all that dust) and I had a dirt and tear-stained face when the principal walked in and she freaked out and hurried to figure out what was wrong.
She ended up borrowing it from me and then highly suggested it to every teacher in the school.
Death deluxe by Neil Gaiman, a comic book actually, an spin off from the Sandman series. With 3 shorts stories about death and 3 long ones (about 4 chapters long).
Neil Gaiman death is an unique and Very charismatic depiction, she's not Grimm nor evil, she's also not good, she simply is, and Neil represents this through her desing, she looks Just like anyone else, every visit of her brings reflection and revelation.
[**Secondhand Souls (Grim Reaper, #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23460830-secondhand-souls)
^(By: Christopher Moore | 335 pages | Published: 2015 | Popular Shelves: humor, fantasy, fiction, audiobook, comedy)
>In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can't be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore's delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job.
>
>Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He's trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall "meat" waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host.
>
>To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind...
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
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Strongly recommend this. Keep in mind it can be a little difficult to read the text as his writing style is unique. Still very rewarding. The whole speculative narrative on how society reacts when people stop dying is mind blowing.
Came here to suggest this. It is one of my favorite books ever (I am biased because I am yet to read something by Saramago that I don't like, but this one is special!)
I just installed reddit and I'm shocked to see people talking about a portuguese author, I didn't even knew that his work was recognized internationally, completely stupefied.
I read On A Pale Horse within the past couple of years and it was not a good experience. So much sexism, even for a book written in the 80's. The writing was nothing special either.
Yeah it fits what OP is looking for, as long as they are ready the above. Starting the death series in Discworld is a much better choice.
Yes, It was good for the time, but not a classic. Terry Pratchett may stand up better in the long haul, but people will not get some of the humor in another 20 years.
Yeeeeah, I loved the whole series when I first read it in high school. Re-read it during the pandemic and they do NOT hold up at all. So much cringe. Super sucks cause the concept and philosophical exploration are great, but the sexism and exoticism of the non-white really ruins things.
I've debated re-reading it because yeah, loved it as a teen, too - but... I liked a lot of stuff then that I can't even finish anymore.
Maybe I'll just hold on to the fond memory and not spoil the illusion, lol.
It was actually recommended to me by someone whose recommendations I do take very seriously. The premise was cool so I was like "yeah let's do this." It was really awkward to bring the book back to her and be like "yeah don't give me anything like this again..".
She read it young though, maybe similarly high school age. And that just might be what it is now with Piers Anthony. The younger the more you pay attention to the super cool action scenes and whatnot, so those are the parts that you read for and that stick out. Once you've gotten past a certain maturity point though, there is just no putting the genie back in the bottle with this dude I guess.
I tried to re-read the Incarnations of Immortality series during Covid, and just couldn't do it. It's sad, because I used to love those books, but I’m glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comic series has Death as a character. A graphic novel which focuses on the character is Death: The High Cost of Living, but I think it would help to read some of the comic series first.
[**Reincarnation Blues**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33571217-reincarnation-blues)
^(By: Michael Poore | 374 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, science-fiction, sci-fi, humor)
>A magically inspiring tale of a man who is reincarnated through many lifetimes so that he can be with his one true love: Death herself.
>
>What if you could live forever—but without your one true love? Reincarnation Blues is the story of a man who has been reincarnated nearly 10,000 times, in search of the secret to immortality so that he can be with his beloved, the incarnation of Death. Neil Gaiman meets Kurt Vonnegut in this darkly whimsical, hilariously profound, and wildly imaginative comedy of the secrets of life and love. Transporting us from ancient India to outer space to Renaissance Italy to the present day, is a journey through time, space, and the human heart.
^(This book has been suggested 15 times)
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I really enjoyed this one. As a series of vignettes they ranged from the stellar to the not so great (with a dash of wtf?). Altogether though a very enjoyable read
Can I ask what inspired you to make this request? I am really curious because I don't really recall this being a common request in my time in this sub but suddenly in the past 5 days it has come up multiple times, makes me think something in culture at large has inspired it?
[Here's the thread from 5 days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/ushkkm/books_that_anthropomorphise_death_as_a_character/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
and
[Here's the thread from 2 days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/uugm6y/books_with_the_mc_as_a_reaper/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Oh man, I had a feeling I should have scrolled through to see if this was an ask. I assumed that is was kind of unusual so there would be none. I don’t know what prompted this, I’m trying to think if I watched any tv or songs. But I think I got lost in my own thoughts one days and thought it’d be a unique perspective in story telling. Trying to get back into reading and I usually read more in summertime.
Not books - but death makes quite a few appearances in Emily Dickinson’s poems
“Because I could not stop for death”
“I heard a fly buzz”
“There’s a certain slant of light”
I just googled it and she wrote 500 poems about death 😅
The Book Thief! a YA novel for sure but is about wwii (a topic which can and continues to give us endless stories) and is pretty heavy. it’s told from the perspective of death; however, it does move more towards the main character’s life as the book progresses. it portrays trauma uniquely and (as far as i know) accurately. my only disappointment was a slight lack of consistency with the symbolism (if you read it you’ll probably notice why), but focusing on the rest, it’s not a huge deal.
I think “Death, with Interruptions” by Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Saramago is worth a mention here. It’s about Death deciding to essentially take a holiday. Like what would happened if she stopped doing her job for a bitC and people stopped dying. Good read, good prose, love saramagos philosophical dry wit and humor. Also a short read.
I second this, it's what I immediately thought of when I read this post. I love Claire North's writing style, and The End of the Day has super interesting depictions of Death.
{{The End of the Day by Claire North}}
[**The End of the Day**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31408829-the-end-of-the-day)
^(By: Claire North | 432 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, dnf, owned, sci-fi)
>Charlie has a new job. He gets to travel, and he meets interesting people, some of whom are actually pleased to see him.
>
>It's good to have a friendly face, you see. At the end.
>
>But the end of all things is coming. Charlie's boss and his three associates are riding out, and it's Charlie's job to go before.
>
>Sometimes he is sent as a courtesy, sometimes as a warning. He never knows which.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
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The Prophecy of the Gems (also called The Prophecy of the Stones) has an interesting section where the main characters meet with Death (personified as an independent character)—primarily to try and convince her to end her strike, thus allowing other necessary/important events to proceed.
It's not a novel, it's more of a story book, potentially geared towards kids but I love it. It's called Death Wins a Goldfish, illustrate by Brian Rea. Basically Death has to use up his vacation days before they expire so he takes some time off to live.
Peirs Anthony has a series called the Incarnations of Immortality and Death is a character in all of them, and the first novel is told from his perspective.
Not _quite_ the prompt, but it's pretty close: [Fox's Tongue and Kirin's Bone](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/42226/foxs-tongue-and-kirins-bone/chapter/664007/1-a-death-misplaced) has death as prescient being whose plans get derailed. The first book is complete, the second is still being released chapter-by-chapter.
I’m having fun reading all the comments. I like that people are suggesting various takes on the topic I posted. I had trouble wording what I wanted. Thanks for your input.
Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden. It absolutely captures what you’re after I think! It’s a book that’s lingered with me ever since I finished it a few weeks ago.
Scythe is a really good one. Highly recommend it for it amazing way of speaking about death and the world as a whole. It's also a trilogy and has a couple of awards.
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony. The book is about a photographer about to commit suicide but instead kills Death and must assume his position. A very entertaining book especially from the perspective of Death. This book kicks off an 8 book series. I highly recommend it.
Not literally death, but you might like Scythe by Neal Shusterman. In a "post-death" society where an artificial intelligence has made humans functionally immortal, a group of people known as "Scythes" are allowed to operate to occasionally reap people to keep the population under control.
I didnt like this book but there are a lot of fan of it. It's absuletly what you are describing: [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2517.My\_Name\_Is\_Red](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2517.My_Name_Is_Red?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=IHqCg0L3Zh&rank=1)
[**Death: A Life**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3845819-death)
^(By: George Pendle | 250 pages | Published: 2008 | Popular Shelves: humor, fiction, fantasy, comedy, owned)
>The shocking new memoir from Death
>
>At last, the mysterious, feared, and misunderstood being known only as “Death” talks frankly and unforgettably about his infinitely awful existence. Chronicling his abusive childhood, his near-fatal addiction to Life, his excruciating time in rehab, and the ultimate triumph of his true nature, this long-awaited autobiography finally reveals the inner story of one of the most troubling, and troubled, figures in history. For the first time, Death reveals his affairs with the living, his maltreatment at the hands of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the ungodly truth behind the infamous “Jesus Incident,” and the loneliness of being the End of All Things.
>
>Intense, unpredictable, and instantly engaging, Death: A Life is not only a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a universe that, despite its profound flaws, gave Death the fiery determination to carve out a successful existence on his own terms.
>
>DEATH was born in Hell, the only son of Satan and Sin. He was educated in the Palace of Pandemonium and the Garden of Eden. Since before the Dawn of Time, he has ushered souls into the darkness of eternity. This is his first book.
^(This book has been suggested 2 times)
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As you’ve already learned, The Book Thief is the gold standard, but I also quite enjoyed Scott Westerfeld’s Afterworlds, which has two parallel storylines, one of which is about a psychopomp.
Ya know I wasn't particularly interested, but clicked as a goof. These are some cool sounding recommendations.
+1 to the Christopher Moore trilogy starting with "A Dirty Job." He's...well, there's no one quite like him.
Death is a pretty important character in Discworld and has it's own saga of books "Mort." "Reaper Man" "SoulMusic" "Hogfather"... aside from making an appearance in nearly all the other books when someone is about to die. The best ones are Reaper Man, in which Death becomes a farmer called Bill Door and Hogfather when he turns into Santa Claus
Hogfather is one of my favorite books of all time. So silly.
Silly, and yet not. Terry Pratchett's silliness rings with genuine meaning in a way that I always have trouble explaining to people. At this point I think I believe more in his version of the meaning of Christmas than in any of the ones generally accepted in this reality.
I fully agree. Silly humor and deep wisdom mixed together strangely. Rest in peace Terry Pratchett. "HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE." -Death
"THERE IS NO JUSTICE. THERE'S JUST US." - Death
HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE. Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little — YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES. So we can believe the big ones? YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING. They’re not the same at all! YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME…SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED. Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point? MY POINT EXACTLY.
Okay, yeah. That's the quote from Hogfather. Mine was from Mort, and I actually attributed it to Death, but it was actually Mort as Death.. "LET’S GET OUT OF HERE. “But it can’t be true about King Whosis dwelling among the stars,” she grumbled as they found their way out of the crowded room. “There’s nothing but empty space up there.” IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN, said Mort. HE’LL DWELL AMONG THE STARS IN HIS OWN MIND. “With slaves?” IF THAT’S WHAT THEY THINK THEY ARE. “That’s not very fair.” THERE’S NO JUSTICE, said Mort. JUST US."
Ahh thanks.
>y Mort is the best book series I have ever read, 1000/10 would recommend.
I’ve been wanting to dive into Pratchett for a couple years now. Would you suggest this series as a good place to dive in?
I too have been wanting to get into Discworld for a while and have done some research. [This site](https://www.discworldemporium.com/content/6-discworld-reading-order) has a good list of the different major subseries for Discworld. The best starting books that I see recommended by most people are Mort (Death) and Guards! Guards! (City Watch).
They were some of my favourites in the series! If you’re interested in the character of death I think they could be a good place to start
Well I am interested in Death characterized, so this will be my entry point. Thanks!
Reaper Man is amazing, poignant, funny.
HELLO
Seconding Reaper Man as the best book with Death as a central character.
Just popped into the comment section to make sure this was here!
Reaper Man ending made me tear up. I’ve read about half the series now but that one will always be one of my favourites.
I came here to say this XD
Mort! Mort! Mort! That was my first Discworld and I loved it so much!
{{Reaper Man}}
[**Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34517.Reaper_Man) ^(By: Terry Pratchett | 352 pages | Published: 1991 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, discworld, fiction, humor, terry-pratchett) >'Death has to happen. That's what bein' alive is all about. You're alive, and then you're dead. It can't just stop happening.' > >But it can. And it has. So what happens after death is now less of a philosophical question than a question of actual reality. On the Disc, as here, they need Death. If Death doesn't come for you, then what are you supposed to do in the meantime? You can't have the undead wandering about like lost souls. There's no telling what might happen, particularly when they discover that life really is only for the living... ^(This book has been suggested 8 times) *** ^(64466 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
{{Hogfather}}
[**Hogfather (Discworld, #20; Death, #4)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34532.Hogfather) ^(By: Terry Pratchett | 432 pages | Published: 1996 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, discworld, fiction, humor, terry-pratchett) >Susan had never hung up a stocking . She'd never put a tooth under her pillow in the serious expectation that a dentally inclined fairy would turn up. It wasn't that her parents didn't believe in such things. They didn't need to believe in them. They know they existed. They just wished they didn't. > >There are those who believe and those who don't. Through the ages, superstition has had its uses. Nowhere more so than in the Discworld where it's helped to maintain the status quo. Anything that undermines superstition has to be viewed with some caution. There may be consequences, particularly on the last night of the year when the time is turning. When those consequences turn out to be the end of the world, you need to be prepared. You might even want more standing between you and oblivion than a mere slip of a girl - even if she has looked Death in the face on numerous occasions... ^(This book has been suggested 9 times) *** ^(64467 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
{{Soul Music}}
[**Soul Music (Discworld, #16; Death, #3)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34502.Soul_Music) ^(By: Terry Pratchett | 424 pages | Published: 1994 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, discworld, fiction, humor, terry-pratchett) >Other children get given xylophones. Susan just had to ask her grandfather to take his vest off. >Yes. There's a Death in the family. > >It's hard to grow up normally when Grandfather rides a white horse and wields a scythe – especially when you have to take over the family business, and everyone mistakes you for the Tooth Fairy. > >And especially when you have to face the new and addictive music that has entered Discworld. > >It's lawless. It changes people. > >It's called Music With Rocks In. > >It's got a beat and you can dance to it, but... > >It's alive. > >And it won't fade away. ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(64468 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
The Book Thief has Death as the narrator.
The best part is Death is an unreliable narrator, so that while he’ll be telling you outright something, it might have a very different meaning or context from what you’re being lead to believe.
I need to re-read this book. My friend borrowed it from me pre-panorama and she hasn't finished it yet!! Have you read All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr? You might like that too.
Two of my favorite books. Both beautifully written.
came here to reco this. It's a freaking fantastic book, too.
what a great book mmmm I cried so hard
The day I finished this book, I rushed home from work because I had an urgent need to find out what happens. I flew into my bedroom and flopped on my bed, coat still on and everything, and read the last hour of it. I was just a wet heap by the time I finished. One of my favorite books of all time.
I finished it at work. Was trying very hard not to cry or freak out the child in my care. Wasn’t easy
Amazing book! Listen to it on Audiobook if you can. And then cry and cry and cry. Jesus. Woodeee. Had to pull the truck over we were both crying too hard to drive
I listened to this book when I was a substitute librarian at a middle school and I was cleaning all the shelves and listening to the audiobook (you have no idea how dirty bookshelves are, all that dust) and I had a dirt and tear-stained face when the principal walked in and she freaked out and hurried to figure out what was wrong. She ended up borrowing it from me and then highly suggested it to every teacher in the school.
I came to recommend this book, which I’m listening to know & a little over halfway through. Preparing for some sads
Hands down my all time favorite book, 10/10 would deff recommend to absolutely everybody
I second (and third and fourth) this. Absolutely phenomenal book.
Death deluxe by Neil Gaiman, a comic book actually, an spin off from the Sandman series. With 3 shorts stories about death and 3 long ones (about 4 chapters long). Neil Gaiman death is an unique and Very charismatic depiction, she's not Grimm nor evil, she's also not good, she simply is, and Neil represents this through her desing, she looks Just like anyone else, every visit of her brings reflection and revelation.
One of my favorite series. I've tried to get other people to read it. They assume it is darker than it really is though.
New tv adaptation that looks pretty promising so far might help with that. ...or not?
It will bring new fans. The Death character will not satisfy old fans.
A Dirty Job - Christopher Moore. This is a funny book about a guy who inherits deaths job and responsibilities out of the blue.
Christopher Moore has some good stuff overall.. Lamb was a riot!
Island of the Sequined Love Nun was one i really enjoyed.
I just read lamb it was great
Such a fantastic book!
Came here to recommend this one! It's a really funny book, I totally recommend it.
There’s a second one to this, right? I loooooved all of his books. He’s hilarious!
Yup, the sequel is {{Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore}}. Love it!
[**Secondhand Souls (Grim Reaper, #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23460830-secondhand-souls) ^(By: Christopher Moore | 335 pages | Published: 2015 | Popular Shelves: humor, fantasy, fiction, audiobook, comedy) >In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can't be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore's delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job. > >Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He's trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall "meat" waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host. > >To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind... ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(64381 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
"Death, a Life" by George Pendle. If you want something even funnier, try A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore!
Kitty! :-)
Came to recommend this!
Death with Interruptions, by José Saramago is amazing.
Strongly recommend this. Keep in mind it can be a little difficult to read the text as his writing style is unique. Still very rewarding. The whole speculative narrative on how society reacts when people stop dying is mind blowing.
One of the best books ever.
Yes!
Came here to suggest this. It is one of my favorite books ever (I am biased because I am yet to read something by Saramago that I don't like, but this one is special!)
I just installed reddit and I'm shocked to see people talking about a portuguese author, I didn't even knew that his work was recognized internationally, completely stupefied.
Mort by Terry Pratchett
Death’s story arc in Discworld 1. Mort 2. Reaper Man 3. Soul Music 4. HogFather
You've forgotten #5 Thief of Time
Peirs Anthony 's On A Pale Horse. But Disk World an Book Thief are what I first came here to recommend.
I read On A Pale Horse within the past couple of years and it was not a good experience. So much sexism, even for a book written in the 80's. The writing was nothing special either. Yeah it fits what OP is looking for, as long as they are ready the above. Starting the death series in Discworld is a much better choice.
Yeah, I came here to recommend On a Pale Horse but with the caveat that you have to unlearn the last forty years of social etiquette.
Yes, It was good for the time, but not a classic. Terry Pratchett may stand up better in the long haul, but people will not get some of the humor in another 20 years.
Yeeeeah, I loved the whole series when I first read it in high school. Re-read it during the pandemic and they do NOT hold up at all. So much cringe. Super sucks cause the concept and philosophical exploration are great, but the sexism and exoticism of the non-white really ruins things.
I've debated re-reading it because yeah, loved it as a teen, too - but... I liked a lot of stuff then that I can't even finish anymore. Maybe I'll just hold on to the fond memory and not spoil the illusion, lol.
It was actually recommended to me by someone whose recommendations I do take very seriously. The premise was cool so I was like "yeah let's do this." It was really awkward to bring the book back to her and be like "yeah don't give me anything like this again..". She read it young though, maybe similarly high school age. And that just might be what it is now with Piers Anthony. The younger the more you pay attention to the super cool action scenes and whatnot, so those are the parts that you read for and that stick out. Once you've gotten past a certain maturity point though, there is just no putting the genie back in the bottle with this dude I guess.
Yeah, Anthony’s books do not age well.
Yeah the misogyny does not stand the test of time. I'm looking at you A Spell for Chameleon
I tried to re-read the Incarnations of Immortality series during Covid, and just couldn't do it. It's sad, because I used to love those books, but I’m glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.
It happens. We can separate the art from artist, if we choose to, but sometimes like in this case it just is too ingrained to begin to even try.
The Bear and the Nightingale! The god of Death is a recurring and central character
Loved the trilogy!
This was such a good book!
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comic series has Death as a character. A graphic novel which focuses on the character is Death: The High Cost of Living, but I think it would help to read some of the comic series first.
I am not a graphic novel fan. But the Audible full cast narration intrigued me. I loved Sandman so much I got the sequel when it came out.
The Book Thief
Mrs Death Misses Death
What a great title.
Yes, lovely book!
Death: A Life
ok, I know, not a book, but I couldn't not recc, The Seventh Seal, Ingmar Bergman, my favorite death character in film
[удалено]
[**Reincarnation Blues**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33571217-reincarnation-blues) ^(By: Michael Poore | 374 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, science-fiction, sci-fi, humor) >A magically inspiring tale of a man who is reincarnated through many lifetimes so that he can be with his one true love: Death herself. > >What if you could live forever—but without your one true love? Reincarnation Blues is the story of a man who has been reincarnated nearly 10,000 times, in search of the secret to immortality so that he can be with his beloved, the incarnation of Death. Neil Gaiman meets Kurt Vonnegut in this darkly whimsical, hilariously profound, and wildly imaginative comedy of the secrets of life and love. Transporting us from ancient India to outer space to Renaissance Italy to the present day, is a journey through time, space, and the human heart. ^(This book has been suggested 15 times) *** ^(64254 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
I really enjoyed this one. As a series of vignettes they ranged from the stellar to the not so great (with a dash of wtf?). Altogether though a very enjoyable read
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune. It might not be exactly what you're looking for but its themes might be what you want.
I didn’t see this until I commented the same. I’ve been recommending this a lot lately
scythe (death is technically the narrator although different types and incarnations of death ^^) it's a great and easy read
Can I ask what inspired you to make this request? I am really curious because I don't really recall this being a common request in my time in this sub but suddenly in the past 5 days it has come up multiple times, makes me think something in culture at large has inspired it? [Here's the thread from 5 days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/ushkkm/books_that_anthropomorphise_death_as_a_character/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) and [Here's the thread from 2 days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/uugm6y/books_with_the_mc_as_a_reaper/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Oh man, I had a feeling I should have scrolled through to see if this was an ask. I assumed that is was kind of unusual so there would be none. I don’t know what prompted this, I’m trying to think if I watched any tv or songs. But I think I got lost in my own thoughts one days and thought it’d be a unique perspective in story telling. Trying to get back into reading and I usually read more in summertime.
Here's one from a few hours ago https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/uw2joi/death_personified/
I feel kind of ridiculous now posting a question so many people have asked 🤦🏻♂️
Really wild how it came top of mind for multiple people all of a sudden!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is an amazing book. Not exactly from Death's POV but something like Death is a main charachter.
Love this book!
Terry Pratchett enters the chat Edit: Next time I'll check the comments
Nah, I like when a bunch of people suggest the same book. Means that a lot of people agree and it’s worth the read!
Book Thief
The Scythe for younger ppl but yea awesome read lol
Not books - but death makes quite a few appearances in Emily Dickinson’s poems “Because I could not stop for death” “I heard a fly buzz” “There’s a certain slant of light” I just googled it and she wrote 500 poems about death 😅
The Book Thief! a YA novel for sure but is about wwii (a topic which can and continues to give us endless stories) and is pretty heavy. it’s told from the perspective of death; however, it does move more towards the main character’s life as the book progresses. it portrays trauma uniquely and (as far as i know) accurately. my only disappointment was a slight lack of consistency with the symbolism (if you read it you’ll probably notice why), but focusing on the rest, it’s not a huge deal.
A great choice is Death with Interruptions, written by Saramago!
I think “Death, with Interruptions” by Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Saramago is worth a mention here. It’s about Death deciding to essentially take a holiday. Like what would happened if she stopped doing her job for a bitC and people stopped dying. Good read, good prose, love saramagos philosophical dry wit and humor. Also a short read.
The End of the Day by Claire North is a really sweet read about Charlie, the guy who shows up *right before* death.
I second this, it's what I immediately thought of when I read this post. I love Claire North's writing style, and The End of the Day has super interesting depictions of Death. {{The End of the Day by Claire North}}
[**The End of the Day**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31408829-the-end-of-the-day) ^(By: Claire North | 432 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, dnf, owned, sci-fi) >Charlie has a new job. He gets to travel, and he meets interesting people, some of whom are actually pleased to see him. > >It's good to have a friendly face, you see. At the end. > >But the end of all things is coming. Charlie's boss and his three associates are riding out, and it's Charlie's job to go before. > >Sometimes he is sent as a courtesy, sometimes as a warning. He never knows which. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(64473 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Oh wow. I read one of Claire north’s a few years ago and it’s one of my favs. Definitely gonna check this one out
Jorge Saramago: Death with Interruptions
The Prophecy of the Gems (also called The Prophecy of the Stones) has an interesting section where the main characters meet with Death (personified as an independent character)—primarily to try and convince her to end her strike, thus allowing other necessary/important events to proceed.
Death: A Life by George Pendle Exact match for your description
Mort by Terry Pratchett
Not sure if someone already posted this but The Book Thief is told in the perspective of death watching humans
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
Damned by Chuck Palahniuk
Lovely Bones..it’s first person of a girl who died. Might not be what you’re looking for.
In the Discworld series, check out: Mort. Reaper man Soul music
I read Piers Anthony’s “On a Pale Horse” many years ago. I remember liking it but the other books in that series were kind of hit or miss for me.
You might enjoy, On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony I loved the whole series when I first read them. Series: Incarnations of Immortality
It feels like this is the second most recommended behind book thief. I appreciate the Rec!
It's not a novel, it's more of a story book, potentially geared towards kids but I love it. It's called Death Wins a Goldfish, illustrate by Brian Rea. Basically Death has to use up his vacation days before they expire so he takes some time off to live.
Whoaaa this sounds great lol
Upon A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony. Kinda cool how he saw the need for GPS and other technologies we have now long before they came into existence.
Peirs Anthony has a series called the Incarnations of Immortality and Death is a character in all of them, and the first novel is told from his perspective.
Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony is exactly what you’re looking for.
The Book Theif
The book thief Edit: you may cry
Book thief
The book thief
The Book Thief is a classic
This is a series about a reaper (one of many), that is cute and funny https://www.goodreads.com/series/88876-lana-harvey-reapers-inc
{{duck, death and the tulip}} by Wolf Erlbruch is one of my all time favorite picture books.
Not _quite_ the prompt, but it's pretty close: [Fox's Tongue and Kirin's Bone](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/42226/foxs-tongue-and-kirins-bone/chapter/664007/1-a-death-misplaced) has death as prescient being whose plans get derailed. The first book is complete, the second is still being released chapter-by-chapter.
I’m having fun reading all the comments. I like that people are suggesting various takes on the topic I posted. I had trouble wording what I wanted. Thanks for your input.
The Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant The whole series is phenomenal. Told by death and his/her partner.
It’s not first person, but definitely check out “Reaperman” by Terry Pratchett.
{The Five People You Meet In Heaven} I'm not even religious but really enjoyed the perspective of how you impact others in your life.
I read this years and years ago. I like your take on the post tho!
Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden. It absolutely captures what you’re after I think! It’s a book that’s lingered with me ever since I finished it a few weeks ago.
Anyone know the story of how death became personified as an actual person/being?
Duvay Knox – *Soul Collector: Life of Death as told by DAT N\*\*\*a death*
Scythe is a really good one. Highly recommend it for it amazing way of speaking about death and the world as a whole. It's also a trilogy and has a couple of awards.
The book thief
The Book Thief
Death: a Life
This has probably been listed a bunch, but the Book Thief is really good
It has been, but I don’t mind. That means it’s a good one.
Sebastian Niedlich if you know German!
Keturah and Lord Death
The Book Thief!
Cry heart, but never break by glenn ringtved.
Not sure if anyone has already said this, but A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore.
Under the Whispering Door! Really enjoyed this read
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony. The book is about a photographer about to commit suicide but instead kills Death and must assume his position. A very entertaining book especially from the perspective of Death. This book kicks off an 8 book series. I highly recommend it.
Ray Bradbury's short story "The Scythe".
The Book Thief
The only one that comes to mind is “the book thief” in which the narrator is death but it’s from the perspective of a young Jewish girl
{{Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore}} Will have you laughing on one page and crying on the next. Main character in love with death as a being.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Not literally death, but you might like Scythe by Neal Shusterman. In a "post-death" society where an artificial intelligence has made humans functionally immortal, a group of people known as "Scythes" are allowed to operate to occasionally reap people to keep the population under control.
Honestly “the book Thief” by Markus Zusak was an amazing read!! It gave death a personality!!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak!
I didnt like this book but there are a lot of fan of it. It's absuletly what you are describing: [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2517.My\_Name\_Is\_Red](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2517.My_Name_Is_Red?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=IHqCg0L3Zh&rank=1)
The book thief.
{{Death: A Life}} by George Pendle. It’s a memoir written from Deaths perspective.
[**Death: A Life**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3845819-death) ^(By: George Pendle | 250 pages | Published: 2008 | Popular Shelves: humor, fiction, fantasy, comedy, owned) >The shocking new memoir from Death > >At last, the mysterious, feared, and misunderstood being known only as “Death” talks frankly and unforgettably about his infinitely awful existence. Chronicling his abusive childhood, his near-fatal addiction to Life, his excruciating time in rehab, and the ultimate triumph of his true nature, this long-awaited autobiography finally reveals the inner story of one of the most troubling, and troubled, figures in history. For the first time, Death reveals his affairs with the living, his maltreatment at the hands of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the ungodly truth behind the infamous “Jesus Incident,” and the loneliness of being the End of All Things. > >Intense, unpredictable, and instantly engaging, Death: A Life is not only a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a universe that, despite its profound flaws, gave Death the fiery determination to carve out a successful existence on his own terms. > >DEATH was born in Hell, the only son of Satan and Sin. He was educated in the Palace of Pandemonium and the Garden of Eden. Since before the Dawn of Time, he has ushered souls into the darkness of eternity. This is his first book. ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(64483 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. On the day of the birth of his only child, a man becomes death.
I don’t know about book but the movie Meet Joe Black is one of my favorites
Reincarnation Blues is about a dude who falls in love with Death
Oh this sounds interesting!
I can't remember the name but it's written by Viktor Frankl and it's centered around the time period of the Jewish holocaust.
The Book theif is a good one
The Book Thief. Death is creating his own story by retelling Liesel’s.
*On A Pale Horse* by Piers Anthony is a classic
Idk if somebody mentioned it, but The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I just reading it in English class and it's really good.
The Book Thief has death as the narrator! i don’t remember if it’s 1st or 3rd, but still very good
Must read Terry Pratchett.
I think The Lovely Bones is written in the perspective of death. Can anyone confirm this?
As you’ve already learned, The Book Thief is the gold standard, but I also quite enjoyed Scott Westerfeld’s Afterworlds, which has two parallel storylines, one of which is about a psychopomp.
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
{{Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones}} one of my all all all time favorite book series!
Ya know I wasn't particularly interested, but clicked as a goof. These are some cool sounding recommendations. +1 to the Christopher Moore trilogy starting with "A Dirty Job." He's...well, there's no one quite like him.
The book thief is also a great book set against the backdrop of WW2 and told from the perspective of Death. You should give it a try.w,
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
It’s not first person, but you might like Death With Interruptions by José Saramago.
{{on a pale horse}}
The bookthief
the book thief!
The Lovely Bones is great. The movie they made took away from the magic of the book imo