"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 14 September 2018

Key of Infinity

Good morning! Welcome to today's posting, which features a collection of short 'commuter length' audio dramas from The Black Library. These stories were originally released as individual downloads and are available now, for the first time, on CD.

I realise that over recent months, the majority of releases featured here have been from the Black Library, either in the form of audio drama or solo audio books. These stories and indeed, the whole world of Warhammer, might not be your thing. Have no fear! I think, by the end of the year, the balance might well have shifted and the updates here, will go off in quite a different direction.

In the meantime, there are more releases to come from Games Workshop and I have just received an advance copy of a major November release, which I'm very keen to listen to. What I can say now, is that the cover artwork is quite stunning and I look forward to sharing images here as soon as they become available.

The 'crazy phase' of recording continues apace. This week is a very welcome prep week; I shall be recording a new book every week now till early October. Last week's audio book recording had 251 named characters, though mercifully, not all of them had a speaking part! When finally edited, that particular book, (880 pages), might have a running length around the 30 hour mark - roughly the length of three average audio books. We recorded it over five and a half days, at a little over five hours of recorded material per day, which, believe me, is quite a brutal pace, especially when continually switching beween narrator and character voices in multi-character conversations. Two of the next three books are of about the same length, so having a couple of days to prep is, as I say, very welcome!

If my voice and me make through the next few weeks, there will be a short time to prepare for the next audio book, scheduled for an early November recording and about which, I am very excited indeed. I look forward to telling you much more about it as soon as I'm allowed!

In the meantime:
  

The Key of Infinity & Other Stories

Warhammer 40,000



In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. But war is waged in many ways. From the dark places where 10,000-year-old psychic warriors interrogate living machines from a time before man, to a treacherous assassination plot that could bring an end to a centuries-old legacy of honour, to relic hunters who want to wrest secrets from a plague-ridden traitor or cross swords with a sinister Chaplain of the Dark Angels, this collection of four audio dramas showcases battles of the mind and spirit in which the victors will be those with the strength to prevail against not only their foes but their own weaknesses.

Key of Infinity by John French

Thousand Sons sorcerer Ahzek Ahriman studies an ancient construct of the necrontyr race - but the necron is studying him right back and has plans of its own....

Running time: 18 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble and Saul Reichlin.

The Assassination of Gabriel Seth by Andy Smillie

Gabriel Seth, Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers, has made many enemies in his long years defending the Imperium - and now they plot against him, planning his death. But Seth will not be taken down so easily....

Running time: 23 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Tim Bruce, Steve Conlin and Andrew Wincott.

Heart of Decay by Ben Counter

Two heroes of the Relictors Space Marine Chapter interrogate a prisoner - a hideous servant of the Dark Gods, a Traitor Astartes of the Death Guard.

Running time 28 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Matthew Hunt and Toby Longworth.

The Rage of Asmodai by C Z Dunn

Captain Vidarna of the Relictors finds a mission to capture a Chaos artefact complicated by Dark Angels Chaplain Asmodai, who has his own sinister mission.

Running time: 25 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth and Saul Reichlin.

Produced by Matt Renshaw
 
©2018 Games Workshop Limited (P)2018 Games Workshop Limited

...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