''Death's Deputy'' is a

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

novel by author

L. Ron Hubbard Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (March 13, 1911 – January 24, 1986) was an American author, primarily of science fiction and fantasy stories, who is best known for having founded the Church of Scientology. In 1950, Hubbard authored '' Dianeti ...

. ''Death's Deputy'' was first published in book form in 1948 by

Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc., or FPCI, was an American science fiction and Fantasy fiction, fantasy small press specialty publishing company established in 1946. It was the fourth small press company founded by William L. Crawford. Craw ...

in an edition of 700 copies. The novel originally appeared in the February 1940 issue of the magazine ''

Unknown Unknown or The Unknown may refer to: Film * ''The Unknown'' (1915 comedy film), a silent boxing film * ''The Unknown'' (1915 drama film) * ''The Unknown'' (1927 film), a silent horror film starring Lon Chaney * ''The Unknown'' (1936 film), a ...

''.

Plot introduction

air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

pilot is unnaturally accident-prone and seemingly cannot be killed.

Publication history

*1940, US, ''

'' *1948, US,

, hardcover, first book publication *1951, France,

Hachette Livre Hachette () is a French publisher. Founded in 1826 by Louis Hachette as Brédif, the company later became L. Hachette et Compagnie, Librairie Hachette, Hachette SA and Hachette Livre in France. After acquiring an Australian publisher, Hachette ...

, hardcover, as ''Le Bras de la mort'' *1954, Italy, Urania 37, hardcover, as ''L'uomo che no poteva morire'' *1971, US,

Leisure Books Leisure Books was a mass market paperback publisher specializing in horror and thrillers that operated from 1957 to 2010. In the company's early years, it also published fantasy, science fiction, Westerns, and the Wildlife Treasury card series ...

, paperback

References

1948 American novels American fantasy novels English-language novels Novels by L. Ron Hubbard Novels about death Works originally published in Unknown (magazine) Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. books {{1940s-fantasy-novel-stub