The Final Eight Seconds, by Olivia Godat

Joey McBride, a rodeo cowboy, is thrown and severely injured by a mean-tempered bull. As he lies in a hospital bed, an angel appears at his side and tells him that she is a procurement agent delivering him to the Disbursement Department, where a Committee will determine his ultimate fate based on his life story. Joey is hesitant to go with her, as he has not attended church in many years and fears that he will not be deemed worthy.

Olivia Godat’s The Final Eight Seconds is a thought-provoking exploration of man’s weaknesses and ultimate end. Through Joey’s story, she examines the power of faith and the choices we make in life, and the consequences that follow.