"John Banks is one of the UK's most prolific audiobook narrators, working for the likes of Big Finish, Audible, Random House and Games Workshop.

He is a true multi-voice, creating everything from monsters to marauding aliens.

He is also an accomplished stage and TV actor."

audible.co.uk 2018

Hello...

...I'm John Banks - welcome to my website.

The majority of my working life has been spent in the theatre with companies including
York Theatre Royal, Cheltenham Everyman, Sheffield Crucible, Bristol Old Vic, Manchester Royal Exchange and the National Theatre in London.

Television work includes Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and 'Allo, Allo!'. I have also worked on a number of radio drama and comedy productions with the BBC.

Since March 2009, I have enjoyed playing a huge variety of characters in more than 270* audio-drama stories with Big Finish Productions, together with The Black Library/Games Workshop, details of which can be found in the postings below.


There are also details listed here of the 214* audio books & stories I've recorded since March 2013,
including the unabridged New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, for companies including audible.co.uk, Hachette, Audible Studios, Podium Audio Publishing, HarperCollins, RNIB, W.F. Howes, Little Brown Group, Penguin Random House, Games Workshop, Orion, Fantom Films & Ladbroke Audio.

(*figures at April 2021)

I hope you find something of interest here and come back soon for further updates.


For all posts, reviews and audio samples, please scroll down...

The Runewar Saga: Book 2

The Runewar Saga: Book 2
The Crown of Fire & Fury

The Botanist

The Botanist
Washington Poe Series: Book 5

Skaven Deathmaster

The Babel Books

The Babel Books
The Fall of Babel - click image above for link to audible

Doctor Who: Back To Earth

Throne of Light: Dawn of Fire Book 4

Throne of Light: Dawn of Fire Book 4
Release Date: 13th November 2021

Soul Wars

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Friday 23 August 2013

Thirteen: Reviews

A couple of reviews for Thirteen, which was released on 23rd August:

"A collection of spooky audio tales designed to keep you chilled no matter what the weather…

Scott Harrison – who contributes the linking story – has brought together an intriguing mix of writers for this tribute to the old horror anthologies of the 1970s. Not tied to a specific length, but none running more than 21 minutes (roughly the length of a side of an old LP, uncoincidentally), each boasts a different narrator and its own style.


Some are graphic in their horror, others are unsettling without the need for explicitness: one of my favourites of the latter is Dan Abnett’s Half Life, images from which have kept coming to mind in the week since I first heard it. There are homages to earlier classics, notably Johnny Mains’ I Wish, and ones that eventually evoke
familiar horror images, such as Gary McMahon’s Down, or Martin Day’s The Hairstyle of the Devil.

The narrators are well-suited to their tales and audiobook stalwart Barnaby Edwards is particularly chilling in the three-part linking story Hidden Track, which throws more than a few curveballs, as well as explaining the conceit of the album (although 78s actually only lasted about four minutes per side in reality).

There are no clunkers in the anthology; you might feel that a couple of them could lose a couple of scenes here or there, and there are a couple of similar resolutions, but overall this is an enjoyable anthology."

Verdict: A deliciously dark collation. 8/10                                               Paul Simpson  Sci-Fi Bulletin


"The individual chillers are held together by the traditional 'bridging' story, in this case the classic trope of the old curiosity shop, here selling vinyl records that contain a hidden track, which happen to be these particularly fine scary stories...Overall, this is a great collection of supernatural tales, with a mournful and melancholy tone. They feel very much like old fashioned ghost stories and are genuinely chilling."

9/10 Starburst Magazine

Side A
1  Hidden Track (part 1) by Scott Harrison read by Barnaby Edwards
2 Dead Space  by  George Mann read by Greg Wise
3  A Girl, Sitting  by  Mark Morris read by Jilly Bond
4 Finding The Path  by  Kaaron Warren read by Trevor White
5  The Hairstyle of the Devil  by  Martin Day read by Arthur Darvill
6  Down  by  Gary McMahon read by Stephen Rashbrook
7 Visions  by  Cavan Scott read by Michael Maloney
8  Half Life  by  Dan Abnett read by John Banks
9  Hidden Track (part 2) by Scott Harrison read by Barnaby Edwards

 
 
Side B
10  With Her In Spirit  by  Stephen Gallagher read by Frances Barber
11  Tabula Rasa  by  Alasdair Stuart read by Lalla Ward
12  One Hit Wanda  by  Kim Newman read by Samuel West
13  A Glass of Water  by  Mark Wright read by Gemma Arterton
14  Ghost Pit  by  Simon Clark read by Jeff Harding
15  I Wish  by  Johnny Mains read by Steven Cree
16 Hidden Track (part 3) by Scott Harrison read by Barnaby Edwards



"Nicely assembled...not a bad story or bad vocal performance amongst them. 3.5/5"            SFX Magazine

"If you're a fan of classic, spine tingling horror then that should be reason enough to listen to Thirteen

                                                        GeekPlanetOnline

Available from: Spokenworld Audio

Dalek Universe 2

Kragnos Broken Realms

Age of Sigmar Dominion

The Moggotkin of Nurgle

Kragnos Broken Realms

Dawn of Fire Book 1: Avenging Son

The Lore of Direchasm

Direchasm

A C'tan Shard Rises 3

Indomitus: Necrons 2

A Lord Among the Stars 1

Angels of Death Preview

Ultramarines

Psychic Awakening

Warcry: Death or Glory

Warhammer 40,000

Flight. Redefined.

Reviews & comments:

The Malazan Empire

Over the course of this 8 book series, the amazing John Banks has had to create and voice 648 distinct characters!

Neil Gardner - producer

The Door In The Wall & War of The Worlds

Not often I buy another version of an audiobook I own, but after hearing John Banks' narration of The Door in the Wall by Ladbroke Audio, I had to buy their version of The War of the Worlds. Banks has a great reading voice.

Andy Frankham-Allen - writer

The Books of Babel: Senlin Ascends, Arm of The Sphinx & The Hod King

Mr. Banks does superb work, and I recommend the audiobooks wholeheartedly!

Josiah Bancroft - writer

Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh

John Banks is a voice genius...

Nev Fountain - writer

Mervyn Stone... played by the note-perfect John Banks.

Matt Hills - Reviews in Time and Space

Dr. Who: The Sleeping City

I also must draw attention to John Banks who is an exceptional voice artist and in this one story performs more characters that I can count. ... it is listening to episodes like this one that really do let his talents shine through.

Tony Jones - Red Rocket Rising

Highlander:

...playing several parts, was the brilliant Big Finish regular John Banks - it was as if there were about 40 different actors in the other booth.

James Moran - writer

I went for the best of the best and brought in voice artiste extraordinaire John Banks.

Paul Spragg - producer

Vienna:

...also features the mind - bogglingly versatile and reliable John Banks

Jonathan Morris - writer

Dead Funny:

The acting is first rate… wonderfully played by John Banks as Richard – his impersonation of Eric Morecambe is worth the admission money alone.

Beverly Greenberg: Bolton Evening News

Mr. Happiness:

This early and unfamiliar play by David Mamet is a character study of a 1930s radio counsellor, dispensing suave advice to his devoted listeners. John Banks brings out the wry comedy of this – comedy quite unappreciated by the character – with a clever range of gesture and vocal tone.

Jeremy Kingston: The Times


All My Sons:

This is a beautifully crafted piece ...and it affords a wonderful opportunity for John Readman* to do his All-American Boy act as Chris Keller. This most polished and well observed performance as the blighted son of a blighted father must rank as one of his finest accomplishments yet. ( * see Profile)

The Stage

The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes

Kudos should also go to John Banks. Lestrade can be a thankless part, but Banks rose to the challenge, playing a pivotal role in this decades long arc.

Raissa Devereux - SciFiPulse

The Judgement of Sherlock Holmes

John Banks is multi-tasking, both as the superb Lestrade and also the villainous and no doubt moustache twirling Sebastian Moran. They sound completely different and I bow to his talent.

Sue Davies - SFcrowsnest


Further reviews and comments are included with specific postings throughout the site.

The War Doctor

The War Doctor
December 2015