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Death and the Dragon
Sequel to the award-winning 2024 IAN Humor Book of the Death and the Taxman
Death and the Dragon is the wild ride through Hell that Dante wished he’d had. Demons, nightmares, and bureaucrats await the Grim Reaper as he scrambles to stop a coup in Hell, forestall Armageddon, and rescue the Devil himself.
After Lucifer played fast and loose with the Rules governing soul management—after he stole Abigail’s soul without Judgment—Grim storms into Hell to have words with the Lord of Lies. But one does not just waltz in demanding to speak with the Dragon. There are receptionists to battle, forms to complete, and minotaurs to charm.
Oh, and a coup by Nigel the Demigod to stop.
But what happens when Hell’s new leadership starts pulling the living into Hell before their time? When they bypass Death and threaten premature Armageddon? For Grim, there is no greater sin, and he will tear Hell apart to set things right, even if it costs his soul.
Death is coming, and Hell will never be the same.
Written in the lighthearted styles of Sir Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, Death and the Dragon is a humorous contemporary fantasy about friendship, family, and fighting against all odds for what’s right. Death and the Dragon is the sequel to Death and the Taxman, which readers and critics alike called “wildly fun,” “laugh-out-loud funny,” and “absolutely hilarious!”
Death and the Dragon is the wild ride through Hell that Dante wished he’d had. Demons, nightmares, and bureaucrats await the Grim Reaper as he scrambles to stop a coup in Hell, forestall Armageddon, and rescue the Devil himself.
After Lucifer played fast and loose with the Rules governing soul management—after he stole Abigail’s soul without Judgment—Grim storms into Hell to have words with the Lord of Lies. But one does not just waltz in demanding to speak with the Dragon. There are receptionists to battle, forms to complete, and minotaurs to charm.
Oh, and a coup by Nigel the Demigod to stop.
But what happens when Hell’s new leadership starts pulling the living into Hell before their time? When they bypass Death and threaten premature Armageddon? For Grim, there is no greater sin, and he will tear Hell apart to set things right, even if it costs his soul.
Death is coming, and Hell will never be the same.
Written in the lighthearted styles of Sir Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, Death and the Dragon is a humorous contemporary fantasy about friendship, family, and fighting against all odds for what’s right. Death and the Dragon is the sequel to Death and the Taxman, which readers and critics alike called “wildly fun,” “laugh-out-loud funny,” and “absolutely hilarious!”
438 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2025
4 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
David Hankins
14 books26 followersAward-winning author David Hankins writes from the thriving cornfields of Iowa where he lives with his wife, daughter, and two dragons disguised as cats. David joined the US Army after college and, through some glitch in the bureaucracy, convinced Uncle Sam to fund his wanderlust for twenty years. He has lived in and traveled through much of Europe, central Asia, and the United States. Now that he’s retired from the Army, David is devoted to his passions of writing, traveling with his family, and finding new ways to pay his mortgage.
You can find him at https://davidhankins.com
You can find him at https://davidhankins.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 30, 2025
Awesome adventure!
I went in expecting the read similar to "Death and the Taxman", but this book had a completely different vibe!
Fast-paced, action-packed, mysterious... It was so much more than I expected!
And... it described cats in all their glory, which was simply perfect! 😏 Great read! Highly recommended!
I went in expecting the read similar to "Death and the Taxman", but this book had a completely different vibe!
Fast-paced, action-packed, mysterious... It was so much more than I expected!
And... it described cats in all their glory, which was simply perfect! 😏 Great read! Highly recommended!
February 4, 2025
I really love Mr. Hankins taje on Death. This is an extremely fun read that will keep you flipping pages to see where the story goes next. This is one of the books that juggles world building, character development, and plot masterfully. I really did not expect to enjoy it bearky as much as I did. Just remember, no matter what anyone may say... a storm cloud is everyone's nightmare stleast once in their life and can grow to strengths beyond measure 🌩🌪⚡️😆
January 18, 2025
Death and the Dragon is the follow-up to Death and the Taxman, and what a follow-up this is! David Hankins has once again crafted a truly hilarious, engaging novel.
There are surprises, twists, tension, and laughter (in truth, I literally laughed out loud MANY times). In this wonderful tome, we get to dive even deeper into this universe and experience the Grim Reaper growing as a character. There are countless Easter eggs for fans of David Hankins’s other works, and the writing is impeccable!
I blazed through this novel even faster than its predecessor, and now I am slightly disheartened by the fact that I have to wait for the next book in this series. This is a great place to be. It’s indicative of just how masterfully David Hankins has captured me as a reader and has guaranteed I’ll be here for the next story. And the one after that. And so on and so on.
Well done, sir! You’ve written another enjoyable read that every of your fans will enjoy! Keep ‘em coming!
There are surprises, twists, tension, and laughter (in truth, I literally laughed out loud MANY times). In this wonderful tome, we get to dive even deeper into this universe and experience the Grim Reaper growing as a character. There are countless Easter eggs for fans of David Hankins’s other works, and the writing is impeccable!
I blazed through this novel even faster than its predecessor, and now I am slightly disheartened by the fact that I have to wait for the next book in this series. This is a great place to be. It’s indicative of just how masterfully David Hankins has captured me as a reader and has guaranteed I’ll be here for the next story. And the one after that. And so on and so on.
Well done, sir! You’ve written another enjoyable read that every of your fans will enjoy! Keep ‘em coming!
February 25, 2025
In the follow up to Death and the Taxman, David Hankins continues the story of Death with his new apprentice. The two have different ways of conducting business, and the skills of each are starting to create some struggles and solve some other problems.
At the end of the first book Death took on the taxman as his new apprentice. Why not give a position to the person who was able to trick him into swapping souls.
The two reapers find themselves in the bureaucratic halls of hell and there is even more going on than was originally thought. It takes both to navigate the issues and make their way forward on the investigation. Along the way they meet up with Abigail as she is making her escape from Hell with the help of a small dragon, Conrad. The pair are on the cover.
The small team delve deeper and find more problems that raise Grim’s determination to get to the bottom of what is happening in Hell.
Death works through all of this and finds himself in a position with the Devel that he never considered he would be in.
The mashup of setting is a fun visual to give Hell. There are plenty of fun references to Dante’s description and how that plays into religious stories. Then settling on top of that is the upgrade of the dimension that was introduced in the first book, Hell is a bureaucracy. It is pointed out that having to work through the modern-day drudgeries of a bureaucracy and other aspects like telemarketing and IT support would make an ideal Hell.
If you read the short story or the first novel extending the short, you already know what to expect. I was expecting a continuation with the fun flow of events, and that is what I got.
I was able to read through the story without having to set it aside to figure out the references being made, nor did I feel like the story was being rushed to get me to a particular point. The pacing of events played out well.
I recommend Death and the Dragon for those who want a fun faster paced fantasy story with classical references.
You can read the complete review at https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...
At the end of the first book Death took on the taxman as his new apprentice. Why not give a position to the person who was able to trick him into swapping souls.
The two reapers find themselves in the bureaucratic halls of hell and there is even more going on than was originally thought. It takes both to navigate the issues and make their way forward on the investigation. Along the way they meet up with Abigail as she is making her escape from Hell with the help of a small dragon, Conrad. The pair are on the cover.
The small team delve deeper and find more problems that raise Grim’s determination to get to the bottom of what is happening in Hell.
Death works through all of this and finds himself in a position with the Devel that he never considered he would be in.
The mashup of setting is a fun visual to give Hell. There are plenty of fun references to Dante’s description and how that plays into religious stories. Then settling on top of that is the upgrade of the dimension that was introduced in the first book, Hell is a bureaucracy. It is pointed out that having to work through the modern-day drudgeries of a bureaucracy and other aspects like telemarketing and IT support would make an ideal Hell.
If you read the short story or the first novel extending the short, you already know what to expect. I was expecting a continuation with the fun flow of events, and that is what I got.
I was able to read through the story without having to set it aside to figure out the references being made, nor did I feel like the story was being rushed to get me to a particular point. The pacing of events played out well.
I recommend Death and the Dragon for those who want a fun faster paced fantasy story with classical references.
You can read the complete review at https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...
January 28, 2025
This eagerly-awaited sequel to author David Hankin's Death and the Taxman picks up the pace as we continue the absurd but believable adventures of the Grim Reaper himself. If you haven't yet read the first book, do that now!
I hope I'm not the only one that noticed a parallel to The Wizard of Oz in Grim's journey. Hear me out. Dorothy, I mean Grim, is off to see the Devil, the wonderful Devil of Hell. He needs to follow the yellow bri--- seven-ish levels of Hell to reach the goal. His companion is a little dog, er, dragon named Conrad, who does not ride to Hell in a handbasket. But like a small yappy dog, Conrad is rather adorable in an annoying way. Grim's goal is to thwart a coup and find the Wizard, er, Devil and get everything set to rights again. Along the road, there are delays, detours, and distractions galore, just like Dorothy faced in Oz. And like Dorothy, Grim gathers friends along the way. I think I've played the comparison out now, but I really did feel the Oz vibe more than once.
If you've ever struggled with a telemarketer, or had to grapple with IT support, or lost your mind to elevator muzak, or had to fill out a government form, or paid taxes, or taken a number and stood in line, or maybe you just really like cats - if you nodded your head at any of these situations, this series is for you. It's both a salute to the annoyances of modern life and a well-researched deep dive into religious concepts mankind has held dear for centuries.
And it's really, really funny.
I hope I'm not the only one that noticed a parallel to The Wizard of Oz in Grim's journey. Hear me out. Dorothy, I mean Grim, is off to see the Devil, the wonderful Devil of Hell. He needs to follow the yellow bri--- seven-ish levels of Hell to reach the goal. His companion is a little dog, er, dragon named Conrad, who does not ride to Hell in a handbasket. But like a small yappy dog, Conrad is rather adorable in an annoying way. Grim's goal is to thwart a coup and find the Wizard, er, Devil and get everything set to rights again. Along the road, there are delays, detours, and distractions galore, just like Dorothy faced in Oz. And like Dorothy, Grim gathers friends along the way. I think I've played the comparison out now, but I really did feel the Oz vibe more than once.
If you've ever struggled with a telemarketer, or had to grapple with IT support, or lost your mind to elevator muzak, or had to fill out a government form, or paid taxes, or taken a number and stood in line, or maybe you just really like cats - if you nodded your head at any of these situations, this series is for you. It's both a salute to the annoyances of modern life and a well-researched deep dive into religious concepts mankind has held dear for centuries.
And it's really, really funny.
May 7, 2025
Death and the Dragon is a laugh-out-loud, genre-bending romp through the bureaucracy of Hell that somehow manages to be both wildly absurd and brilliantly sharp. David Hankins delivers a sequel that ups the ante with wit, heart, and chaos—Grim the Reaper is once again the most relatable undead hero you'll ever root for. Between charming minotaur's, demonic paperwork, and an infernal coup, this book had me hooked from page one. Fans of Death and the Taxman will not be disappoint this is Pratchett-style satire at its finest.
January 16, 2025
Grim is back with a problem only Cora (my favorite character) and her apothecary shop items can solve. I love David Hankins' writing! His scene descriptions are perfect. I love his sense of humor. All IT departments are run in Hell. This part of the book is hilarious! I was rolling on the floor, grabbing my gut, while my eyes were leaking, I was laughing so hard! Holy Guacamole!
November 20, 2025
Love this sequel! Stays true to Grim's character while expanding the world and his relationships. Overall, very fun read
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews