In the Reign of Terror: Audio Drama Set During The French Revolution
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We have been experiencing In the Reign of Terror and Audio Drama Set During The French Revolution made possible with a copy from Heirloom Audio Productions for review as part of the Homeschool Review Crew.
Over the years, the boys and I have found that historical fiction can be both entertaining and educational. Authors like G. A. Henty bring history to life by telling a story of a specific people or group of people during the historical event or time frame. Many of the important details of that event or time period are relayed through the story and more easily absorbed when compared to reading a short bit in a text book.
The latest event we have been learning about is The French Revolution.
About In the Reign of Terror & Its Tale of The French Revolution
In the Reign of Terror is a story of one Christian family during The French Revolution.
Like all G. A. Henty tales, the story begins with Mr. George meeting a young man who will be the recipient of an extraordinary tale from history. This time, it is a young man named Harry who is in Arlington Cemetery visiting the grave of his grandfather.
The tale woven for the more ‘modern’ Harry is about another young man named Harry who traveled from his home in England to France to teach English to Count Earnest the eldest son of the Monsieur le Marquis’s. The French Revolution is in full swing in Paris, but has not made its way to the more remote St. Caux Chateau.
Harry experiences first hand how wide the gap is between the nobility and common folk of France. Seeing this helps him to understand why there is a revolution in place. However, he finds over time that the Marquis’ family adopts him more as their own.
Sadly, the revolution does not leave this family untouched. Harry has to make the choice of whether to do all he can to protect his new family. Otherwise, the Marquis, his wife, 2 sons and 3 daughters will all head to the guillotine just become of their lineage.
Actors Brian Blessed (the voice of G.A. Henty) and John Rhys-Davies return again to help deliver this wonderful production.
Additional Resources for In the Reign of Terror
Heirloom Audio Productions is constantly changing to meet customer needs. I found a few changes since the last time we reviewed one of their titles. Instead of different packages to select from with each audio, you order the drama on CD or as a mp3 download.
Access to all the additional resources is available only to members of Live the Adventure Club. For this review, we have access to the club as well as the resources for In the Reign of Terror.
Club members find a LOT at their finger tips including:
Resources for parents
Kids activities
Educational Treasures like The Crash Course On The Constitution study & rare Early American & World Curriculum
Inspiration Station (changed daily)
and a community forum where you can interact with other club members.
When you purchase an individual drama through the club, you receive the ability to listen to the drama online with each chapter as a separate web page. You can open up the script to follow along as you listen with the words highlighted as they are spoken. A self-grading online quiz checks your child’s recall of the story. Each chapter also has Thinking Further questions and vocabulary from the study guide to help you and your family dig deeper.
You can mark each chapter as completed when you are done to track progress. And, you can reset that progress if another child is working their way through it later.
Special bonus content available to club members includes:
- PDF file of the original book (downloadable or read online)
- Official Soundtrack (listen on line)
- Printable Cast Poster (downloadable)
- Study Guide & Discussion Starter (downloadable or accessed online)
- Inspirational Verse Poster (downloadable)
- Desktop Wallpaper Download
- Official Script Download
Study Guide for In The Reign of Terror
Although much of the study guide is available on each chapter’s page, there are a few things only found in the study guide.
This includes short biographies of key players (G. A. Henty, Maximilien Robespierre, and Marie Antoinette.) Listening Well questions are open ended in the study guide instead of multiple choice format for the online quiz. You will also find short “Expand Your Learning” boxes throughout the study guide on topics like 18th Century Fashion and The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.)
After walking through each of the chapters, the study guide provides a list of resources to learn more about the event, a Bible Study tied to the story, and more historical background. This includes a table comparing The French Revolution to The War for Independence here in the United States.
Our Thoughts About In the Reign of Terror & Its Tale of The French Revolution
As always, this production from Heirloom Audio Productions does not disappoint. The actors who voice the characters are superb. Using a radio theatre approach to production means you can more easily visualize the story with the inclusion of sound effects.
Even for my own education, coverage of events in Europe is typically flown through in a one-year world history course. You may know it happened, but not appreciate the full effect. The French Revolution is not all about Marie Antoinette saying “Let Them Eat Cake” and the peasants killing their king and queen. Listening to In the Reign of Terror has helped to fill out our understanding a little more.
What is totally blowing me away is the online resources for Live the Adventure Club members who purchase In the Reign of Terror. Each chapter is relatively short. When you listen to the story on a CD, it can be challenging for younger kids to recall which track they were on. Online, you can take the time to do the questions and further exploration immediately after the short segment of listening.
While I truly love the features online for club members, I also value the ability to pop a CD into the player while driving. With our upcoming move back to the lower 48, I anticipate a return to the judicious use of audio books to fill long car rides to visit family. I am sure that the Heirloom Audio Productions we own will be included in that lineup.
Overall Thoughts on In the Reign of Terror & Its Tale of The French Revolution
As I said, this production is wonderful. You can use the selections from Heirloom Audio Productions strictly for entertaining stories with a Christian worldview. Or, you can elect to be a member of their club and use the bonuses to create a unit study for your homeschool.
Either way, your family will come out ahead.
Past Reviews of Heirloom Audio Productions Dramas
We’ve been privileged to have reviewed almost every single volume from this company. My boys and I are always thrilled when given the opportunity. Click the images below to read past reviews.
Do you and your family enjoy audio dramas?
Would this particular audio drama be appealing to someone in your family?
Don’t just take my word for how we found this to be. Visit Heirloom Audio Productions In the Reign of Terror review post on the Homeschool Review Crew website to see what other homeschooling parents thought about this book.
