“What are you most afraid of, Timothy? Living or dying?”
Le Livre des crânes Title:
The Book of Skulls
Le Livre des crânes

Author: Robert Silverberg

Year: 1972

Score:

Four students are organising a journey across the United States, in search of a mysterious religious community that is said to have unlocked the secret of immortality…
According to the information they’ve gathered, attaining eternal life involves a rite in which four people take part. During this rite, it is said that two of them will be sacrificed…

The chapters are narrated in turn by the four characters, presenting their different perspectives and states of mind.
It’s a fairly short book that feels rather long…

I warn you, the ending is classic Silverberg: completely absent!