Planet of Death

by Robert Silverberg

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. 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.