Update on "The Screwtape Letters"

I hope you all enjoyed our interview with Paul McCusker! As many of you know, one of his latest projects is The Screwtape Letters. This highly anticipated radio drama will be available for purchase on October 15. In case you missed it, the Screwtape Letters website went live late last week. Be sure to check out the site, as there are a lot of audio and video goodies to be found. Plus, don't forget to follow Screwtape and Wormood on Twitter!

Unofficial Podcast Ep. 58

09.19.09. After several months of great anticipation, Darien's Rise finally makes its official radio debut today! If you haven't heard it yet, head on over to Whit's End and check out part one of this exciting drama. When you're done, be sure to have a listen to our latest podcast, which features our special guest, Paul McCusker, who joins us to talk about his time with Focus, Passages, his work on various Radio Theatre projects, as well as the upcoming season. You won't want to miss our exclusive interview with this long time writer and director for Adventures in Odyssey!


Right-click and save here to download.

Running Time: 50:22

Final Call for Questions!

With only two days left until the airing of Darien's Rise, consider this your last chance to submit questions for Paul McCusker. We will be closing the submission page around midnight, so get your queries in while you still can!

Final Countdown to Darien's Rise!

Just five more days until Darien's Rise airs on radio stations across the country. It seems like it's been forever since we've had a new episode to discuss, but our hunger will soon be appeased! For those of you in the United States, you can purchase your own copy of the album at Christian Book. Canadian listeners may have to wait a little longer to get their hands on the album, but can place their order at the Focus bookstore. And don't forget to submit your questions for Paul McCusker! We will be interviewing him later this week and releasing the podcast on September 19th. Send your questions now!

Upcoming Interview with Paul McCusker!

Over the last couple years, we've been extremely privileged to speak with the likes of writers Nathan Hoobler and Marshal Younger, as well as actors Dave Griffin, Lauren Schaffel, Genni Long, and Katie Leigh. (Check out the sidebar to listen to those interviews!) It's been a long time coming since we've spoken with a member of the Odyssey team, but today we're pleased and proud to announce our next interview will be with writer Paul McCusker.

As the creator of the Passages series, Paul recently directed the radio adaptation of Darien's Rise and is currently working on the shows for Album 51. If there's anything you've been dying to know about Passages or Darien's Rise, don't delay!

Click on the image below to get started!

A Video Preview of "The Screwtape Letters"

And the video clips keep pouring in - this one courtesy of Focus on the Family and blogger Christopher Kou. There's plenty to enjoy in this preview, including thoughts from director Paul McCusker, Douglas Gresham, Andy "Screwtape" Serkis, and Philip "Malachi" Glassborrow!

New Podcast This Weekend!

Things sure have heated up in the Odyssey world since my last post. Starting with the Washington Secret Word Contest, fans will have the opportunity to access special bonus contest from the Official Site by listening to the weekend shows this summer. Don't miss out!

Paul McCusker and Dave Arnold were recently interviewed on the Cornerstone Television Network about their time working on Odyssey. The broadcast ran an hour long and featured several scenes from the AIO: Live! DVD. It was certainly a welcomed sight to see Odyssey getting this type of publicity. Right-click and save here to download... or click the play button below to stream it.



Last, but certainly not least, we'll be releasing our next podcast this Saturday!

Passages Manuscript #1 Review

Darien's Rise
by Paul McCusker

Summary: Rising out of obscurity into a position of prestige and power, a young man remains humble as he demonstrates abiding loyalty to his king. Sound familiar? Maybe that's because it is! Except this tale has a twist involving two siblings from Odyssey. When Kyle and Anna find themselves inside the strange and mystical land of Marus, they are initially incredulous of their surroundings. With swords and pistols being brandished as modern weaponry, the two children seem to have been transported a couple centuries back into the past. However, they aren't just any normal strangers to Marus; it appears they have both been called for a purpose. As the plot unfolds, Kyle and Anna find themselves on two different paths. Yet by the end of it all, they both learn valuable lessons that will stick with them for a lifetime.

Review: I had the "advantage" of reading 1 Samuel at the same time, so I was constantly making comparisons as I read Darien's Rise. One of the things which stood out to me was the tale of David and Goliath retold as Darien and Soren. It's one of the most well-known Bible stories and has even morphed into one of the most commonly used themes in film and literature - "overcoming the giants in your life." I'd heard the story so many times I'd never really given it a second thought. Until I read it again in Darien's Rise. David used a pebble and slingshot to kill Goliath. What an incredible demonstration of faith! How it must frustrate our Lord when we gripe and complain about our difficulties. We so quickly forget that us plus Jesus equals a majority! I've heard it said before that we need to stop telling God how big our mountains are and start telling our mountains how big our God is. That's what Darien did. Amidst relentless persecution from the very person he swore to protect, Darien remained steadfast in his faith.

Another person who never wavered was Anna, the one called by the Unseen One to be a prophetic voice. She believed the Unseen One would protect her and Kyle - even when it seemed like the odds were stacked up against them. Much like Darien, Anna gradually grew into spiritual maturity by stepping into and then exercising faith. Kyle, on the other hand, never fully accepted his calling and instead began to allow pride to get in the way. His actions mirrored that of King Lawrence, who glorified himself instead of the Unseen One. In a way, it was fitting that they both met their doom in the Valley of the Rocks. As the Palatian soldiers closed in them, Kyle and Lawrence each recognized that the cause of their impending demise was lack of faith. Furthermore, they both lacked humility. Kyle wanted to be the hero and Lawrence wanted to remain king. But as Luke 14:11 reminds, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

I especially enjoy how Paul McCusker's Passages series, which is essentially a contemporary version of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, creates an environment in which the Unseen One is so tangibly real and alive. As Christians, we often forget that God is real and alive in our own world. The problem isn't that He isn't doing anything - the problem is that we aren't paying enough attention! Like Kyle and Anna discovered, we too have a specific and unique purpose in life. Our responsibility is to pursue Christ so that he will reveal his good and perfect will to us. Are we up for the challenge?

Rating: 4 out of 5