What if the legand of the Grim Reaper was real. What if a person was selected to assume the role of the Grim Reaper. A person with a strong sense of Justice, but also demanding revenge. Given the power of death with a single touch. A cross between Ghost Rider and the Punisher.
Just a few thoughts that come to mind.
Considering that the MC must average 200,000 deaths per day over the next 100 years, the story must be constrained to a very few select individual deaths.
That said, while revenge and justice make a good story, a compassionate death or two might appeal to a broader audience.
Another constraint could be that the MC does not get to choose who dies but may choose where and how.
On what level does the MC interact with those chosen for death?
Edit to add: For all I know, there might be a Grim Reaper Corps so the 200,000 per day figure may not apply to our MC.
Great story, the first of his books I read. And for those that do not now, "Death" himself in the book does not have to appear for every death, only for those who's souls are close to balance, so he can assess them to determine where they go. Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.
Dead Like Me is a TV series which the creators admit was inspired by Pale Horse. Death is a job, and individuals have to "reap" people when they die. They do this for as long as needed, until an unknown quota is filled and they themselves are able to move on.
Given the power of death with a single touch. A cross between Ghost Rider and the Punisher.
That wouldn't be the grim reaper in my opinion. The grim reaper (angel/incarnation of death) would be a neutral power.
Death comes to all in the proper time.
By the way, over all, the Ghost Rider has a higher body count than the Punisher.
Ghost rider can kill without touching. If you are guilty, his penance stare will burn your soul.
There was a TV series called Reaper about a boy whose parents sold him to the devil. While ostensibly working in a DIY store, he was forced to go on missions to capture the souls of those who had escaped from Hell, and since they were bad he was actually doing a good think.
It only lasted two seasons but I rather enjoyed it.
AJ
I remember that!
I liked it too... but I liked Kyle XY and Chuck and Firefly and a bunch of other failed series so I think I might be a TV Series Jonah.
Firefly and a bunch of other failed series
Technically, Firefly was not a failed series, Firefly was a failure by the network.
Especially that when you consider, by standards for failure (did a series last 7 seasons, which is enough for reruns and residuals), that Star Trek was a failed series.
From what I can gather from the internet (and we all know if it's on the internet it's true) the original legend of the Grim Reaper first appeared during the Bubonic Plage. I was postulating that the Reaper was only going to be responsible for collecting "certain" souls. Those deserving of death but that had escaped it somehow. As stated before, all people die...the Reaper only collects those deserving of his special touch. I think it could be a good story line (if I only knew how to write or had the time. I know I would like to read it.
Rlfj has certainly created a variant of the trope you seek.
Graham (Grim) Reaper is a not too smart, lower middle class ordinary guy who just wants to marry his girl and have a family.
From the earliest age he has learned to defend those weaker than him, even if it means being hospitalized.
Through lack of other options he becomes a soldier, one who finds he cannot miss and no matter how wounded, does not die. Out of the army, even though suffering PTSD he becomes a Cop. He confronts evil and although never instigating violence, evil and violence come to him and the body count keeps mounting.
The story covers the normal romance, coming of age, small town boy made good and military fiction plot lines, with a believable flawed MC. Buried beneath that are the tropes of justice personified and reaper of souls who does so because that is his roll in the world.
Well worth a read, its free on SOL. I paid for my copy, rlfj is Rollie Lawson on Amazon for those who care.
You should be a reviewer. I like your short but correct and to the point descriptions of the heart of a story.
Thanks for that vote of confidence.
Its not on my list of things to commit to at the moment, time and internet access not always being available.
Ooo thanks for that info. Rlfj is one of my many favorites here. Will love to see what he has available on Amazon. In case he sees this I have to take a teeny tiny potshots though. Graham Reaper should have gone airborne not been a leg in the 10th. ;)
In a completely different genre, from commercial dead tree press, Death in Terry Pratchet's humorous Discworld series is the personification of the Grim Reaper, appearing in person for everyone. "There is no justice, Just Me."
Wizards and Witches get the benefit of being able to see him doing his rounds, and they also know the date and time of their death, allowing them to put their affairs in order.
He has a tiny sidekick in the Death of Rats.
One story arc has Death adopting a human daughter and taking an apprentice. When they die Death gets a bad case of the Feels and goes on holiday. This creates a vaccuum in nature that drags his human granddaughter in, as someone needs to be running the family business.
You also have the TV series "Dead Like Me". Where like On A Pale Horse, Grim Reapers are people who died and are basically in limbo. They gather soles of those close to balance until they have collected enough to earn their way to Heaven.
I like Disc World's Death. The whole setting is much more high brow than Pers's. he doesn't take his approach to writing too seriously either. Terry Pratchett you will be missed.
"Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.
No one ever said elves are nice.
Elves are bad."
― Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies
Now to put my own two cents in on the Grim Reaper, i have to believe that he has other being under his "employ" that handle the leg work. Because if he did it all himself that would make him a dark santa claus in someways. If you want examples of this the series "bleach" and "dead like me" are perfect examples.
Definitely check out Piers Anthony's "Incarnations of Immortality" 8-book series. He covers all of the Four Horsemen, as well as Father Time, God and Satan, if I recall. Each book goes over a specific character, so it really delves deep. Typical Anthony quality and good for kids of all ages.
I think my favorite was 'On a Pale Horse', but 'Wielding a Red Sword' was also very top notch. They will definitely make you think!
Speaking of Piers Anthony you must check out his Xanth books. Some of the funniest stories ever. Puns galore.
Try The Saint by Leslie Charteris. The books, not the cheesy TV series. Set in the 1930s mostly, the Hero, with his changing cast of deputy saints, does away with many undesirable individuals, mostly of the sort that cannot be brought to justice by the dull Englishg policemen. Of course, Simon Templar comes away from each serving of justice with a load of boodle, seeing that he specialised in terrorising white collar criminals, human traffickers and the 1930s' versions of drug dealers.