Coming June 6th…

Coming June 6th…
The Mercy Chair
"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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Thursday 30 November 2017

The Bible: New Revised Standard Version

Following on from my last posting here earlier today (two posts in a single day shock???), 2015 certainly was busy! In August 2015, after almost a year of various deliberations, producer Neil Gardner and me, started to record the New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, in all it's unabridged glory. After a further two years of transforming our recorded text into a downloadable 'app', complete with optional commentaries, publisher SPCK has just released the finished 'product'.

Here are some details:




The NRSV: The Bible for Everyone app contains a superb new audio version by John Banks, specially commissioned by SPCK from Ladbroke Audio, bringing the NRSV to life as never before.



The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible is one of the most widely loved English versions of the Bible. Descended from the King James Version, it combines academic rigour with a flowing style.


The NRSV: The Bible for Everyone app features:

- Complete NRSV Bible text
- Add your own notes to Bible verses
- Bookmark your favourite verses
- Powerful search and browse functionality
- Share verses as images on social media

This new app, offering fantastic value, seamlessly integrates the audio with the text, and includes the option to add access to the For Everyone series of commentaries and Bible studies written by Tom Wright and John Goldingay, via in-app subscription.

New and : NRSV Audio Bible for Everyone. Complete text and audio:

iTunes:             Google Play:  

* * * * *

The notion of sitting down in front of a microphone and recording the Bible from beginning to end, was both daunting and slightly surreal. I'd never read The Bible in it's entirety before, although I did know particular sections quite well. Some of it came as a surprise, some of it made me think about things in quite a new light and some of it taught me how to build a temple!

As a school-child, we would listen to radio broadcasts of David Kossoff, a wonderful actor, (right), reading Bible stories; he was so good at being able to bring the Bible and it's huge cast of characters to life and of course, to my young ears, he was the definitive voice of God!

I certainly haven't aimed to 'compete' with anyone for similar 'deification'; instead, I wanted to articulate the text in a clear and direct manner, with a little verve perhaps and a desire to allow the stories to tell themselves, without too much of a 'helping hand' from me. Maybe I got it right, maybe not - or maybe I got it right in part. Whatever the outcome, I feel truly honoured to have been entrusted with such a challenging narration and should you decide to give this recording a try, I do hope you will forgive my errors and enjoy listening to The Bible.



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

Deadhouse Landing

Two years ago, in December 2015, I recorded Dancer's Lament: Path to Ascendancy Book 1 by Ian C. Esslemont, a prequel to his epic series of novels set in the Malazan Empire, which I also subsequently recorded. A couple of months ago, I was delighted to record the second book of the Path to Ascendancy, Deadhouse Landing. The audio book is now available from audible.co.uk and various other outlets and here are some details:

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Deadhouse Landing by Ian C. Esslemont, read by John Banks.

"Returning fans to the turbulent early history of what would become the Malazan Empire, the second chapter in Ian C. Esslemont's thrilling new epic fantasy sequence....


After the disappointments of Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled a civil war on their own home island. The plan, however, soon goes awry as Kellanved develops a strange and dangerous fascination for a mysterious ancient structure found on the island.

The chaos in the region extends to the metaphysical planes also as a young priest of D'rek starts to question the rot at the heart of the worship of the god of decay. And back in Li Heng, Dassem, now the proclaimed Sword of Hood, finds himself being blamed for a plague which leads him to a crisis of faith - and searching for answers.

During all this, war with the neighbouring island of Nap threatens, recruited allies wonder at Kellanved's sanity, and powerful entities take more of an interest in the little mage from Dal Hon. Dancer faces a hard choice: should he give up on his partnership? Especially when the fellow's obsession with shadows and ancient artefacts brings the both of them alarmingly close to death and destruction.

After all, who in his right mind would actually wish to enter an Elder mystery known to everyone as the 'Deadhouse'?"

Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 16hrs 49 mins


©2017 Ian C. Esslemont (P)2017 Random House Audiobooks


...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