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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Sunday 13 March 2022

At last - it's the 2022 show!

Dear, patient reader - welcome back! The Ides of March are almost upon us and this is the first update of the year - how can that be!?!

As mentioned in my 'wrap up' posting in December, the new year was scheduled to start 'at pace', which indeed, it did; the pace is ongoing and looks set to ramp up pretty soon. I have two books to complete this coming week, followed by prep for the recording of four books in April; I know, I know - crazy!

So before I forget and it's suddenly June or November and I have no idea what I've been doing, here are details of various releases from the last few weeks - in no particular order!

 

The Successors: A Space Marine anthology.

Narrated by:

 Andrew Wincott, John Banks, Richard Reed, and Kelly Hotten


The successor Chapters of the Space Marines number in the hundreds, founded to fight for the survival of the Imperium. Across 13 short stories by 10 different authors, discover the history, customs and stories of 12 different successor Chapters, from famed warriors to unsung heroes.

The Space Marine Legions of old are dead, torn asunder in the wake of the Horus Heresy. In their place have risen a thousand Chapters, each unique, each carrying the legacy of their founders across the countless battlefields of the Imperium.

The Flesh Tearers spill blood in a war of brutal attrition.

The Emperor's Spears keep a tireless watch where their brothers have fallen.

The Consecrators search the dark places for relics, artefacts of power from the noble past.

The Crimson Fists vow, with bloodied hands, to become Dorn's glorious vanguard once more.

These are the Imperium's bulwark against terror, the Emperor's Angels of Death. Forged from the genetic material of the demigod Primarchs, it is by the might of these Adeptus Astartes that the growing darkness of the galaxy is held at bay - for the Space Marines know no fear.

Exorcists: The Empty Place by Graham McNeill
Soul Drinkers: The Phalangite Ascendancy by Ben Counter
Flesh Tearers: Disgraced by Chris Forrester
Emperor's Spears: The First Primaris by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Carcharodons: The Last Planet by Edoardo Albert
Mortifactors: Legacy of Posul by Chris Forrester
Wolfspear: The Wolves of Raukos by Guy Haley
Angels Penitent: The Sins of My Brothers by Peter Fehervari
Crimson Fists: Patience Kills by Gary Kloster
Black Dragons: Bless the Curse by Callum Davis
Consecrators: Living Relics by David Guymer
Iron Lords: Iron Watch by Callum Davis
Emperor's Spears: Son of the Storm World by Aaron Dembski-Bowden


Running time: 10 hours - 43 minutes

 
©2022 Games Workshop Limited (P)2022 Games Workshop Limited

 

* * * * *

 

Servants of the Inquisition: A Warhammer 40,000 Audio Drama Collection

The sinister and aloof Inquisitors and their servants exercise nearly limitless power – it’s essential to root out the many and varied enemies who would bring ruin to mankind.

Other powerful agents, like the independent privateer Rogue Traders, are given free reign to treat on behalf of mankind’s interests.

Agent of the Throne: Blood and Lies by John French
Agent of the Throne: Truth and Dreams by John French
Agent of the Throne: Ashes and Oaths by John French
Thorn Wishes Talon by Dan Abnett
Regia Occulta by Dan Abnett
Master Imus's Transgression by Dan Abnett
*The Interrogation of Salvor Lermentov by Chris Wraight
Eye of Night by Gav Thorpe
Assassinorum: The Emperor's Judgement by Joe Parrino
*Kill Shot by Ben Counter
Corsair: The Face of the Void by James Swallow
Blackstone Fortress: The Beast Inside by Darius Hinks
Augur of Despair by Chris Dows

*Dramas I'm performing in.

Approx run time 11 hours and 55 mins

These stories explore both organisations, and their agents, with full-cast audio dramas.

 

* * * * *

 

Errant Knights: A Horus Heresy Audio Drama collection.

Performed by: 

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Toby Longworth and Ramon Tikaram


These stories explore a different view of the Horus Heresy - each one focuses on Space Marines who have cast their legions aside to pursue new missions and goals. Though their deeds are often done in secret, they’ll have profound effects on the course of history. 

This collection of stories follows some few Astartes who turned on their Legion rather than their emperor or else became blackshields - renegades in that grey space somewhere between loyalty and betrayal.

Garro: Oath of Moment by James Swallow
Garro: Legion of One by James Swallow
Garro: Burden of Duty by James Swallow
Garro: Sword of Truth by James Swallow
Garro: Shield of Lies by James Swallow
Garro: Ashes of Fealty by James Swallow
Grey Angel by John French
Blackshields: The False War by Josh Reynolds
Blackshields: The Red Fief by Josh Reynolds
Blackshields: The Broken Chain by Josh Reynolds


Running length: 11 hours-53 minutes 

 ©2021 Games Workshop Limited (P)2021 Games Workshop Limited

 

 * * * * *

 


Endless War: A Horus Heresy Audio Drama collection.

Performed by: 

Danny Webb, Jonathan Keeble, Sean Barrett,
Saul Reichlin, Gareth Armstrong, Toby Longworth, John Banks,
Sean Connolly, Martyn Ellis, Tim Treloar & David Timson


These stories will transport you to the heart-breaking internecine conflict known as the Horus Heresy. Each one of these audio dramas is a stirring tale of a long, vicious war that rages on into the 41st Millennium.

Some of Black Library's best-known names have crafted thrilling, revealing and sometimes surprising audio dramas that shed more light on the galaxy spanning conflicts of the Horus Heresy.

'The Lightning Tower' by Dan Abnett
'The Dark King' by Graham McNeill
'A Lesson in Darkness' by Ian St Martin
'Iron Corpses' by David Annandale
'The Eagle's Talon' by John French
'Templar' by John French
'Stone and Iron' by Robbie MacNiven
'The Long Night' by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
'Master of the First' by Gav Thorpe
'Cypher: Guardian of Order' by Gav Thorpe
'The Watcher' by C Z Dunn
'Virtues of the Sons' by Andy Smillie
'Sins of the Father' by Andy Smillie
'The Herald of Sanguinius' by Andy Smillie
'Morningstar' by Graham McNeill
'Thief of Revelations' by Graham McNeill
'Hunter's Moon' by Guy Haley
'The Thirteenth Wolf' by Gav Thorpe
'Wolf's Claw' by Chris Wraight
'Valerius' by Gav Thorpe
'The Soul, Severed' by Chris Wraight
'Lucius: The Eternal Blade' by Graham McNeill
'Dark Compliance' by John French
'The Binary Succession' by David Annandale
'Warmaster' by John French
'The Sigillite' by Chris Wraight
'Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium' by L J Goulding
'Wolf Hunt' by Graham McNeill

Running length: 16h-37m

©2021 Games Workshop Limited (P)2021 Games Workshop Limited

 

* * * * *

 


Four new adventures featuring the Eighth Doctor and his Edwardian companion Charlotte Pollard.

Directed by Ken Bentley & Performed by: 

 
Paul McGann (The Doctor)
India Fisher (Charlotte Pollard)
Rakie Ayola (Dakota Bly)
John Banks (Cagliostro / Onaldus)
Shiloh Coke (Constella)
Mark Elstob (Le Roi / Baron / Kelyan)
Chris Jarman (Pattos)
Lara Lemon (Selka / Klinkator / Dilly)
Michelle Livingstone (Deeva Jansen)
Yasmin Mwanza (Laorie / Assassin)
Cyril Nri (Khaset)
Rhoda Ofori-Attah (Tarper / Alicantis)
Theo Solomon (Keelda)
Andrew James Spooner (Kedge Ampston)


1. The Mummy Speaks! by Alan Barnes
The Carnaval de Paris, 1841. Amid the sideshow tents, the Doctor and Charley discover something truly novel: an Ancient Egyptian mummy that speaks - despite being dead for more than 4,000 years!
But what the mummy has to say translates into terror for the TARDIS twosome... and proclaims doom for the entire world.

2. Eclipse by Lisa McMullin
The collective noun for a swarm of moths is an eclipse. And when the chittering, nightmarish Hellstrung descend from the forest canopy of planet Pteron, they threaten to snuff out the lives of the human settlers below.
Wanting to know what’s stirred up the Hellstrung, the Doctor and Charley venture deep into the woods as darkness falls.

3. The Slaying of the Writhing Mass by Eddie Robson
The Doctor and Charley become trapped in a temporal traffic jam, caused by time tourists come to witness the pivotal event in the history of the planet Ileiko: the Slaying of the Writhing Mass, the alien entity that enslaved the Ileikans in their infancy.
The legendary hero Salan killed the Mass with a single stone, setting the Ileikans free. But what was the Mass, exactly? And what if the legend was wrong? 

4. Heart of Orion by Nicholas Briggs
The TARDIS intercepts a strange signal, returning the Doctor and Charley to the Garazone System - where once they had a terrifying encounter with the Cybermen, and foiled a bid to change the course of a terrible android-human war.
Now, people are going missing from all over Garazone Central. The Orion War is far from over, and the Doctor and Charley have landed at the heart of it, again!

Audio Drama: 295 minutes

 

* * * * *

 

 

A conspiracy is in the making. Will the Snow Panthers be able to stop it and find the perpetrators?

Produced by Emily Derr and Performed by John Banks.


Ingrid, Viggo, and Lasgol are off to a rescue mission. What is supposed to be a straightforward task soon gets derailed and the friends find themselves in more trouble than they ever wanted.
Nilsa and Gerd travel to the Rangers Camp to help Egil. They will have to embark in a new adventure to try to find the truth behind the dark events surrounding them.

The Panthers will discover a power conspiracy and will have to confront it. Will they rescue Astrid from the Turquoise Queen? Will the Panthers find out who is behind the conspiracy? Will they save the kingdom?

Audiobook: 15h-1m

©2021 Pedro Urvi (P)2021 Podium Audio

 

* * * * *

 


The War Doctor Begins: Warbringer


Directed by Louise Jameson


Performed by:

Jonathon Carley (The War Doctor)
Adèle Anderson (Commander Tamasan)
Ajjaz Awad (Case)
John Banks (Belus, Germinal Princeps / Deadweights)
Nicholas Briggs (The Daleks)
Angela Bruce (Oya / Andarta, Incipient Mother)
Beth Chalmers (Commander Veklin)
Nigel Fairs (Faren)
Stephen Frost (Rondig)
Timothy Hofmeier (Lance Corporal Albert Brown)
Janet Prince (Mo)
Jessica Temple (Iansa)


The Doctor is no more.

In his place, a warrior, finally joining the Time War between the Daleks and Gallifrey.

But how far will he go to end the conflict? What lines will he cross? How much of himself will he sacrifice?

The War Doctor is beginning to find out who he is...

2.1 Consequences by Timothy X Atack
The War Doctor and Veklin crash on a ravaged planet. On the fringes of the Time War, this world has its own battles raging. Elsewhere, a survivor works out how she came to be here.
But these newcomers are harbingers of something terrible, following in their wake...

2.2 Destroyer by Andrew Smith
Trapped on a world that worships war, the War Doctor finds himself fulfilling an ancient prophecy - could he be the Warbringer of legend? His new ally Case is testing her abilities, too. And both will be called on to fight when the Daleks come...

2.3 Saviour by Jonathan Morris
The truth of how events on Tharius were set in motion is revealed. On a mission to destroy a Dalek Harvester vessel, the War Doctor discovers a new breed of Dalek.

Whatever action he takes next, we have seen the consequences – and they are devastating for everyone
.

 Audio drama: 227 minutes

 

* * * * *

 

And so, we're up to date! 

On a technical note: somewhat annoyingly, the section of this blog that lists month by month releases, became too unwieldy to mantain and so I've finally decided not to pursue it. Since I started posting here, I was always able to enter details of what new releases were available, simply by using HTML code. For reasons unknown, that simple process became absurdly complicated several months ago and therefore, is no longer a practicable option, which is a bit of a shame.

 * * * * *

My thoughts are very much with the people of Ukraine at the moment, who are courageously resisting an apalling onslaught of violence from the Putin regime. May the war soon be over. 

* * * * *

 

...that's all for now; more just as soon as it hapens!


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