Review: The Reign of Terror by Heirloom Audio
I love the way audiobooks can bring stories to life and captivate kids! For the most part, I don’t enjoy reading out loud, so audiobooks are a perfect solution for us! Heirloom Audio Productions offered us the opportunity to review In the Reign of Terror this summer. I’ve been intrigued by their previous productions including In Freedom’s Cause and The Cat of Bubastes, and so was eager to give this audio adventure a listen. They sent us a beautiful 2 cd set, containing over 2 hours of audio. We also received access to an online version in a playlist, the mp3 version of the soundtrack, a colorful illustrated ebook of the original novel by G.A. Henty, a printable copy of the inspirational verse featured in the story, a printable copy of the cast poster, a desktop wallpaper, and an official script download.
Heirloom Audio Productions focuses on several important aspects in their productions that definitely set them apart. First, they believe that history demonstrates God’s sovereignty and is Christ-centered. The events of history revolve around a very significant event – that of Christ coming!
Second, they believe that history is important to remember, so we can learn from it! George Santayana, author of The Life is Reason, is famous for his quote, “He who forgets history is doomed to repeat it.” There are many things in history I’d rather not repeat!
Third, studying history from a Christian perspective helps us engage the culture around us and respond to worldviews that are contrary to ours.
Beyond those central ideas, Heirloom Audio Productions goes above and beyond in creating a high quality production! Their star-studded cast for In the Reign of Terror includes artists like Brian Blessed from Star Wars, Tarzan, and Robin Hood, John Ryes-Davies from The Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones, Jack Farthing from Poldark, Cathy Sara from Downton Abbey, Christina Greatrex from The Royal Shakespeare Company and Jill Freud from C.S. Lewis at War. No light weights here! Each of these actors brings their skill to the table, drawing you in and capturing you in the story!
As part of their new Live the Adventure Club, Heirloom Audio also provided a number of downloadable bonuses including a 43 page Study Guide. Since this audio drama definitely teaches history, the study guide is a great resource to help the kids go deeper and engage with the material. Each section of the guide corresponds with a track on the cd, and includes sections like Listening Well, Thinking Further, and Defining Words (vocabulary). It begins with a short bibliography of Maximilien Robespierre and Marie Antoinette. Some sections also included an Expand Your Learning section to teach more about France, government, and history.
I love how this story is told from the perspective of a child. It really helps kids engage in the audio, especially my 10 year old Super D. Harry is a young boy traveling from England to France during the time of the French Revolution. This audio drama is a little more gruesome, since it explains with some detail about various ways that people were tortured. 🙁 Preview before allowing younger audiences to listen. This is one that my 7 year old Sweetheart will wait till she’s older to hear!
You can connect with Heirloom Audio on social media through the following links:
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories
Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/114534826166314080647/114534826166314080647
Instagram: @HeirloomAudioOfficial
