(Newswire.net — February 5, 2015) Thomson, Illinois — Long-time radio host Adam McManus is a G.A. Henty fan, having read upwards of 10 of the lengthy historical novels. So when he learned of a new audio drama based on one of Henty’s books, he listened to it – and was quite impressed.
The CD, In Freedom’s Cause, tells the true story of 14th-century Scottish hero William Wallace and his fight for independence from England. Unlike Braveheart – which was only loosely based on Wallace’s story – In Freedom’s Cause tells the true story of Wallace and makes his faith a centerpiece.
“I was dazzled by the level of professionalism of the actors,” McManus said during an interview with the CD’s producer, Bill Heid, on Generations With Vision. McManus was guest hosting for Kevin Swanson. “I was thrilled with the sound effects. The writing was tight. There was a willingness not to shrink back from a Christian worldview, and … [to] put faith back into history.”
Noting that Henty’s books are often 300 or more pages long, McManus added he appreciates the “monstrosity” of the project – and the fact that only “top actors” were used.
It stars Golden Globe winner Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), Skandar Keynes (Edmund of The Chronicles of Narnia series), Billy Boyd (Pippin of The Lord Of The Rings), James Cosmo (Campbell, Father Christmas of Braveheart and The Chronicles of Narnia, respectively) and Brian Blessed (Boss Nass and Clayton in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Tarzan, respectively).
“This is not an audio book,” McManus said. “This is not one person or a couple of people just reading a dry run of the Henty novel. This is many layers of sound and sound effects and different voices.”
Heid said Wallace’s story is one that all Christians should hear.
“His last request was: ‘Can I read my Bible, can I read my Psalter as I’m being pull apart?’” Heid said.
World Magazine called In Freedom’s Cause “gripping.” The CD also received high marks from homeschooling expert and curriculum reviewer Cathy Duffy.
“While other publishers have created outstanding audio recordings, both abridged and unabridged, the new presentations from Heirloom Audio are really something special,” Duffy wrote. “The script writers, the sound engineer, the actors, the creator of the musical score, and others involved in making these productions have been involved in major, critically-acclaimed productions, and their expertise shows! These are really top-notch, audio theater experiences as well as an entertaining way to learn some history.”
To listen to the full interview, click here.
For more information on the CD, visit InFreedomsCause.com. To request an interview with Heid, email press@heirloomaudio.com.