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GODS OF SOUND: The Perilous Path of Cameron Foster
With few friends and fewer hopes, Cameron Foster is consistently bullied at school. He finds solace with his battered guitar. He is as skilled with it as Harry Potter is with a wand. Into his life enters a mysterious woman in her late twenties, clad in black leather like a reincarnated Joan Jett. She observes him, soon rocking his world. But tragedy strikes and Cameron winds up under the influence of a strange and reclusive billionaire. Has he landed in a deadly secret cult? He struggles to find out before it's too late.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2021
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Q.M. Schaffer
1 book3 followersSchaffer graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA Journalism degree and serves on the USC Annenberg Alumni Advisory Board. He spent most of his career at HBO overseeing publicity for such shows as Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Wire, Big Little Lies, Girls, Euphoria and many more. There, he witnessed first-hand master storytelling at its best. He left HBO a year ago and now writes full-time working on novels, screenplays and an animated series.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 24, 2021
Life with an alcoholic, emotionally unavailable mother is not easy, especially when bullies at school complicate matters away from home. Ten year old Cameron spends much of his time alone, as inconspicuous as possible, with his foundling guitar as his primary refuge. Unfortunately, laying low is not always enough to stave off the ire of others. When a woman clad in black leather appears in his life one day, though, Cameron’s world begins to change. He finds himself on an unexpected musical journey that tests his talents in ways he never imagined.
This story blends a number of familiar tales into a unique approach to the young adult genre. While the primary character, Cameron, is ten, the characters range into their twenties and beyond and occasional swearing and brief allusions to violence and abuse are included. Moments reminiscent of School of Rock and Harry Potter occur in the story, but several red herrings take readers on surprising paths as the narrative progresses. Struggling to fit in, Cameron must dig deep to embrace the skills he has while facing complicated and sometimes perilous situations.
Focused heavily on the guitar, references to popular American music are made throughout the story. With each new addition of particular celebrities and song titles, readers can easily imagine a soundtrack to accompany the narrative. Even those unfamiliar with music in general or the guitar specifically will appreciate the abilities of the characters in this story as they are described in the text.
Written for a young adult audience, this book will appeal to mature middle grade readers, as well, due to Cameron’s struggles in middle school and the general desire to find a place for himself. The plot moves easily through longer chapters, and readers will be interested in learning what happens in the subsequent installment. Readers who have ever felt a sense of otherness will empathize with Cameron’s plight and root for him as he emerges from his shell.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
This story blends a number of familiar tales into a unique approach to the young adult genre. While the primary character, Cameron, is ten, the characters range into their twenties and beyond and occasional swearing and brief allusions to violence and abuse are included. Moments reminiscent of School of Rock and Harry Potter occur in the story, but several red herrings take readers on surprising paths as the narrative progresses. Struggling to fit in, Cameron must dig deep to embrace the skills he has while facing complicated and sometimes perilous situations.
Focused heavily on the guitar, references to popular American music are made throughout the story. With each new addition of particular celebrities and song titles, readers can easily imagine a soundtrack to accompany the narrative. Even those unfamiliar with music in general or the guitar specifically will appreciate the abilities of the characters in this story as they are described in the text.
Written for a young adult audience, this book will appeal to mature middle grade readers, as well, due to Cameron’s struggles in middle school and the general desire to find a place for himself. The plot moves easily through longer chapters, and readers will be interested in learning what happens in the subsequent installment. Readers who have ever felt a sense of otherness will empathize with Cameron’s plight and root for him as he emerges from his shell.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
March 20, 2021
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite
Gods of Sound: The Perilous Path of Cameron Foster is an exciting cross between a slice of life and urban fantasy. Written by QM Schaffer, this young adult novel takes you into the life of ten-year-old Cameron Foster, a guitar prodigy whose soft-spoken and painfully shy demeanor has made him a target of school bullying. Along comes a leather-clad girl who finds talent in Cameron and who seems to act like a badass fairy godmother for the young boy. When Cameron faces a personal tragedy, the leather-clad girl, who is eventually introduced as Hillary and then goes by the name of Senza, takes Cameron under her wing. Cameron then hangs out with a group of musicians and finds himself under the influence of a billionaire named Ziam Zen Ziam or Z3 for short. The billionaire has found a way to harness sound into such an intense amount of energy that it can topple walls and knock holes through almost anything. Cameron will never play his guitar the same way as before.
Gods of Sound is a brilliant combination of two reliable themes. It borrows from that common theme about a young underdog who goes into an apprenticeship with a seasoned master. It also borrows from countless stories in which everything will depend on the young hero’s choices. Yet what is remarkable about QM Schaffer’s work is that it all comes together as something fresh and original. Moreover, the name-dropping of old-school rock bands and musicians is a brilliant tactic to introduce curious young readers to artists that they may not be familiar with. Schaffer has created passionate characters, and you will really believe that young Cameron is a fanatic when it comes to romancing the guitar. For all the fantastic events that unravel in this novel, it is still about a character who represents something greater about himself, and you must read his story to get to know him.
Gods of Sound: The Perilous Path of Cameron Foster is an exciting cross between a slice of life and urban fantasy. Written by QM Schaffer, this young adult novel takes you into the life of ten-year-old Cameron Foster, a guitar prodigy whose soft-spoken and painfully shy demeanor has made him a target of school bullying. Along comes a leather-clad girl who finds talent in Cameron and who seems to act like a badass fairy godmother for the young boy. When Cameron faces a personal tragedy, the leather-clad girl, who is eventually introduced as Hillary and then goes by the name of Senza, takes Cameron under her wing. Cameron then hangs out with a group of musicians and finds himself under the influence of a billionaire named Ziam Zen Ziam or Z3 for short. The billionaire has found a way to harness sound into such an intense amount of energy that it can topple walls and knock holes through almost anything. Cameron will never play his guitar the same way as before.
Gods of Sound is a brilliant combination of two reliable themes. It borrows from that common theme about a young underdog who goes into an apprenticeship with a seasoned master. It also borrows from countless stories in which everything will depend on the young hero’s choices. Yet what is remarkable about QM Schaffer’s work is that it all comes together as something fresh and original. Moreover, the name-dropping of old-school rock bands and musicians is a brilliant tactic to introduce curious young readers to artists that they may not be familiar with. Schaffer has created passionate characters, and you will really believe that young Cameron is a fanatic when it comes to romancing the guitar. For all the fantastic events that unravel in this novel, it is still about a character who represents something greater about himself, and you must read his story to get to know him.
July 8, 2021
Cameron is an extremely talented musician... but could his talents go beyond just the music he plays? That is the question 10-year-old Cameron Foster starts to ask himself when a mysterious girl, whom Cameron thinks of as Leather Girl, starts to pay attention to him. Who is this mysterious girl, and why is she so interested in Cameron? And when his mother dies and he is taken in by her, she brings him to a large mansion owned by the mysterious Z3. At the house, he finds several other young, talented musicians, and together they complete weird challenges. What are the magical guitars that seem to have powers beyond playing music? And who is the mysterious Z3, and why has he gathered them?
Opinion:
I loved this book! It was very interesting and had me hooked. Despite starting slow, I found myself unable to put this book down. Another thing that I liked about this book was that the main character, Cameron Foster, had real-life problems that a lot of kids deal with such as being bullied and not having a lot of friends. This book was written with very clear language, and I was able to completely understand what was going on in the story throughout the whole story. The one thing I did not like about this book was that the ending seemed incomplete as a lot of problems were left unresolved. Overall, I recommend this book to others.
Opinion:
I loved this book! It was very interesting and had me hooked. Despite starting slow, I found myself unable to put this book down. Another thing that I liked about this book was that the main character, Cameron Foster, had real-life problems that a lot of kids deal with such as being bullied and not having a lot of friends. This book was written with very clear language, and I was able to completely understand what was going on in the story throughout the whole story. The one thing I did not like about this book was that the ending seemed incomplete as a lot of problems were left unresolved. Overall, I recommend this book to others.
March 20, 2021
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite
Gods of Sound: The Perilous Path of Cameron Foster is an exciting cross between a slice of life and urban fantasy. Written by QM Schaffer, this young adult novel takes you into the life of ten-year-old Cameron Foster, a guitar prodigy whose soft-spoken and painfully shy demeanor has made him a target of school bullying. Along comes a leather-clad girl who finds talent in Cameron and who seems to act like a badass fairy godmother for the young boy. When Cameron faces a personal tragedy, the leather-clad girl, who is eventually introduced as Hillary and then goes by the name of Senza, takes Cameron under her wing. Cameron then hangs out with a group of musicians and finds himself under the influence of a billionaire named Ziam Zen Ziam or Z3 for short. The billionaire has found a way to harness sound into such an intense amount of energy that it can topple walls and knock holes through almost anything. Cameron will never play his guitar the same way as before.
Gods of Sound is a brilliant combination of two reliable themes. It borrows from that common theme about a young underdog who goes into an apprenticeship with a seasoned master. It also borrows from countless stories in which everything will depend on the young hero’s choices. Yet what is remarkable about QM Schaffer’s work is that it all comes together as something fresh and original. Moreover, the name-dropping of old-school rock bands and musicians is a brilliant tactic to introduce curious young readers to artists that they may not be familiar with. Schaffer has created passionate characters, and you will really believe that young Cameron is a fanatic when it comes to romancing the guitar. For all the fantastic events that unravel in this novel, it is still about a character who represents something greater about himself, and you must read his story to get to know him.
Gods of Sound: The Perilous Path of Cameron Foster is an exciting cross between a slice of life and urban fantasy. Written by QM Schaffer, this young adult novel takes you into the life of ten-year-old Cameron Foster, a guitar prodigy whose soft-spoken and painfully shy demeanor has made him a target of school bullying. Along comes a leather-clad girl who finds talent in Cameron and who seems to act like a badass fairy godmother for the young boy. When Cameron faces a personal tragedy, the leather-clad girl, who is eventually introduced as Hillary and then goes by the name of Senza, takes Cameron under her wing. Cameron then hangs out with a group of musicians and finds himself under the influence of a billionaire named Ziam Zen Ziam or Z3 for short. The billionaire has found a way to harness sound into such an intense amount of energy that it can topple walls and knock holes through almost anything. Cameron will never play his guitar the same way as before.
Gods of Sound is a brilliant combination of two reliable themes. It borrows from that common theme about a young underdog who goes into an apprenticeship with a seasoned master. It also borrows from countless stories in which everything will depend on the young hero’s choices. Yet what is remarkable about QM Schaffer’s work is that it all comes together as something fresh and original. Moreover, the name-dropping of old-school rock bands and musicians is a brilliant tactic to introduce curious young readers to artists that they may not be familiar with. Schaffer has created passionate characters, and you will really believe that young Cameron is a fanatic when it comes to romancing the guitar. For all the fantastic events that unravel in this novel, it is still about a character who represents something greater about himself, and you must read his story to get to know him.
November 19, 2021
“Gods of Sound” introduces Cameron Foster, a middle schooler who is a bit of a loner. Cam has few friends and even less resources, living in a house many of the neighborhood kids think is haunted due to the decrepit status. His one outlet is his skill with a guitar and the generosity of those who notice his talent to develop it.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The concept of the guitars and what brings these kids all together was very different and interesting. I found the protagonist, Cameron, both endearing and irritating depending on his interactions with those around him. I enjoyed how his background was revealed and found the pacing of the story to build in a way that kept me reading. I also liked the different personalities of his new friends and how each stood out on their own. The full blog review can be found at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The concept of the guitars and what brings these kids all together was very different and interesting. I found the protagonist, Cameron, both endearing and irritating depending on his interactions with those around him. I enjoyed how his background was revealed and found the pacing of the story to build in a way that kept me reading. I also liked the different personalities of his new friends and how each stood out on their own. The full blog review can be found at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews