There Will Be A $5.00 Charge For Whining: A TOS Review: Beric the Briton

My love for audio books is no secret. Another audio product that we adore is the audio drama. In an audio drama, the listener is treated to performances by a variety of actors. There are fantastic music and sound-effects. Some of our favorite audio dramas come from Heirloom Audio Productions. Recently, we had the opportunity (and privilege) to review Beric the Briton.

G.A. Henty is a British historical adventure novelist (among other things). He lived in the 1880’s and is famous for providing fabulous stories for young readers. Heirloom Audio has taken some of Henty’s most exciting works and adapted them into riveting audio dramas.

In Beric the Briton, we are taken back into the time of the Roman Empire. Beric is a young chief of his tribe. He is taken prisoner and eventually finds himself as a Roman gladiator. This story takes place during the time of Nero (who you might remember ‘fiddled while Rome burned’) so there is plenty of intrigue.

More than the historical elements of the story, we also learn about forgiveness and loving your enemy. Beric comes to know Christ as his savior and, while he is not asked to lay down his life, there are others who die for the cause of Christ.

This product is recommended for ages 6 to adult. I received a set of two CD’s. The story runs well over two hours and provides lots of listening time for the car!

I also received a few bonuses, as well. They include:

Beric the Briton MP3 download
Beric the Briton E-Book by G.A. Henty
The official MP3 soundtrack
A printable cast poster
A 50 page study guide and discussion starter
An inspirational verse poster with the quote, “I will gladly die for Him who died for me”
Live the Adventure Letter e-newsletter
Behind-the-scenes videos of the cast creating Beric the Briton

We primarily listened to the CD and watched the fun behind-the-scenes videos, but the study guide is a terrific way to make the whole listening experience into an educational event. Included in the study guide is a biography of G.A. Henty. Some of my favorite reading were the biographies of Nero and Queen Boadicea. The study guide also provides vocabulary guides and opportunity for deeper conversations. I have always found the study guides accompanying Heirloom Audio products to be top-notch and this one was no exception.

My Thoughts

If you have read any of my Heirloom Audio reviews before you have to know that we are super fans. These are productions that Josiah will ask to listen to again and again. Beric the Briton lived up to our expectations. The actors are superb. The music is inspiring.

Can you tell we liked it just a little bit?

I do have a funny story to tell concerning the actors. One of Josiah’s favorite actors is John Rhys Davies. After all, he was the sidekick to Indiana Jones and part of the Fellowship of the Ring. You can’t get any more awesome than that.

This time around, Mr. Davies, was part of the crew. But….so was Tom Baker. If you are a Doctor Who fan you will recognize that name instantly. Tom Baker is the voice of my childhood. He was Doctor Who when I was introduced to the Doctor Who universe. He is marvelous in this production.

When I was telling my husband (also known as The Muffin) about Beric the Briton, I excitedly proclaimed “Doctor Who is in it!” He gave me a strange look, but said nothing as I pushed the CD into the player. After listening for a while, he said “why would Doctor Who be in a story about the persecution of Christians and when does he show up?”

Poor guy. I should have been more specific.

I do need to tell you that there are several scenes that are really intense. This was real life for many and the experiences of war and persecution are not light and fluffy.

The story is brilliant at bringing home the necessity of forgiveness and living a full life for Christ. We are all called to proclaim the name of Jesus. Beric the Briton reminds us that if often comes with a cost.

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