Sunday, December 13, 2015

The Word of Promise New Testament {a BookLook Blogger review}

I am a bit of a print book snob.  Given a choice, I will almost always go for a physical book, one I can touch and dog-ear, and make notes in at times.  When it comes to my Bible, that is even more true.  I want to have something I can easily re-read, and write all over.

With the time spent in the car, and with a couple of dyslexic kids, I've learned to appreciate the value of good audio books.   Productions like The Word of Promise New Testament are helping me to appreciate the value of a good Audio Bible.


From the publisher:
Hear the Bible Come Alive in Dramatic Audio Theater™!

This multi-voiced, scripted dramatization of the New King James Version (NKJV) features a star-studded cast of actors, an original music score, and incredible feature film quality sound effects. This world-class production creates a dramatic audio theater experience that makes you feel like you’re really there with Jesus and His disciples. Listen in your car, on your MP3 player, or with your family or small group to gain a new perspective of the Bible.

The Word of Promise® New Testament Audio Bible is a 20-CD set and includes a bonus “Behind-the-Scenes” DVD.

Cast Includes:
  • Jim Caviezel (The Passion of The Christ, Déjà vu) - Jesus
  • Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss (Mr. Holland's Opus, The Goodbye Girl) - Quotes from Moses
  • Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, What Women Want) - Mary Magdalene
  • Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Prison Break, Hemingway) - Paul
  • Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots) - John
  • Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim, Father of the Bride) - Mary, Mother of Jesus
  • And many others

 

Our thoughts:

Given the cast list above, I knew this was going to be pretty incredible.  I was right.  And I was told in the description to expect 20 CDs, but that still didn't quite prepare me for just how long that truly is.  It comes very nicely packaged, and each CD is labeled so you know just what is on it.  CD 7 for instance, is labeled as covering Luke 14-21.

The "And many others" from the above list impressed me too, because honestly, I only recognize half of the folks named as having parts.  Other people listed on the case include:
  • Michael York - Narrator
  • Terrence Stamp - Voice of God
  • Lou Diamond Phillips - Mark
  • John Heard - Matthew
  • Ernie Hudson - Peter
  • Luke Perry - Judas and Stephen
  • John Schneider - James
  • Chris McDonald - Luke
  • Michael W Smith - Cleopas
I recognize almost all of them.

The production quality is fantastic.  Music and sound effects enhance the production without overwhelming it, and that is a big deal for me.  It is easy to pay attention, as it isn't a monotonous reading of the passages, but the drama comes through.  I have listened to (or tried to) audio Bibles in the past, read by some fantastic people, but struggled to listen for more than a few minutes.  This keeps me engaged.

This is in the NKJV, and appears to follow the text, minus some "he said" types of things.  For instance, John 7:6 reads: "Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready." On the CD, it skips the "Then Jesus said to them," part and starts with Caviezel (Jesus) saying "My time has not yet come..."

It doesn't remove all of the attributions.  It seems that it mostly the "Jesus said" ones, where you most certainly recognize the voice and clearly know who is speaking.  The bit parts are usually prefaced with the words like, "his brothers said" so you don't have to guess at context.

Excellent job, and at $25, this isn't expensive.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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