Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Sound of Songs Across the Water” as Want to Read:
The Sound of Songs Across the Water
by
The Sound of Songs Across the Water begins in July of 1995, in the hills above Los Angeles, with a man ringing a doorbell and chasing a dream, three thousand long miles from home.
It’s the summer of 1995, and in the hills above Los Angeles, Riley Oliver is trying to find redemption in rock ‘n’ roll. Fifteen years have passed since his band flamed out at CBGB, and Riley sees
...moreGet A Copy
Paperback, 270 pages
Published
September 24th 2013
by MP Publishing Ltd
(first published June 11th 2013)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Sound of Songs Across the Water,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about The Sound of Songs Across the Water
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-47

Start your review of The Sound of Songs Across the Water

Beautiful writing! This is an Indie type book for me all around, oozing with soul and heart and honesty. The unusual story and writing captured me from the start. Conversation so real the reader is there. Emotions transmit to the reader transcendently.
The balance of music and people is perfect. The intertwining of their lives and creations at various points serves as a palette from which the author designs a masterpiece.
I loved everything about this book, the characters, the story, and most es ...more
The balance of music and people is perfect. The intertwining of their lives and creations at various points serves as a palette from which the author designs a masterpiece.
I loved everything about this book, the characters, the story, and most es ...more

It's no easy thing to write about music, but Rob Yardumian blends his skills as a novelist and musician to tell the story of a charged summer when two men--a producer and a songwriter--set out to redeem their troubled history and rebuild their friendship by collaborating on a record. Complicating their already strained relationship is the producer's wife, whose sexual restlessness and burgeoning need to find her own niche in the music world further complicates the men's efforts to find common gr
...more

Goodreads Win Copy
It’s been over 15 years since Riley Oliver and Will Taylor last seen each other since that fatal night that lead to their separate paths. Riley lands on Will’s door step one day in June wanting him to produce his record. Will knows deep down it is a bad idea as bad things occur when Riley is around but he cannot help himself trying to relive the past.
Riley’s past fifteen years has lead him to be a manager at a video store where he becomes a bit of a movie junkie. Suddenly he ...more
It’s been over 15 years since Riley Oliver and Will Taylor last seen each other since that fatal night that lead to their separate paths. Riley lands on Will’s door step one day in June wanting him to produce his record. Will knows deep down it is a bad idea as bad things occur when Riley is around but he cannot help himself trying to relive the past.
Riley’s past fifteen years has lead him to be a manager at a video store where he becomes a bit of a movie junkie. Suddenly he ...more

I love this book. I’m so jealous of Yardumian’s skill. This is the story of two guys who used to be in a band together. Fifteen years ago, something happened and they broke up. Will Taylor is now a record producer in Los Angeles, assisted by his wife Lena. One day, his former bandmate Riley Oliver shows up at the door. He has written some songs and wants to record them. Will agrees, and Riley moves into his pool house for the summer to write and record. Will the magic they shared long ago come b
...more

A terrifically evocative piece of storytelling. Can the simple act of making music together heal a 15-year-old rift between ex-bandmates? Or will the same kinds of differences that drove them apart in the past manifest themselves in new and unpredictable ways? Complex, engaging, and beautifully written, The Sound of Songs Across the Water sets three rich, multifaceted characters on a collision course and explores the ensuing wreckage with the lyricism of a songwriter. Of all the stories I've eve
...more

Goodreads Win
The book started off, in my opinion, disjointed and somewhat difficult to follow. But as the story progresses it's easier to follow each character's thought processes and you understand them more readily. All in all, an enjoyable and entertaining read that I would recommend to any reader. ...more
The book started off, in my opinion, disjointed and somewhat difficult to follow. But as the story progresses it's easier to follow each character's thought processes and you understand them more readily. All in all, an enjoyable and entertaining read that I would recommend to any reader. ...more

This compelling debut novel is more than a "rock novel," though certainly Rob Yardumian writes with passion and authority regarding songwriting and playing. He heats up the lives of three people with a wonderfully rendered chemistry of ambition, jealousy, love, lust and regrets. A five star rating for Rob Yardumian!
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Rob Yardumian was born in Southern California and grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. After graduating from the University of Virginia, he moved back west in 1986 to embark on a career in the music business. He spent ten years performing several jobs, including Managing Editor of Cash Box magazine and Creative Director for Burt Bacharach’s music publishing company. His most enjoyable stint
...more
News & Interviews
Psychological thrillers that will leave your head spinning. Cold cases, detectives hot on a trail, unreliable narrators, and a dash of poison...
153 likes · 87 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »