The Freedman

Tales From a Revolution Series, North Carolina, Book 9

By: Lars D. H. Hedbor

Narrated by: Shamaan Casey

What does liberty mean for a freedman?

Calabar was brought from Africa to North Carolina as a boy and sold on the docks as chattel property to a plantation owner. On the plantation, he learned the intricacies of indigo production, fell in love, and started a family.

Abruptly released from bondage, he must find his way in a society that has no place for him, but which is itself struggling with the threat of British domination. Reeling from personal griefs, and drawn into the chaos of the Revolution, Calabar knows that the wrong moves could cost him his freedom - and that of the nation.

The Freedman is Hedbor’s standalone novel set in North Carolina from his Tales From a Revolution series, in which he examines the American War of Independence as it unfolded in each of the colonies. If you like enthralling stories of familiar events from unfamiliar viewpoints, you’ll love The Freedman.

Grab your copy of The Freedman today, and experience the American Revolution as a personal journey of discovery.

©2018 Lars D. H. Hedbor (P)2019 Lars D. H. Hedbor

The Freedman

Excellent story about a freed slave and the friend he makes that changes his life.Shamaan Casey is the perfect narrator.His voices cover a wide range of characters. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

A story told in history

If you are one who enjoys historically accurate and compellingly told stories, I do not think you can go wrong picking up one of the many “Tales from a Revolution” series of books. For me, this was the first work I have listened too by both this author and narrator and I can say that I wanted more when it ended. The following review is specifically for the ninth book in the series titled “The Freedman”. If you are like me, you may be asking if you have to read the first eight books to enjoy this one. The answer to that great question is no. Each of the books released in this series are stand-alone pieces but some may include character or places from others, so by reading them all you may find some cross-over elements. However, the ones thing that ties them all together is that each takes place during the American Revolution. The ninth book is one of four audiobooks currently available on Audible. The author of this book series is Lars D. H. Hedbor and the available audiobook editions are each performed by Shamaan Casey; at the time of this review. If you are a history buff or someone that does not care much for history but instead likes to have a tightly crafted telling of a story, grab one of these books and give them a listen. Each audiobook contains about five hours of material which provides ample time to lay out a tale while educating you along the way. History is not one of my preferred genres, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh new perspective the author created in this book and I will be looking at trying out other in the future.

Reading a bit about the author from his Audible notes page, I like that his perspective around teaching history wrapped around telling stories. History is not simply about reciting dry facts and events which can easily be forgotten or added to over the years. Humankind, from its roots, has used storytelling to keep history alive from one generation to the next. So, the author of these book makes history come alive by creating believable characters placed in historically accurate situations and locations making it memorable to the listener. I may have learned more about this period in history from this one book than I had during all my previous schooling. I know I will more easily remember parts from this story in years to come.

In this story, one learns just how hard life was and that one’s decisions often had major consequences to not only oneself but others around them as well. The period of the American Revolution may seem like a simpler time compared to today’s hustle and bustle, yet as this story shows, it was anything but easy for one to survive let along a family. This emotional story puts the listener in the shoes of a newly freed colored slave in North Carolina. It sounds like it would be a happier story, but even from the start we see how hard it is when our main character is required to leave behind his beloved wife and child after his new master finds his single skill no longer valuable. Our main character, Calabar, is thrown out in to a world that he knows nothing about. Because he grew up his entire life as a slave, simple things which may seem simple to us were often quite difficult for him. Learning about money, clothing, and food were major hurdles he needed to understand and overcome to survive. Few people would show a colored man compassion during these times, yet friendships are formed, and life-time bonds are created along his journey. Fate deals this newly freed man a welcomed hand when he comes across the path of a trader interested in acquiring high-quality indigo. Calabar is an expert in indigo as this was all he knew about growing up as a slave. This new opportunity opens up many other avenues for not only Calabar but also his family.

When I look back at the writing, the story felt solid and well researched. The scenes were descriptive and most of the characters felt like they had dimension and depth. The author did a good job of showing just how it would have been growing up during this period of time and the many difficulties; both for slaves and non-slaves. There were many twists and turns along the way showing how one event can change the course of not only one man’s life but history as well. I enjoys what I learned about the indigo trade as most of the southern history books are focused on tobacco crops. All along the way I was reminded how hard a life it was for these people. In this story, we are also shown love, hatred, war, and friendship. The author gives us minute glimpses of humor, but these are often few and far between; rightly so. I did laugh out loud when the author referenced the use of snuff. Both my grandma and great grandma, northern Alabama raised, chewed snuff until each was in their nineties. I can recall having to fetch their spit cups many times during my summer visits as a child. Coming away from this book, I realized that even a freed slave had limited rights and options living in the south.

For a newer narration on Audible, I felt that Shamaan Casey did an exceptional job with this piece of historical fiction. I felt that he really gave life and breath to Calabar especially, but he also did good at voicing the many other characters. The deep and rich sound given to Calabar allowed me to more easily picture him while listening. Overall, volume and pace were consistent throughout the book, but I would recommend future books be read at a slightly slower pace. No need rushing a good thing.

Parents and younger readers, this is a book that I think would be appropriate for nearly any age listener. There is no use of profanity, no adult specific or mature content I can recall. It does have some quite realistic and graphic scenes of violence, but nothing that would be out of character or historically inaccurate for a book set in this period. I feel the audience is more geared towards the teen to adult category, but not Young Adult in writing style. As I stated earlier, this is a great way for a student to learn about history and for the adult who may have forgotten much of what they learned in history class to learn something.

In summary the book is rather impactful and educational at the same time. It deals with subjects that are often swept under the rug, yet I believe it was handled appropriately and with respect. I enjoyed seen the growth and maturity of Calabar as the book progressed. The story is what one might expect handed down over generations about this family and their desire to overcome in the face of what seems like impossible odds. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this time period or just wants to hear a story told and narrated well.

Disclaimer: This audiobook was provided to me by the author, narrator, or publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent!

I don’t normally listen to historical fiction, but after listening to this I will be. The story was fascinating, and educational. A tale of hope, determination, and friendship. I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, especially early American history. The narration is well done. I’ve listened to a few books from this narrator and he always does a wonderful job.

I have been given a free copy of this book, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Jumping in headfirst

this is not the first one book in the series. It's actually the 9th.. but I was still able to enjoy the book because it's a standalone novel and you don't need to have read the old ones. This is fine by me! Calabar is a very endearing character and a rooted for him the whole way.

Insight

I like this book because it makes me so grateful for the life I have now, compared to the lives of African-American people back in the days of slavery. Even as freedmen, they had no rights except for those given to them by the white people.
I would recommend this book to everyone for its importance to understanding so much given to them by African-Americans.
I plan to read more of these books by this wonderful author Lars D.H. Hedbor and this wonderful narrator.
My deepest appreciation for this knowledge.

A story that could be true

This is the fourth book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would listen to anything he writes.
This (as well as all other books in his Revolution Series) is a stand alone, completely separate story since the characters in each book have no relation to another. They are stories about the average person/ family within a particular class and situation as experienced during the American Revolution. Although none of the characters are written in our history books or remembered for great deeds, each goes through their own struggle, copes with the times as they are able, and does their best to continue to make a life during this turbulent time. These stories could be the accounts of many average peoples ancestors, and I am sure ring true for some listeners/readers.
This book follows the plights of a freed slave who has no choice but to leave his wife and baby behind when he’s forced to leave the indigo plantation. He encounters townspeople who are sympathetic to his situation, and those that are not. Soon the Revolution touches the North Carolinian town and and he is swept up amongst the conflict.

This is the fourth book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Shamaan Casey ) and I would gladly listen to another. His character voices in this book were wonderful. He has a very pleasant timbre. I have enjoyed his narration style in all his books I’ve listened to.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence or swearing.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

A book about freedom, war, and friendship

I recently received for review The Freedman by Lars D. H. Hedbor and I enjoyed it very much! This is the 9th book in the Tales From a Revolution Series, North Carolina, but it can be experienced as a standalone novel and that's exactly what i DID.

I listened to The Freedman in one session because the story is very interesting and moves along at a fast pace. The audiobook is a little over 5 ours in lenght and I could not stop it until the very end. The story follows a freedman, a black slave that is free after his master releases him. His name is Calabar, but everybody calls him Jupiter, as his original name is hard to pronounce by white folks. The action is set against the backdrop of the American Revolution in North Carolina and it was the perfect listen for me as I was always attracted by that period in history.

When he sees himself free, our hero has to buy his family from the plantation owner, but he has no money. This is a story about freedom, about war, about hard times, about friendship, loyalty, love, but at the same time, about evil men and ugly consequences. How can a black freedman find a way to save his family? Who, if anyone, would help him?

I really liked the way this book is written, with interesting characters, a vivid world and with a perfect atmosphere. I cared about all the main characters, I am always sad to discover how white people treated slaves and black men in that dark age of slavery and I think that books like this one will be a reminder for all those who want to forget...

The audiobook version of The Freedman is read by Shamaan Casey and although this is the first performance by this tallented narrator and voice over artist that I had the pleasure of listening to, I can say that I am impressed by his great delivery.

Shamaan Casey gives life to all the characters with diffrent voices and accents, while at the same time, he moves the story along seamlessly. He has a really good voice, just perfect for this narration, and he always manages to switch between characters with ease and makes it easy for the listener to keep them differentiated.

I recommend The Freedman to all the fans of Roots, Uncle Tom's Cabin and to those interested in the American Revolution as this was a very entertaining narrative experience for me. This is a book that will stay with me for a time, I'll be wondering what happened to these men and women after the end of the story... I find it that I cared for them a lot.

Another fabulous book from the author

Mr. Hedbor once again weaved a historical story that kept me listening to the bitter end! Calabar, a slave in an indigo plantation, was given his freedom when his master died and his son felt that since Calabar only knew about the production of the indigo plants and the process of making it suitable for the sell of dye, did not need him and wasn't worth the selling to another plantation owner. Calabar was forced to leave his wife and young baby with a heavy heart and head to the unknown. It was by luck that he meet a merchant who found out that Calabar worked in an indigo plantation and needed his skills to purchase the best stock. This story takes place during the start of the Revolution and gives you the insight on how it would be for a free slave life. And I must say that Mr. Hedbor did a fabulous job in having Shamaan Casey narrator his story. This narrator's voice is so wonderful to listen to and you forget it's one person doing the telling of the story as he changes from one person to another. Bravo to them both!

This captures something different - do read!

There's much about the era of slavery and colonialism that has not been told: mostly the stories of the slaves and later the freedmen and women and indentured servants. The Freedman tells one such story. Very well researched and with characters that come to life in well-chosen roles, you'll not only learn a lot about this era when America was beginning to strike out against England, but you'll also be captivated by the story.
Hedbor does a great job of breathing life into the struggles of conscience of the characters on many different levels with unexpected turns here and there that create an authentic story.
Definitely worth a listen! A good contribution to a story that should be told.

Riveting!

18th-century, historical-novel, historical-research, slavery

From African villager, to slave, to husband and father, to freedman, to householder, and finally to respected member of the Committee of Safety. This is the journey taken by one remarkable man who suffered from some and helped by others all without leaving the colony he grew up in. Once again the tale is so riveting that it is as if taken from the man's diary (had it not been against the law for him to be able to read). It is deeply brought home to the reader how unjust the laws and how insane is mob mentality. This is a needed read and well written.
Shamaan Casey has the depth of empathy and the incredible voice talent to enhance an incredible book to even greater importance.