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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Saturday 25 January 2020

Angels of Death

Good evening and welcome to today's update!




The beginning of the month saw the release of three audiobooks on the same day, since when, things have gone a bit quiet in terms of 'what's new', though I'm pleased to say, it has been a busy and interesting time, both in the recording studio and preparing for future projects. I must also say, there's some very interesting stuff coming along the pipeline and, as ever, I can't wait to give details here, just as soon as I am able.






With that in mind, you might have noticed over the last several months, a few subtle hints about a 'top secret project' which I'm most excited about and which I have been very much looking forward to revealing details of. On Thursday of this week, I was fortunate to see an extended version of the trailer featuring the Blood Angels, which appears below. It was first shown in public at the Las Vegas Open 2020:



As far as I'm aware, the animation series, Angels of Death, from which the trailer is taken, is still a 'work in progress' and final confirmation of a release date is yet to be given. Needless to say, I'll be talking about this series much more when details become fully available.




Another recent item of interest, is the recording of a new 'ident' for Warhammer. To quote Andy Smillie, Head of the Warhammer Media Team: 

“We really wanted a Warhammer ident so that, when people are watching one of our shows, they’ll know that what they’re seeing is part of the Warhammer brand. It’s a mark of quality, if you will, something to tie what you see on your screen to the Warhammer hobby and to Games Workshop.” 




* * * * *

So, exciting times ahead and I'm now preparing a number of audio projects all the way through to April and with any luck, I hope some of them at least, will be of interest.


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

Thursday 9 January 2020

The Shadow Saint

Good afternoon! This month's audio releases continue with today's publication of Gareth Hanrahan's second Black Iron Legacy story, The Shadow Saint.

Here are some details:

The Shadow Saint

With his acclaimed debut, The Gutter Prayer, Gareth Hanrahan introduced a world of sorcerers and thieves, broken gods and dangerous magic. Now, this epic tale continues in The Shadow Saint, the gripping second novel in the Black Iron Legacy.



As the Godswar draws ever closer and tensions within the city escalate, how long will the people of Guerdon be able to keep their enemies at bay?





Written by Gareth Hanrahan, Produced by Neil Gardner & Narrated by John Banks

audio book length: 19 hours & 39 minutes


©2020 Gareth Hanrahan (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK


* * * * *

In the ancient city of Guerdon, three thieves - an orphan, a ghoul and a cursed man - are accused of a crime they didn't commit. Their quest for revenge exposes a perilous conspiracy, the seeds of which were sown long before they were born.





A centuries-old magical war is on the verge of reigniting, and in the tunnels deep below the city, a malevolent power stirs. Only by standing together can the three friends prevent a conflict that would bring total devastation to their city - and the world beyond.
 

 
Written by Gareth Hanrahan, Produced by Neil Gardner & Narrated by John Banks

audio book length: 16 hours & 57 minutes 



©2018 Gareth Hanrahan (P)2018 Hachette Audio UK
 
 
...all for now; more just as soon as it happens!

Wednesday 8 January 2020

M.W.Craven: Fluke

New Year, new post, new adventures... welcome to all and many thanks for stopping by. 2020 already feels well under way and as I write, I have two audio books prepped and ready to record in the next couple of weeks, along with an audio drama, the script of which, I haven't yet seen, so a treat in store no doubt and I can't wait to get stuck in to reading it.

In the meantime; January has three audio releases, recorded at the end of last year, the first two of which, are written by M.W. Craven, award-winning author of The Puppet Show and Black Summer.

Here are some details:

Born in a Burial Gown

 



The first gritty thriller in the Avison Fluke series by M. W. Craven, the acclaimed author of The Puppet Show.

Detective Inspector Avison Fluke is a man on the edge. He has committed a crime to get back to work, concealed a debilitating illness and is about to be made homeless.

Just as he thinks things can't get any worse, the body of a young woman is found buried on a Cumbrian building site. 




Shot once in the back of the head, it is a cold, calculated execution. When the postmortem reveals she has gone to significant expense in disguising her appearance, Fluke knows this is no ordinary murder.

With the help of a psychotic ex-Para, a gangland leader and a woman more interested in maggots than people, Fluke must find out who she was and why she was murdered before he can even think about finding her killer.

D.I. Avison Fluke: Book 1
 
Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Body Breaker

 



The second dark and twisted thriller in the Avison Fluke series by M. W. Craven, the acclaimed author of The Puppet Show.

Investigating how a severed hand ends up on the third green of a Cumbrian golf course is not how Detective Inspector Avison Fluke has planned to spend his Saturday. So when a secret protection unit from London swoops in quoting national security, he's secretly pleased.



But trouble is never far away. A young woman arrives at his lakeside cabin with a cryptic message: a code known to only a handful of people, and it forces Fluke back into the investigation he's only just been barred from.

In a case that will change his life forever, Fluke immerses himself in a world of New Age travellers,corrupt cops and domestic extremists. Before long he's alienated his entire team, has been arrested under the Terrorism Act - and has made a pact with the devil himself. But a voice has called out to him from beyond the grave. And Fluke is only getting started....  

 
D.I. Avison Fluke Book 2 
 
Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins 


Both audiobooks produced by Neil Gardner and narrated by John Banks

©2019 M. W. Craven (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK 



...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