listen, enjoy, repeat...

Y'know, those good folks at Games Workshop do seem to like springing surprises and this month has had it's fair share. Earlier in July, I mentioned the four story collection of Realmgate Wars audio dramas Knights of Vengeance. 

Now also available, in a single box set collection, are the eight audio dramas that make up the entire epic saga: The Prisoner of the Black Sun, Sands of Blood, The Lords of Helstone and Bridge of Seven Sorrows by Josh Reynolds & Beasts of Cartha, Fist of Gork, Fist of Mork, Great Red and Only the Faithful by David Guymer.

Here's some fabulous artwork and further details of the stories in this collection:

A journey into the Realm of Death in search of Nagash himself leads the Hallowed Knights Warrior Chamber known as the Bull-Hearts into a dangerous alliance with an arch-betrayer... and the consequences of that decision lead them on another hunt, searching the Realm of Beasts in a quest for vengeance. Eight audio dramas weave a tale of hope, treachery and retribution that crosses Realms, life and death.

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Beth Chalmers, Steve Conlin,

 Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Stephen Perring, Saul Reichlin, Luis Soto and Ramon Tikaram 

Produced by Matthew Renshaw

Also released this month, is the audio drama The Either, again with some fabulous cover art. This story has been available in other formats earlier this year, but here it is now in all it's individual glory!

Tybalt Marr, Captain of the Sons of Horus, swears to bring down a thorn in the Warmaster's side: the commander of the so-called "Shattered Legions", the infamous Shadrak Meduson.

Captain Tybalt Marr of the Sons of Horus, so often overlooked by his more glory-hungry brethren, returns to his Legion in triumph. However, his boasts of having slain the infamous Iron Hands warleader Shadrak Meduson soon fall flat when he learns of the recent assassination attempt on Horus himself. Gathering his forces upon the conquered world of Dwell, Marr returns to battle against the Shattered Legions, determined to earn his rightful place in history.

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Robin Bowerman, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, 

Toby Longworth, Luis Soto & Ramon Tukaram 

Written by Graham McNeill & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

...all for now, more just as soon as it hapens!

The Dragon Lords: Fool's Gold

Released today from Hachette Audio UK:

It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. The taxes are high and their control is complete. But for one group of bold misfits, it's time to band together and steal back some of that wealth.

No one said they were smart.

Unabridged audio book narrated by me with a running time of 15 hours - 46 minutes. 

...all for now, more just as soon as it happens!

...hi John, yeah, it's a great part - a gangster. Yeah, a gangster, really mean; gritty. Oh - and he's a raccoon...

Sometimes I wonder if the guys at Big Finish - Mssrs Richardson, Briggs, Bentley, Dorney & Fitton - get together from time to time, share copious amonts of alcohol and devise characters commensurate with the phrase "...betcha Banksy can't play that!"

Who knows? Whatever the case may be, the 'challenges' that have so far come my way, include being required to play several Gestalt Entities ie, The Morass, a swarm of leeches, a sponge, a fog, several Metatraxi and Numlocks (could have been Tabshifts or Alt Gr Backspaces!) a whole host of other creatures and alien beings, a dingo, an octopus and most recently - a raccoon. A raccoon. Happy to pick up the gauntlet and run with it, I decided to make him Swiss - just for the fun of it! And here is the result:

Come to Ricosta! Tropical climate, untouched beaches, fabulous cuisine... and no extradition treaties. The perfect retirement planet for a certain type of 'business person' – such as Ms Melanie Bush, formerly the co-owner of the Iceworld emporium, now on the run from her former criminal associate's criminal associates...

Some other former associates of Ms Bush are abroad in this space Costa del Crime, however. Not long ago, the time and space traveller known as the Doctor arrived here, alongside his sometimes-criminal associate, the reformed juvenile offender Ace. But now the Doctor's gone missing – and Melanie Bush is about to learn that on the planet Ricosta, the wages of sin... are death.

 Sylvester McCoy The Doctor   Bonnie Langford Mel   Sophie Aldred Ace 

Ginny Holder Gloria/Secretary  Des McAleer Lefty Lonnigan  Stephen Hagan Nathan Later

 Harry Myers Atomon/Sperovore Banker/Steward 

John Banks Mayor/Sperovore Auditor/Sperovore Financer 

Other parts portrayed by the cast

Written by Matt Fitton
Directed by Ken Bentley  

This is quite an unusual addition to the Big Finish playlist and I'm very much looking forward to giving it a listen. In the meantime, I'm back in the BF studio next week for more fun; but that's...

...all for now, more just as soon as it happens!

...what's going on?

...a line from Eastenders or a classic album from Marvin Gaye? Your call; mercy, mercy me...

So this month of July brings some new stuff for the ears of the world to wrap themselves around and a few audio surprises to savour. I've also been in a variety of windowless rooms, otherwise known as recording studios, to lay down some heavy sci-fi/fantasy beats, for no other reason than to bring joy and enlightenment to the universe - well, someone had to give it a go.

The first thing to mention this month is the release of Only The Faithful, the fourth instalment of The Knights of Vengeance series from Games Workshop, in which I play Lord Relictor Ramus. Here are some details:

At last, the Hallowed Knights have cornered their quarry... but the vampire they seek has amassed an army of the dead, and the price of vengeance will be dear indeed.

After a gruelling journey, the warriors of the Hallowed Knights and Astral Templars have found their quarry in the Sea of Bones. During the hunt, Mannfred the vampire lord has raised a mighty undead host to protect the realmgate he has claimed.

Whilst Ramus of the Hallowed Knights seeks the vampire’s head and Vandalus of the Astral Templars wants to reclaim the realmgate, both must fight as one and alongside their orruk allies if they are to triumph. Against one of Nagash’s mortarchs, the test will be stern and only the faithful will prevail...

Performed by:

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, 

Stephen Perring, Saul Reichlin and Luis Soto 

Written by David Guymer & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

One of the surprises I alluded to above, is that all four stories in this series are available together; whoda thought it?

As this is only the first week of July, the rest of the month's releases are, well, yet to be released. I will of course publish details here when they become available; in the meantime, here's news of an unabridged audio book I recorded recently for Hachette, which is scheduled for release on the 19th:

It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. The taxes are high, and their control is complete.

But for one group of bold misfits, it's time to band together and steal back some of that wealth.
No one said they were smart.


Written by Jon Hollins and narrated by me, with a running time of 15 hours, 46 minutes.

* * * * *

There's much more to come this month, but for the time being and in time honoured fashion, I'll sign off by saying...

...all for now, more just as soon as it happens!