Planet of Death (novel)


Planet of Death is a science fiction novel by American writer Robert Silverberg, originally published in 1967.

Plot

The novel takes place in the future, and tells the story of a human hunter named Roy Crawford who is framed for murder on the alien planet Vellirian. The story begins with a successful hunt for coveted yang fur on a planet inhabited by people who are well versed in medicine. He is knocked out and wakes to find himself being charged with murder. Found guilty, he is given two choices, either life in prison or permanent exile within 3 days. The only ship departing the planet in time to avoid prison is an exploration corps ship that only takes scientists. A friend helps him smuggle himself on board. Crawford impersonates one of the scientists expected to board the ship for the ship's next expedition while his friend arranges for the real scientist he is impersonating to miss his ride.
On board ship, Crawford is on his way to the mysterious, yet to be explored, 7th world in star system z-16 of the Andromeda galaxy, to determine suitability for human colonization, never knowing how fortunate the crew is to have a hunter on board instead of the ecologist he is impersonating. Unknown to Crawford, his secret: that he isn't really a scientist, a violation of corps rules, has been found out by the ship's biologist, whose life Crawford saved from a man-eating jungle tree. The biologist tells him the murderer who framed him is on board. Planet 7 is a brutally hostile, untamable jungle world of carnivorous plants and animals embattled in a constant struggle between life and death. Life here is short, death cruel, sudden, and nightmarishly quick. Crawford quickly finds himself in a struggle between life and death both from outside the ship and inside as the crew begins to mutiny against its Captain who refuses to abandon the planet. It is at that point that the murderer who framed Crawford seizes his opportunity to try and kill him and make it look like he is yet another victim claimed by a planet too violent and dangerous to colonize.