"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 18 May 2018

Blackshields: Red Fief


A Horus Heresy Audio Drama

Endryd Haar leads his battered warband of renegade Blackshields into battle once more. Answering a distress call from an old friend, Haar seeks out the tithe-world of Duat, intent on plunder.


As the forces of the Warmaster close in on Terra, Endryd Haar leads his warband of renegade Blackshields into battle once more. With his forces battered in the wake of their raid on Xana, Haar finds himself in desperate need of warriors.

Answering a distress call from an old friend, Haar seeks out the tithe-world of Duat, intent on plunder. But when he discovers what is hidden there, Haar is faced with a decision that will determine his fate – and perhaps that of Terra itself.


Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Toby Longworth, Andrew Wincott, Tim Bruce & Steve Conlin

Written by Josh Reynolds and Produced by Matt Renshaw 

* * * * *

Shockingly, this audio drama was released a week ago and I've only just been able to upload details of it here. This is the second of Josh Reynolds' 'Blackshield' adventures and I'm truly delighted to be playing Endryd Haar, the anti-hero of the stories. There's a fabulous cast for this drama too and as I got a very rare early copy, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Part of the enjoyment was of course, thinking back to the fun we had in the studio, but it's also very pleasing to listen to a piece of work that stands up and plays well. I enjoyed it and hope, if it's your kind of thing, that you will too.

I've been away from home for the last couple of weeks, being busy in the studio with some fabulous audio drama projects and the continuation of a long story arc in audio book format and now I'm just catching up with all the stuff I've neglected recently - like this blog!

Further busy times ahead in the very near future, though I do now have some time at home to start prepping again for the next tranche of recording, which, again, shockingly, will take me all the way through to mid October!

There's some new Sigmar stuff coming from the Black Library, which lots of folks are excited about and I was asked to record a 'trailer - reveal' with regard to what's happening - and here it is:



Thanks for stopping by -

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

Tuesday 1 May 2018

Skald: The Short Story Collection


Skald: 6 Original Crime & Thriller Short Stories


Commissioned by Audible and written especially for audio format this collection brings together six crime stories through the themes of discovery, destination and arrival.

Top narrators bring these gripping tales to life acknowledging the Scandinavian tradition of oral storytelling.


In this collection Ben Okri and Martin Edwards explore 'discovery' in their stories; Sophie Hannah and Emma Dibdin each draw on 'destination' for their tales of painful pasts; and Elly Griffiths and Parker Bilal tackle the theme of 'arrival' in their stories.

Skald is one of three short story collections written by our favourite best-selling novelists and emerging authors, and curated based on the themes of arrival, discovery and destination. Jali collates science fiction tales while Bard collates contemporary fiction.



Stories written by Martin Edwards, Ben Okri, Sophie Hannah, Emma Dibdin, Elly Griffiths & Parker Bilal 

 Narrated by John Banks, Jessica Dennis, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Damian Lynch, Colleen Prendergast & Katy Sobey

Running Length 4 hours - 30 minutes

©2018 Audible, Ltd. (P)2018 Audible, Ltd.
 
 
I must say, it was great fun to record 'Bully The Blue Bear' by Sophie Hannah for this series. I narrated the story, directed by Tamsin Collison and then Colleen Prendergast (in the photo, right) came in and the two of us recorded the rest of the story together in dialogue.

We were subsequently interviewed for a short promo by Audible Studios, which was a hoot and, as usual, I blathered on for ages. The amount they eventually used in the video was tiny in comparison to the deluge of noise I came up with. Colleen, in contrast, was concise and sensible and I'm very glad she was there, otherwise, I might still be talking and pontificating on life and the universe - as one does!

Alas, the video is bigger than the upload limit for this site (!); though it can be viewed at the Audible web site (Skald: The Short Story Collection) or on my Twitter feed (top left on this site).


* * * * *

On a different subject; the last couple of weeks have been very busy in the recording studio and the latest audio book was finished on Saturday evening. The dealine for publishing on this one is quite tight and in addition to actual recording, editing and checking also take up a chunk of time, so, we had to get it recorded asap, hence a late Saturday completion.

This week is mostly about prepping for the next two weeks in studio, so I'd better sign off now and get on with some work!


...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