Song of the Sound

by Adam Armstrong

An unforgettable story of love and adventure set in one of the world’s last unspoiled wildernesses.

For Libby Bass, expert in whale and dolphin communication, the job in New Zealand seems like the perfect opportunity. She can provide a home for her daughter while she studies the marine creatures she loves. When she meets John-Cody Gibbs whose understanding of wildlife is so profound as to be almost magical, it seems she has found the perfect man. But John-Cody is still grieving the loss of Mahina, the woman he had loved for more than twenty years. And he has a dark secret in his past and enemies who are more than ready to use it to destroy his earthly paradise.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Fiction, Roman, Romance

329 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Jeff Gulvin, writing under the pseudonym Adam Armstrong, is the author of nine novels and is currently producing a new series set in the American West. His previous titles include three books starring maverick detective Aden Vanner and another three featuring FBI agent Harrison, as well as two novels originally published under the pseudonym Adam Armstrong, his great-grandfather’s name. He received acclaim for ghostwriting Long Way Down, the prize-winning account of a motorcycle trip from Scotland to the southern tip of Africa by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. The breadth of Gulvin’s fiction is vast, and his style has been described as commercial with just the right amount of literary polish. His stories range from hard-boiled crime to big-picture thriller to sweeping romance. Half English and half Scottish, Gulvin has always held a deep affection for the United States. He and his wife spend as much time in America as possible, particularly southern Idaho, their starting point for road-trip research missions to Nevada, Texas, or Louisiana, depending on where the next story takes them.

Reviews

[Floor tussendeboeken]

Ik kon er maar niet in komen. Helaas niet het juiste boek voor mij.

[Mlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een verhaal dat traag op gang kwam (nog langzamer dan bijvoorbeeld de zeven zussen) en met herhalende gesprekken (als ik niet op vakantie was geweest, en weinig boeken tot mijn beschikking had gehad, weet ik niet of ik had doorgezet). Gelukkig kwam het richting het einde met de spanning en het tempo helemaal goed en ik vond de karakters op zich wel leuk, vooral Bree. Soms een beetje cliché, maar dat mag wel in een liefdesverhaal én inclusief veel walvissen en dolfijnen :) dat helpt ook als je op een walvissenreis bent.

[Rachel (Sfogs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story, with amazing details of the Milford Sounds, all interweaved to create a magic kiwi tale. All written by a man in England! I'm impressed!

[Maria Carmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book when I read it, years ago. It's left a deep impression on me which still remains after ten years...

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading a book set in my own country. It was was beautifully written and really made the Fjords come to life - so magical. I loved the adventure it took me on, sailing to the Auckland islands, whale watching, birds singing and the beauty of the Sounds. I felt like I back on one of NZs great walks! Not to mention I loved the characters (neither kiwis but from uk and USA) and looking through their eyes on how they see NZ. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Andrea Broadhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book of maori cultural beliefs, societal value, romance and love. Love of the land, the sea and all nature holds, and the love between people. Connection spiritually to nature and tipuna. This book spoke to my heart.
Set in Nzs beautiful southern sounds. I thoroughly loved this book. The best of 24books I read in 2024

[Pat Raab · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story and excellent research. Highly recommended.
This book brought back wonderful memories of my too brief visit to South Island.

[Luna Buwalda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story, with a lot of details on nature and marine life. The end of the book was so exciting that I kept on reading until the end of the book.

[Marie Kooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prachtig verhaal

[Wendy Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to put down - good story line, but wish the author had done more research on Maori as was quite out of kilter with general understanding of wairua.

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this story, and I wonder why I haven't read this book before. I bought it years ago at the airport, when I was waiting for my plane to depart. I thought it would be a good book to read at my holiday destination: not too difficult, just a holiday easy-read. I didn't read during that holiday, and not during the years there after. Now I've read it, and I regret I haven't read it earlier.

It's a nice story situated in New-Zealand on Southland. I've checked the names of places mentioned in the book. The story is fiction, but a wonderful description of nature, of plantlife and marine life. It's also a story about economic progress and the need of people to find a living. This is the main conflict in the book. The protagonists want to protect the beautiful nature, their opponents want to make the environment attractive for tourism, without caring about the impact on marine life.

It's also a love story, about the loss of a loved one, the struggle to live on, and to find - after some trouble - new hope and happiness.

I will certainly re-read this book, because I read the last half in a hurry, because I wanted to know, what the end would be, so I skimmed through the lines, not reading all the beautiful descriptions of New-Zealand's nature.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's something calm about this book.
It's as though you get hit by waves and just when you think you're sinking- some kind of peace overcomes you and everything becomes just fine.

Building up on John-Cody's life, he's wanted by the FBI- moves to New Zealand, finds the love of his life- and she dies and no one can ever take her place not until Libby comes into town.

I loved how the story started out and gradually built up till the end. It was an even pace read and it even had me empathizing with John, and hoping that he gets to move on again.
I do wish that somehow Pole, got his peace too- because it seems as though he was stuck with a wife who did not love him much and always demanded for things to work out in her own way. I wish he had some peace too.

As for the characters, Bree would grow on you as a twelve year old that's jumping all over the place and saying things as they are.
Libby comes off strong, uncertain at times with Bree- and that's what makes her come off as the mother.

It's a good read.
Loved it, and would recommend it to anyone who feels as though they are sinking deeper and deeper in their despair after losing a loved one.

[Wiske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een mix tussen romantiek en het natuurbehoud van de oceanen en specifiek de soorten dolfijnen.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Het boek kwam traag op gang met zeer veel details over zeilen, dolfijnen, walvissen en de natuur waardoor de Nieuw-Zeelandse fjorden echt tot leven komen. Eenmaal halverwege het boek bevind je je in een intens en onvergetelijk verhaal over het leven in al zijn facetten. Zeker een aanrader!

[Froukje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als je van Armstrong houdt zeker weer een aanrader :) Leest gewoon weer lekker weg ondanks dat het onderwerp weer wat zwaarder is.

[Andrea Venderbos-smit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi liefdesverhaal, leest heerlijk weg.

[Liina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book I didn't want it to end. I felt like I've been to the Fiordlands NZ on a steel ketch watching dolphins and whales for the past week

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an amazing book! So beautifully written. Sometimes I really wanted the storyline to hurry though (impatient) but it did not make me want to stop reading! I finished it in about 4 days!

[Wilma Krom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik vond het een leuk en aangenaam boek. Prachtige beschrijvingen van het Zuider eiland in New Sealand.