Schoolhouse Crew Review: Beric the Briton

Heirloom Audio Productions is passionate about bringing history to life.  Their active listening dramas are fast paced and use music and sound effects to transport the listener back in time and make them feel as though they are part of the story.  At the time of this writing there are 5 different productions from Heirloom Audio Productions: In Freedom's Cause, Under Drake's Flag, With Lee in Virginia, The Dragon and the Raven. and our latest review Beric the Briton.



Beric the Briton is based on the book Beric the Briton by G.A. Henty.  The story is about the Roman invasion of ancient Britannia.  Beric and his friend Bodouc were fighting against the Romans when they were captured and sent to Rome to be trained as gladiators and placed in the service of Emperor Nero.  While there they are told about the one true God  his son Christus, and a new religion. They see the Christians being persecuted and need to examine their own personal faith and decide what they believe. 
Beric the Briton is geared for ages 6 and up. There are some very intense moments in the story, but it is not bloody or gory.  The story is around 2 1/2 hours long and is split up into two different CDs.  It is narrated by Brian Blessed (Star Wars, Tarzan, Robin Hood),  and also stars Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity and Braveheart), Tom Baker (Dr. Who), Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyle's War), Cathy Sara (Downtown Abbey), and John Ryhs-Davies (The Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones.)
There are several options for purchase.  The MP3 download can be purchased for $19.97 and includes The Beric the Briton estudy guide and discussion starter and downloadable copy of a beautiful quote by Julius the centurion, " I will gladly die for Him who died for me."  The 2 CD set is $29.97 and it includes the estudy guide, printable quote, and MP3 soundtrack.  You also have the option to purchase the family 4 pack.  It includes 4 of the 2 CD sets, estudy guide, printable verse, MP3 soundtrack, unlimited access to Live the Adventure E-Newsletter, e-book of G.A. Henty's Beric the Briton, printable cast poster, and behind the scenes documentary of Beric the Briton.
The downloadable estudy guide is a wonderful way to expand on what you have learned while listening to the audio adventure.  The guide is divided into 3 sections:
Listening Well asks questions about what you have heard.
Thinking Further digs a little deeper.  Children may need to draw conclusions about characters actions or intentions or look up answers.
Defining Words is a section that has vocabulary words that need to be defined.  
There is a set of questions for each track that is on the CD.  There are also additional activities such as recipes, interesting facts, opportunities for expansion, and more. There is also information in the guide about G.A. Henty, Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, and Queen Boadicea.  You will also find a book list for further reading, some historical background on Beric the Briton, the significance of the colosseum in Christianity, and 3 different Bible studies. 
We have had an opportunity to review all of the previous audio dramas by Heirloom Audio Productions and looked forward to reviewing Beric the Briton as well.  These audio dramas truly bring history to life.  The sound effects, music, and actors are fantastic.  I love the narrator.  This story would be a wonderful addition to any curriculum studying this time period.  It also is a great story for any Christian.  It shows the great faith of the early Christians under great persecution by Nero in a way that is intense but not too violent for families to listen to together.   
Beric the Briton is another great audio drama.  I look forward to further productions!To see what my Crew Mates had to say, stop by the Crew Blog!