"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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Tuesday 21 February 2017

Asurmen: The Darker Road

Somewhat astonishingly, I've had a CD copy of this story for several months, despite the fact that it's just been released from The Black Library. I've been very disciplined and only today given it its first listening; I must say, I really enjoyed it, but will obviously have to listen a few more times before a final verdict. I'm narrating on this story, which I always enjoy.

Some BL stories are only available as downloads, so most of those I have. Other BL stories are also available as a 'hard copy' on CD and unfortunately, several of those, I don't have. I might well have them in digital form, but there's something very pleasing in having a physical object to go on my shelves, especially when the cover artwork (by Alex Boyd and Nuala Kinrade) is as spectacular as it is for Asurmen: The Darker Road.


A Phoenix Lords audio drama

With the future of Craftworld Ulthwé at stake, the Phoenix Lord Asurmen joins the warriors of the craftworld on a mission that will lead them down a dark and dangerous road.


It is said the Phoenix Lords arrive on the eve of great moments... 


Guided by fate, Asurmen the Hand of Asuryan comes to the craftworld of Ulthwé. At the behest of the head of the seer council, he joins the warriors of Ulthwé and the young seer Eldrad on a quest to the Crone Worlds in search of the oracle Hiron-athela.

It is believed that this being holds an artefact that could safeguard Ulthwé's future, but in order to obtain it the eldar must travel a dark road...

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Steve Conlin, Toby Longworth, Penelope Rawlins and Genevieve Swallow.

Written by Gav Thorpe and Produced by Matt Renshaw

* * * * *

At the moment, I'm in the process of preparing two audio books and enjoying the process as ever, although one of them is proving to be fiendishly complex...


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

Assail

Assail. The final novel in Ian C. Esslemont's epic seven novel Malazan saga, produced by Neil Gardner for Penguin Random House and for which I created voices for a total of five hundred and eighty-three named characters.

I look forward to receiving my contributor copies of these stories and setting aside a chunk of time to listen to them. In fact, out of sheer curiosity, I've just calculated how long it would take to listen to the entire saga. The answer appears at the bottom of this posting!

In the meantime, here are some details:

Tens of thousands of years of ice is melting, and the land of Assail, long a byword for menace and inaccessibility, is at last yielding its secrets.

Tales of gold discovered in the region's north circulate in every waterfront dive and sailor's tavern, and now adventurers and fortune seekers have set sail in search of riches. And all they have to guide them are legends and garbled tales of the dangers that lie in wait - hostile coasts, fields of ice, impassable barriers and strange, terrifying creatures.



But all accounts concur that the people of the north meet all trespassers with the sword - and should you make it, beyond are rumoured to lurk Elder monsters out of history's very beginnings.

Into this turmoil ventures the mercenary company the Crimson Guard. Not drawn by contract but by the promise of answers: answers that Shimmer, second in command, feels should not be sought.

Also heading north, as part of an uneasy alliance of Malazan fortune hunters and Letherii soldiery, comes the bard Fisher kel Tath. With him is a Tiste Andii, who was found washed ashore and cannot remember his past yet commands far more power than he really should. It is also rumoured that a warrior, bearer of a sword that slays gods and who once fought for the Malazans, is also journeying that way.

But far to the south, a woman patiently guards the shore. She awaits both allies and enemies. She is Silverfox, newly incarnate Summoner of the undying army of the T'lan Imass, and she will do anything to stop the renewal of an ages-old crusade that could lay waste to the entire continent and beyond.

Casting light on mysteries spanning the Malazan empire, and offering a glimpse of the storied and epic history that shaped it, Assail brings the epic story of the Empire of Malaz to a thrilling close.

©2016 Ian C Esslemont (P)2016 Random House AudioBooks

Running time: 22 hours 45 minutes






















The accumulated running time for these seven stories is:


9,628 minutes or 160 hours & 46 minutes or... slightly over six and a half days of constant listening

...see you on the other side!

Doctor Who: The Eternal Battle

Well this is not how I intended February to go at all! At least in terms of how I had imagined posting information about this month's releases. Instead of a regular series of updates, I notice that the end of the month is almost upon us and there's still much to talk about.

Several days ago, the second release of February appeared in the form of a Doctor Who adventure from Big Finish; viz The Eternal Battle - and here are some details along with some fabulous artwork by Anthony Lamb:

The TARDIS has landed in a war zone. The Doctor, Romana and K9 find themselves traipsing through an inhospitable battlefield. Strange lights flicker in the sky, and stranger creatures lurk in the darkness.


When rescued from an attack by a Sontaran tank, the time-travellers discover they’re facing a far more dangerous foe than the battle-hungry clones. This terrifying fight has been going on longer than anyone can remember… and shows no signs of stopping.


With the TARDIS missing and their luck running thin, the Doctor and his friends’ only hope of survival is to uncover the truth about what is happening on this planet. If they can discover the secret of the eternal battle they might just survive… but it might just mean the end of them all.

Tom Baker The Doctor   Lalla Ward Romana    John Leeson K9  
Dan Starkey Field Major Lenk/Sergeant Major Stom  
Jane Slavin Captain Nina Albiston/Sycon Computer    John Banks Brennan/Trooper Varn

Written by Cavan Scott & Mark Wright
Directed by Nicholas Briggs 



NB: This title was released in February 2017. It will be exclusively available to buy from the BF website until March 31st 2017, and on general sale after this date.

Thursday 9 February 2017

A Perfect Machine

And so, February and this year of 2017 moves on apace and new audio recordings are being released; sometimes in a bit of a flurry, like last month and sometimes quite gradually, like this month.

The first audio release of February is my audio book version of a sci-fi novel by Brett Savory, 'A Perfect Machine' and here are some details from the publisher, audible.co.uk:




"Henry Kyllo is a Runner, a member of a secret society called the Inferne Cutis. Every day he is chased through the city by Hunters whose goal is to fill him with bullets. It is a secret war steeped in history, tradition, and mutual fear.



Rumours abound about what happens when a Runner achieves ascension, but it has supposedly never happened before, so no one knows for sure. Except that it has happened before. And it is happening again. This time to Henry Kyllo."

 

Written by Brett Savory 
& Produced by Neil Gardner




* * * * *

It's curious sometimes how publishing schedules progress. Rather like Assassin's Creed, A Perfect Machine was produced to an incredibly tight deadline; recording, editing and publishing all occurring within a couple of weeks. In contrast, the production of the NRSV Bible has already taken two years or so and despite the actual recording only taking up eighteen studio days, it still seems no closer to a release date.

For some reason, I quite like working to tight schedules; less time to 'out-think' myself in terms of preparation perhaps, just go with the flow and trust my instincts. At the moment, I'm preparing to narrate two fascinating audio books and it all seems very lazy and relaxed, because I don't have to be in studio to record them until next month; what a luxury!




The next thing I want to mention in this posting is a piece of very welcome and gratifying news, which I became aware of earlier today. It seems that the Big Finish production of Doctor Who: Only The Monstrous, has been nominated for an Audio Publishers Association (USA) 'Audie Award' in the Audio Drama category - yay!




In fact, another Big Finish box-set recording that I took part in, The Tenth Doctor Adventures, has also been nominated, although alas, not the story I performed in. However, two bites of the Awards 'cherry' might be regarded as being greedy and I'm just pleased and proud to have been involved in both of these adventures.




* * * * *

I must end this update on a sad note. During the past couple of weeks, two acting colleagues have passed away; Gorden Kaye, with whom I worked on two series of 'Allo, 'Allo for the BBC in the late '80's and Sir John Hurt, with whom I worked much more recently on Only The Monstrous.

When I first met Gorden, I was much younger and quite in awe of him as the star of a hugely popular comedy series. When I worked with John Hurt, I barely slept the night before recording. They were different people and performers in very many ways, but both were immensely kind and generous to me and within minutes of starting work, I felt comfortable and relaxed with them and able to do my job.

I feel proud and privileged to have worked with two such fabulous actors and I am grateful to both.
























* * * * *

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

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