Blackshields: The False War

A Horus Heresy audio drama

Infamous even among the mercenary "Blackshields", former World Eater Endryd Haar and his warband face trials that drive them to the brink of destruction as they try to survive the Horus Heresy.

Renouncing fealty to all masters or driven mad by the rigours of war, the Blackshields are a stain upon any Legion they once served. Regarded as little better than pirates, their loyalty is only to themselves.

Infamous among their mercenary ranks is Endryd Haar, a former World Eater, driven by hatred, his blade pledged to no banner but his own. But estranged from his Legion and surrounded by a battered warband of warriors, how long can Haar and his Blackshields hope to endure?

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Tim Bentinck, Steve Conlin, Matthew Hunt & Toby Longworth

                                  Written by Josh Reynolds 7 Produced by Matt Renshaw

Running time approximately 72 minutes

Good evening!

Sometimes, a story comes along that just seems to effortlessly 'sit right'; it feels good to say the words and reveal the narrative, the characters are well drawn and satisfying to play. The False War is such story in my opinion and I thoroughly enjoyed working on it and playing the rich and multi layered character, Endryd Haar. I must say, I'm pleased with the result and hope there'll be more to come - a series of Blackshields adventures would be fantastic I reckon. We shall see! 

In other news this week: as from yesterday, 27th September, Black Library audiobooks have started to become available via audible.co.uk and audible.com 

I'm delighted that a number of the audiobooks I've recorded with Games Workshop are included in this initial release: Fabius Bile Primogenitor, Warlord: Fury of The God Machine, Blades of Damocles, Vaults of Terra: The Carrion Throne and The Horusian Wars: Resurrection.

I'm naturally interested to see what else might become available in future.

I'm still just about working at capacity in terms of book preparation and recording; next week, I'm recording a fantasy novel with full details to follow quite soon I think, as publication isn't too far away and earlier this week, I recorded an audio drama with Big Finish, which represented a bit of a milestone for me, as it was the 100th audio drama I've recorded with director Ken Bentley. Hard to believe really, but there it is - and what fun I've had with Ken and the whole Big Finish crew. Great thanks go to Ken and all at BF. The next milestone is a close run thing at the moment, between Nick Briggs at BF and Matt Renshaw at BL, although, I think Matt might just have the edge...

All details of current and future recordings and whatever else might come up, will be revealed here asap, but in the time honoured way, I'll wrap up by saying...

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

Watchers of The Throne: The Emperor's Legion

 

A Warhammer 40,000 audiobook

The Adeptus Custodes are the Emperor's praetorian guard, the defenders of Terra and watchers over the Golden Throne. But when a threat arises, they and their Sisters of Silence allies may find themselves pressed almost beyond endurance…

The Custodian Guard have stood watch over the Emperor's Palace on Terra since the foundation of the Imperium. Charged with protecting the Master of Mankind from all threats, within and without, their fearsome resolve is renowned throughout the galaxy, and their golden armour is the last thing that a would-be assassin or saboteur will ever see.

Alongside the Null-maidens of the Sisters of Silence, who are anathema to psykers and sorcerers alike, there is no threat to the Golden Throne that they alone cannot vanquish... until now.

Narrated by Gareth Armstong, Emma Gregory and John Banks

Written by Chris Wraight & Produced by Matt Renshaw 

Running time: 10 hours and 31 minutes

So, this unabridged audiobook, released a few days ago, is a fascinating interweaving of stories told from different perspectives. I thoroughly enjoyed working on the project and can't wait to give it a proper listen... when I have time, which is in very short supply at the moment!

* * * * *

Twenty stories in all have been recorded over the last couple of weeks, along with another 'trailer' for The Black Library, which was released on the YouTube Warhammer TV Channel and which is playable below:

Despite the frenzied recording activity of the last few months, I'm nevertheless relishing the prospect of what's to come in the next couple of months. Such a variety of stuff and some very, very challenging recordings in the pipeline, but I'm feeling 'tuned up' and ready to go. 

I love this time of year, as we approach autumn; for me, it's always been a time of beginnings rather than endings and I've always been a big fan of John Keats, who wrote this on 19 September 1819:

Ode To Autumn 

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

   Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

   With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

   And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

      To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

   With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

      For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

(first of three stanzas)

* * * * *
 

On a different tack; I'm astonished as to the number of people who have viewed the trailers I've been recording recently for Games Workshop. The Death Guard trailer has been viewed well over 230,000 times and the second Mortarion trailer, around 100,000 times; even the Adeptus Mechanicus clip above, which was only released on Saturday, has been seen almost 27,000 times so far. The power of the internet indeed!

Before I wrap up today's posting, I'll just mention the audiobook I'm recording this week. At the moment of course, I'm not allowed to give away any details, but I can say that it's a complete contrast to the material I've been recording for the past several months; it's the autoboigraphy of...

I know, I know, I'm sorry; but all will soon be revealed, promise!

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

The Dragon Lords

Good afternoon! Another snapshot posting I'm afraid; once again, I'm in the middle of a very busy phase of recording. It's already more than a week now, since publication and simultaneous release of the audiobook of Jon Hollins' latest novel in his Dragon Lords series: False Icons. (29th August).

It's quite a long novel and the audiobook has a running time of 20 hours 5 minutes, so, as you can imagine, it was quite a task to record the whole thing over a very intensive four days in July. The team at Chatterbox Audio were as supportive and efficient as ever and I had legendary former BBC Radio producer, Mary Price, to keep me on track. I'm grateful to all involved and indeed to Jon Hollins, who has been most generous in his comments both about this recording and the first Dragon Lords audiobook, Fool's Gold, which I recorded about a year ago.

Here are some details:

The Dragon Lords: False Icons

A heist story with a difference: Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hobbit in this rollicking fantasy adventure.

The dragons who once ruled over the land are dead. The motley crew that stole the dragons' gold and stumbled through a revolution are rich and praised as saviours. Everyone gets to live happily ever after, right?

Well, it might have worked out that way if the dragons in Kondorra had been the only ones. If they hadn't been just the tip of the spear about to fall upon the whole world....

The Dragon Lords: False Idols combines nonstop action, death-defying adventure and a never-before-assembled cast of wisecracking misfits. This series is a worthy addition to every fantasy lover's horde.

©2017 Jon Hollins (P)2017 Little, Brown Book Group

* * * * *

I recently mentioned why I was being kept so busy at the moment, both in terms of preparation and actual recording. I'm currently recording two collections of audio books, twenty stories in all and I'm now at the half-way point. Additionally, I have three further audiobooks and two dramas to record, all before the end of October...

So before my head explodes at the prospect, I'll end this brief update with the inclusion of a 'Cinematic Trailer' I recorded recently for Games Workshop. Play it loud and I hope you 'enjoy'!

Mortarion: Primarch of The Death Guard

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