Wulf the Saxon REVIEW

Heirloom Audio Productions has done it yet again!  Their most recent audio drama, Wulf the Saxon, was full of intrigue and excitement that I have come to expect from their G.A. Henty adventures.  I received a physical copy of the 2 CD set for this review.  The CDs consist of about 2 1/2 hours of audio drama.  G.A. Henty was a great storyteller who eventually wrote his stories down.  He used actual events in history and characters to wow his audiences and draw them into his stories.

We love to sit down as a family and listen to these audio adventures. The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty never disappoint and I love that they are all about historical fiction.  In the past, we have had access to their study guides online that really helped us to dig deeper into the story and really think about what the author was trying to convey in the story (you need to be a member of Live The Adventure Club to access the study guides).

Wulf the Saxon 2 CD set

We liked that this time we just sat down and listened to a few tracks at a time over the course of several weeks.  There are a total of 21 tracks averaging about 5 to 8 minutes each.  We listen to them in our living room on our DVD player, but they will of course work in a car, computer, laptop, or CD player.

CD #1

CD#2

The story opens with Mr. George meeting two brothers, Etienne and Leon, who are playing aboard a ship.  They converse and Mr. George begins to tell them the story of Wulf the Saxon. The story is generally about William the Conqueror's Conquest of England (Norman Conquest) and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.  We learn that Wulf is a Thane and that British nobility ranks are (from top to bottom) King, Duke, and then Earl.  The Thanes are above commoners, but still not considered nobility.  Wulf has found favor with Harold the Earl who helps Wulf to grow up into a noble man.  Wulf is only 16 years old when the story begins.  He has overstepped his boundaries and gotten himself into some trouble.  Harold sends him home to grow up a little.  Wulf befriends a fellow student, Osgod, and they become friends to the end.  When Wulf comes back to England the King pardons him and he becomes a trusted member of Harold's inner circle.

Harold and his crew travel on a journey and we experience terror when their boat capsizes and they are captured in Normandy.  When Wulf and Beorn escape, their 3-day journey ends when they find favor with Barron DeBurg.  This is also when Wulf first meets the Barron's daughter, Agnes, and befriends his son, Guy.  Wulf also meets back up with Osgod who ends up going into battle with him.  War is going on and they fight several battles. They overthrow the castle at Llewellyn but things have just begun.  Within a year Harold summons Wulf again.

You must get this audio drama to learn about their battles and quests to secure their lands and throne.  How do they escape their capture at Normandy?  Who is Tostig and what do we learn about him? Why must Harold leave his wife Edith? What sacrifice do they choose to make? Who becomes king and what challenges do they face as a result? What happens to Osgod on the battlefield? Who will win Wulf's heart?  It is a wonderful story of battles, honor, sacrifice, true love and trust.  I like how it ends with Mr. George leading into another one of his stories, the Battle of Agincourt.




Heirloom Audio Productions does such a superb job of bringing these stories to life.  The sound effects are phenomenal and you really do feel like you are right there with the characters.  I highly recommend Wulf the Saxon. I also highly recommend you visit their website because it has a PLETHORA of information and free resources.  Just select the RESOURCES tab on the home page and you will be directed to the Live The Adventure page.  There you will find awesome parent resources (podcasts, movie reviews, much more) and kids activities that include recipes and word searches. You can also follow the link to the Live The Adventure Club to join and have access to even more resources (I highly recommend the study guides)! Read more about my review of the club in my In The Reign of Terror review.

You can connect with Heirloom Audio Productions at FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, GOOGLE+, and YOUTUBE. Please take the time to check out the other reviews by fellow Review Crew members.