Pharos, War Without End, The Labyrinth of Buda Castle and Dancer's Lament... phew!

One way or another, February is turning out to be a very busy time indeed, both in terms of new audio recordings being released and also because lot's more stuff has been and is being recorded for future release.

So, where to start? How about with Games Workshop and those funsters over at The Black Library? Excellent, glad you agree.

Here are details of two, yes two, further releases this month from The Black Library:

Just as Guilliman’s dream of Imperium Secundus seems finally to be realised, the Night Lords launch a full invasion of distant Sotha. Their target? The mysterious Mount Pharos…

With the noble Emperor Sanguinius ruling from Macragge, Imperium Secundus stands as a lone beacon of hope even as the Warmaster’s forces continue to ravage the rest of the galaxy. Roboute Guilliman, still Master of Ultramar, has convinced his brother that Terra has fallen and that the mysterious Mount Pharos on Sotha now holds the key to mankind’s future. But the Night Lords, those cruel and pitiless sons of Konrad Curze, have been watching from the shadows, and make ready to launch their long-planned attack on the Pharos itself…

                         Written by Guy Haley, Produced by Matthew Renshaw & Narrated by John Banks.

                                                 Audiobook running time: 13 hours and 23 minutes.


Pharos is the first full length solo audio book I've done for The Black Library and I'm particularly grateful to producer Matthew Renshaw for asking me to work with him on the book. We had great fun recording and I'm delighted to say that there are further audio books in the pipeline brought to you by the same winning team (!).

Rogal Dorn, Primarch of The Imperial Fists

Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of The Ultramarines

In the process of recording Pharos, I came accross these fabulous drawings of some of the characters featured in the story.

Konrad Curze, Primarch of the Night Lords, the Night Haunter

Captain Alexis Polux, 405th Company, Imperial Fists at Pharos

 
Roboute Guilliman's new Imperium faces its first test as the Night Lords, scattered after the events of Prince of Crows, attack in force.

And of course, Curze is still around...

A Horus Heresy anthology

The Warmaster’s rebellion spreads to every corner of the galaxy in this Horus Heresy anthology. The galaxy will never know peace again, not in this lifetime or a thousand others...

The Emperor’s vision of mankind ascendant lies in tatters. The Great Crusade is naught but a fading memory. The dream of Unity is no more. But with Horus’s rebellion spreading to every corner of the Imperium and war engulfing new worlds and systems almost daily, there are some who now ask: were the signs there to be seen all along? In these dark times, only one thing is certain – the galaxy will never know peace again, not in this lifetime or a thousand others...

This anthology contains twenty-one stories from the Horus Heresy:

                                                              Sermon of Exodus by David Annandale
                           Howl of the Hearthworld & Lord of the Red Sands by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
                                                                   Black Oculus by John French
                              The Laurel of Defiance, A Safe and Shadowed Place & Twisted by Guy Haley
                                      Artefacts, The Phoenician, Imperfect & Chirurgeon by Nick Kyme
                                            The Devine Adoratrice & Wolf Mother by Graham McNeill
                                              Hands of the Emperor & The Harrowing by Rob Sanders
                                                                    Virtues of the Sons by Andy Smillie
                                                   All That Remains & Gunsight by James Swallow
                                                               By the Lion's Command by Gav Thorpe
                                                        Allegiance & Daemonology by Chris Wraight

A great collection of short stories and I'm thrilled to have narrated a couple of them; The Harrowing by Rob Sanders and All That Remains by James Swallow.

* * * * * 

Additionally this month, is the Fourth Doctor audio drama release from Big Finish, The Labyrinth of Buda Castle. We made this recording some time ago and my CV reminds me that I'm playing a character called Kovatch in it, although both he and I seem to be missing from the published web site cast list. It really is hard to keep an accurate record of what I've done with Big Finish as there are now quite a number of stories for which I'm not credited; mmm...

Anyway, if Kovatch does put in an appearence, I'm playing him! And here are some details:

The Doctor and Romana land in Budapest, intent on enjoying another holiday, but shortly after landing they find themselves too late to save the life of a man who has seemingly been attacked by a vampire. As they learn that this is the latest in a series of violent attacks, it becomes clear that they have stumbled onto something that needs investigating.

Aided by a vampire hunter who is searching for Dracula, they look into the nearby Buda caves, currently being used for storage by the military - and find that the soldiers have problems of their own.

Stalked through the tunnels by a monster, and up against an ancient evil, the race is on to escape alive - and foil the dastardly schemes of the maniacal Zoltan Frid.

 Tom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), Kate Bracken (Celia Soames), Mark Bonnar (Zoltán Frid), Peter Barrett (Guard-Major Priskin), John Dorney (Ensign Kanta),  

Anjella Mackintosh (Anita Kereki) John Banks (Kovatch)

Written by: Eddie Robson
Directed by: Nicholas Briggs 

* * * * *

...and finally for this posting, if not for this month, I can at last reveal the title of the first audio book of the seven book epic saga of novels I'm currently recording with producer Neil Gardner for Penguin Random House: Dancer's Lament by Ian C. Esslemont. I know people are already downloading copies of the book, which is being made available simultaneously with the print version. However, as I understand it, the CD version won't be released until the end of May; consequently, the artwork is currently unavailable. The details I've posted here are from the publisher in reference to the printed book:

It was once a land ravaged by war, minor city states, baronies and principates fight for supremacy, and then the rival cities of Tali and Quon formed an alliance and so Quon Tali came into being. 

However that was generations ago, that dynasty has collapsed and the regional powers are now clawing at each others throats once more. But at the heart of Quon Tali lies the powerful city state of Li Heng which has for centuries enjoyed relative stability under the guidance of the powerful sorceress known as the "Protectress". 

She is not someone likely to tolerate the arrival of two particular young men in her domain: one is determined to prove he is the most skilled assassin of his age; the other is his quarry - a Dal Hon mage who is proving annoyingly difficult to kill. The sorceress and her cabal of five mage servants were enough to repel the Quon Tali Iron Legions, so how could two such trouble-makers upset her iron-fisted rule? 

And now, under a new and ambitious king, the forces of Itko Kan are marching on Li Heng from the south. His own assassins, the Nightblades, have been sent ahead into the city, and rumours abound that he has inhuman, nightmarish forces at his command. 

So as shadows and mistrust swirl and monstrous beasts that people say appear from nowhere, run rampage through Li Heng's streets, it seems chaos is come - but in chaos, as a certain young Dal Hon mage would say, there is opportunity...  

* * * * * 

I will of course mention this release again when publication details of the audio version are available. At least now it's no secret as to what the rest of the series is; we're recording all of Ian C. Esslemont's Malazan novels in sequence* and yesterday, we finished the fifth audio book, Orb, Sceptre, Throne, 844 pages in four days - phew! There will be lots more to come about this series, but over the next few weeks, I'll be recording two books for Fantom Films, then off to Games Workshop HQ for another audio drama along with a solo audio anthology, followed by a short break (!), then back in the studio with Niel to record the final two Malazan novels.

In the meantime, thanks for sticking with this fairly 'epic' update and I hope it makes some kind of sense!

...all for now, more just as soon as it becomes available! 

*see the Christmas 2015 posting below. 

Painkiller

Is there such a thing as a 'turnaround day' do you think? If there is, I might just be having one right now. The last couple of weeks have been a bit 'full on', a bit 'flat out' in recording terms and today, I have to start preparing for another epic adventure which starts on Monday.

Last week (it seems so long ago now!) I recorded a chunky little tome as part of the ongoing series of fantasy adventure novels - 880 pages in 4 days - busy indeed! This week, I did some recording with RNIB (details to follow soon) and then went to Games Workshop HQ to work with the brilliant audio producer Matthew Renshaw on another epic, sprawling, semi-apocolyptic (!) adventure in space with, who else, but the Space Marines - yaay!

Before the end of the month, there will be news of further audio releases from Games Workshop, but just for now, the only new audio entertainment I can officially mention is: Painkiller by Nev Fountain, simultaneously released in print and as an audio-book on February 18th.

Here are some details:

I cannot go on like this. I feel such a burden to you. You are young and can start again. You deserve that chance. By the time you read this I will be dead. Do not grieve for me, for I am now without pain.

Yours truly for ever,
Monica

Monica suffers from chronic neuropathic pain. Every second of her life is spent in agony, and she is coping with it the best she can. However, there are whole years of her life which are a blur to her.

But when she finds what appears to be her own suicide note, Monica begins to question everything. She has no memory of writing it - so who did? And if someone tried to kill her once, what's to say they won't try again . . .

NJ Fountain is an award-winning comedy writer, chiefly known for his work on the radio and television show Dead Ringers. He has also contributed to programmes such as Have I Got News For You, 2DTV and the children's sitcom Scoop. He also writes for Private Eye.

A read-in-one-sitting edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller...

                               Painkiller: published by little,brown

I'm very grateful to Nev for asking me to co-read this novel with Nicola Bryant: it's as twisty, red-herringy and intriguing as you might imagine from a writer such as Nev and it was a great pleasure to work with the team at Chatterbox and my producer, Nikki Ruck. Can't wait to give it a listen!

Meanwhile, back to prepping the next great adventure...

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

...you say neither, I say tomato, you say pajamas, I say... EITHER!

As the release of Games Workshop audio drama and audio book productions often comes as a bit of a surprise, it's surprising that the release this month of The Either, has come as a bit of a surprise; if you get my drift.

So, without further ado, here are some details of the production and a link to the trailer, which to my eager ears, sounds pretty fab:

Tybalt Marr, Captain of the Sons of Horus, swears to bring down a thorn in the Warmaster's side: the commander of the so-called "Shattered Legions", the infamous Shadrak Meduson.

Captain Tybalt Marr of the Sons of Horus, so often overlooked by his more glory-hungry brethren, returns to his Legion in triumph. However, his boasts of having slain the infamous Iron Hands warleader Shadrak Meduson soon fall flat when he learns of the recent assassination attempt on Horus himself. Gathering his forces upon the conquered world of Dwell, Marr returns to battle against the Shattered Legions, determined to earn his rightful place in history.

 The Either

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Robin Bowerman, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Toby Longworth, 

Luis Soto & Ramon Tikaram 

Written by Graham McNiell and Produced by Matthew Renshaw 

* * * * *

I'm really looking forward to listening to The Either; indeed, I'm looking forward to catching up with the last several Games Workshop and Big Finish releases, some of which I don't yet have copies of. In truth, I've just been too busy to do much of anything recently, as I've either been recording or preparing to record something and have spent most of my time over the last few months in a recording studio somewhere. 

Yesterday, producer Neil Gardner and I completed recording a fairly epic book, details of which will follow as soon as I'm allowed to talk about them. I say epic as it was over a thousand pages in length and featured more than 155 named characters. After six days of recording, I was just about wrung out, mentally and physically; sitting fairly still in front of a microphone, fully concentrating and articulating an average of 180 or so pages per 8, 9 or 10 hour session, trying to seemlessly flow between each character voice, expressing their various emotional journeys and describing monumental and very fast moving battle scenes was... extremely tiring - as you can imagine!

Now I have a few days to catch up with the rest of my life and prepare for what's coming next. And coming next for me is some more Big Finish this week, another fairly epic audio book next week - 900 pages and 63 characters - and then off to Games Workshop for another audio book adventure with some Space Marines - huzzah! There will probably also be a very interesting little project for RNIB, but more of that and everything else to come. 

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

...more from The Black Library!

Just as I was thinking January's releases had peaked, The Black Library have issued two more audio dramas - kinda sneaky if you ask me! So as a brief respite from the adventures of The Stormcast Eternals and their mission to confront Nagash, we are once again in the company of the heroes and villains of The Five Hundred Worlds, The Space Marines - yay!

Here is some fabulous artwork once again and details of what these awesome warriors are getting up to in each story:

The Sons of Horus destroyer-class Grey Talon, flying under Bion Henricos of the Iron Hands and Hibou Khan of the White Scars, undertakes a new campaign of retribution and vengeance.

After the horrors of Isstvan, the XVIth Legion destroyer-class Grey Talon now flies under a loyalist crew on a campaign of retribution and vengeance, using her original colours to strike covertly at isolated traitor forces. Commanded by Bion Henricos of the Iron Hands, the ship is also home to many disgraced White Scars who have taken death-oaths to seek atonement – among them the peerless warrior Hibou Khan.

But tensions run higher with each new engagement and, without a wider strategy to guide them, the crew of the Grey Talon will surely come to a grim and sudden end.

Performed by

John Banks, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Toby Longworth & Louis Soto 

Written by Chris Wraight and Produced by Matthew Renshaw

It's a glimpse at what the disgraced and exiled White Scars did after being sent to redeem themselves. And it's brutal, bloody and epic.

Here's a fabulous image of the character I'm playing in Grey Talon, Shadrak Meduson: 

* * * * * 

This month's other Black Library release is Red-Marked, by Nick Kyme:

Sergeant Aeonid Thiel frustrates his superiors in the Ultramarines Legion once again, by leading a handful of rogue veterans against the traitor warbands still at large in Ultramar.

Though the Word Bearers’ attack on Calth and the subsequent Shadow Crusade into Ultramar are but a memory, the borders of Imperium Secundus are far from secure. Sergeant Aeonid Thiel, stranded on the garrison world of Oran on his way back to Macragge, frustrates his superiors once again by pointing out the holes in their defence – traitor warband activity is increasing, and a series of key listening posts have fallen silent. Leading a handful of rogue veterans and wearing the red mark of censure like a badge of honour, can Thiel uncover the truth behind the mysterious ‘Nightfane’?

Performed by

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Saul Reichlin & Luis Soto

Written by Nick Kyme and Produced by Matthew Renshaw

It's another chapter in the tale of everyone's favourite maverick Ultramarine. Last time, disobeying orders put him in the heart of the greatest battle the Ultramarines have ever faced. What will he end up part of now...?

                                                                               * * * * *

Just before wrapping up this posting, I should mention that for reasons unknown and beyond my control, I noticed when I looked at this blog a few days ago, that the background formatting had changed, seemingly of its own accord. After much tweaking with the mechanics of the web site, I have been unable to restore the colour scheme to it's former glory; the presentation as you now see it here, is the best compromise I could create. All quite odd really.

Anyway, to end on a much more positive note; I've been very busy in various recording studios over the past several weeks and next month should see further new releases which will hopefully be of interest.


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

Tempus fugit...

Indeed it does 'fugit'! The working year has begun in earnest and recording started yesterday on book two of the new epic saga (details coming next month - hopefully), which went very well; actually managed to record 224 pages yesterday, which is a first for me, then did some pick ups on the first story in the series. This first story is not yet published and the author had decided on a few changes before we hit the very tight deadline. I had also made a mistake and misread a word, which was picked up in the editing process. Because of a slight re-jig in the recording schedule, I'm 'free' today, which allows me to post an update here and gives me a little more time to prepare for next week's recording with Games Workshop, which includes an audio book, an audio drama and an audio drama narration...

But on to news of further January audio releases. After the audio book Ravenlord and audio drama The Diary of River Song comes the next instalment of The Realmgate Wars from Games Workshop and here are some details:

Finally, the Hallowed Knights reach their goal: the underworlds of Shyish and an audience with Nagash himself. On the Bridge of Seven Sorrows, Lord-Celestant Tarsus will meet his destiny.

At last, the great search for the Nine Gates is over as Tarsus and the Hallowed Knights reach the lair of the Great Necromancer himself, Nagash. Here, in the dark hollows of one of the underworlds of Shyish, the Stormcast Eternals will meet their fate. As they stand in the shadow of death, they must trust that their vampiric guide, Mannfred von Carstein, has not played them false.

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Toby Longworth, Saul Reichlin, Luis Soto and Ramon Tikaram

Written by Josh Reynolds and Directed by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

Next to be released this month comes from Big Finish and is the beginning of the fifth series of Doctor Who adventures featuring the fantastic Tom Baker. Here are some details:

A modulated frequency wave cancellation signal isn’t something that the Doctor and Romana expect to detect in 1960s London. But then they don’t expect to find Professor Lanchester, the man who invented it, lying unconscious. Or MI5 investigating.
With the help of MI5 Agent Miller, Lanchester’s daughter Jill, and his nephew a pirate radio DJ called Mark, the Doctor, Romana and K-9 investigate. They soon discover that there is more at risk than they imagined, and an alien invasion is about to begin.
Can the Doctor identify and defeat the aliens in time? Will Romana manage to find a recombinant transducer before it’s too late? And how will K-9 cope with his new job?

 Tom Baker The Doctor   Lalla Ward Romana   John Leeson K9 

Karl Theobald Mark Lanchaster  Phil Mulryne Barnaby Miller  Alix Wilton Regan Jill  John Banks Derek Fretus

Written by Justin Richards
Directed by Nicholas Briggs

* * * * *

There's more to come this month in terms of my audio releases and here's a bit of a teaser for what's coming up in January.

In the meantime, I think I'd better get back to doing some homework in preparation for the rest of recording this week and next!

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

January 2016... back to work!

What do you mean "back to work"? In some ways, it feels like work never stopped. That's not entirely accurate of course and I certainly enjoyed a bit of 'down time' over the holidays, although with so much to read and prepare for the rest of the month, a script was never very far away.

Anyway, a very Happy 2016 to all and first up this year is to mention a Big Finish release which became available as a download earlier than originally scheduled in December. The CD version should be available this month and here are some details of The Diary of Riversong, which some keen listeners might have lready heard; incidentally, do you remember the 'shushing campaign'?

The Boundless Sea by Jenny T Colgan

River Song has had more than enough excitement for a while. Deciding the universe – and her husband – can look after themselves, she has immersed herself in early 20th century academia, absorbed in writing archaeological theses.
But when a mysterious tomb is found in a dry, distant land, excitement comes looking for River.
Can Professor Song stop any more members of the expedition from dying? What deadly secrets lie buried within the crypt? And will British Consul Bertie Potts prove to be a help, or a hindrance?

I Went to a Marvellous Party by Justin Richards

River Song always enjoys a good party, even when she’s not entirely sure where or when the party is taking place. But the party she ends up at is one where not everything – or indeed everyone – is what it seems…
Being River, it doesn’t take her too long to go exploring, and it doesn’t take her too long to get into trouble. The sort of trouble that involves manipulating other civilisations, exploitation, and of course murder.
River is confident she can find the killer. But can she identify them before anyone else – or quite possibly everyone else – gets killed?

Signs by James Goss

River Song is on the trail of the mysterious, planet-killing SporeShips.
Nobody knows where they come from. Nobody knows why they are here. All they do know is that wherever the SporeShips appear, whole civilisations are reduced to mulch.
But River has help. Her companion is a handsome time-travelling stranger, someone with specialist knowledge of the oddities and dangers the universe has to offer. For Mr Song has a connection to River’s future, and he would never want his wife to face those perils alone…

The Rulers of the Universe by Matt Fitton

As shocking secrets are exposed, and a grand plan for the universe is revealed, River decides it’s time she took control of events once and for all.
Out in deep space, a clandestine society faces off with an ancient and powerful alien force – but, for River, there’s an added complication.
The Eighth Doctor has been caught in the middle, and she must make sure her future husband can arrive at his own destiny with all his memories – not to mention his lives - intact…

Alex Kingston River Song   Paul McGann The Doctor   Alexander Vlahos Bertie Potts 

Alexander Siddig Marcus Gifford   Imogen Stubbs Isabella Clerkwell   Gbemisola Ikumelo Prim  

Charlotte Christie Daphne Garsington  Alisdair Simpson Colonel Lifford  Oliver Dimsdale Archie Ferrers    

John Banks Professor Straiton  Letty Butler Spritz  John Voce Jenkins   
Aaron Neil Sanukuma Master  Samuel West Mr Song 

Directed by Ken Bentley

* * * * *

The other currently available release this month is the audio version I recorded in early December of Gav Thorpe's novella Ravenlord, which is the first solo recording I've done for Games Workshop in quite a while. I thoroughly enjoyed Gav's story and I'm very much looking forward to hearing it soon. A clip is available via The Black Library web site and here's a link: Ravenlord audio sample

Corax's crusade against the traitors continues, but the primarch's past mistakes threaten his Legion's future as they liberate a prison colony.

Corax's mistakes come back to haunt him. The story of the Raptors – the mutated Raven Guard the primarch created in Deliverance Lost – is far from over, and this is another step towards its conclusion.

As the Horus Heresy grinds on, Corax and the remnants of his once mighty Legion now wage an entirely different kind of war – liberating worlds oppressed by traitor forces, they gather more and more followers to their banner, disrupting the Warmaster’s influence wherever they can. But after an unexpected reunion with a fellow survivor of Isstvan V, the Raven Guard learn of the prison colony of Carandiru and soon realise that they must face the ghosts of their past on Deliverance yet again if they are to prevail.

 What great fun it is to have the opportunity to play such a character and what a fantastic image of Corax!

* * * * *

January is going to be a very busy time; I'm back in the studio next week for the first of this month's three audio books, followed by a Games Workshop audio drama, in which I'm playing a very interesting character and narrating the story. There are also further audio releases this month, details of which I'll mention as they become available. Oh, and in the middle of all this activity, there's Big Finish Day 8 to look forward to on the 16th! Big Finish Day 8

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

 

Christmas 2015

So this is Christmas - 2015 style.

December has been unusually busy for me, although miraculously, apart from one much coveted job which unfortunately clashed with another, everything somehow found its place and all the various pieces of work fitted together perfectly.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of this month's recording work, which includes six audio-books, four audio-dramas and a voice over for an educational project. In all honesty, I did initially wonder whether I'd bitten off more than I could chew, but with the supportive collaboration of some highly professional colleagues, it all worked out very well. I must particularly thank producer Niel Gardner, who helped me to record an audio book in three days rather than the scheduled five by suggesting we work all day till late at night and over a weekend - what a team!

Most audio drama scripts and books are now usually sent to me online in pdf format rather than as printed texts. I then mark them up and read from my i-pad in the studio. Although I have been and will be working from pdf copies for this epic new series of fantasy audio books that Neil and I have embarked upon, the publisher has also sent paperback editions of the books. They arrived a couple of days ago in a small crate and without revealing details of what they are, I've posted a photo of them here.

Seeing the actual books and appreciating in a physical sense the sheer volume of words to be recorded, let alone character voices to come up with, presents itself as a bit of a daunting prospect to say the least. The first book of the seven volume saga has been recorded (that's what we were doing in our very intensive three days in the studio) and will be released in February as far as I know. In addition to continuing with those books, there's also a book, drama and drama narration to prepare for Games Workshop. Think I'd better get on with some reading over the holidays!

In the midlle of all this new year activity, there's Big Finish Day 8 which I'm very much looking forward to; if you plan to go along, do come and say 'hello'.

In the meantime, thank you for stopping by this web site over the last year, your support is much appreciated. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and have a fantastic 2016!

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

Only The Monstrous... or not?

I know, I know - I apologise; it has, yet again, been quite a while since the last posting and once again, my only excuse is that I've been busy recording stuff. "What stuff?" I hear you ask. Well, ok; since 26th November, I've recorded six audio-books and two audio dramas. This week, I'm recording an educational documentary film and two further dramas with Big Finish. The positive spin to all of this is, of course, that there will soon be more to post and talk about - 'circle of life' and all that...

In the last posting, I mentioned a few projects in oblique and sketchy form. I'm delighted to confirm that the 'hugely challenging and exciting project' I mentioned has indeed worked out and we have just finished recording the first of a seven book 'fantasy' genre saga. For those like me with limited patience and keen curiosity, it can be irksome not to know everything immediately and this month particularly, there are quite a number of really fascinating projects I'd like to talk about right now - but alas, no, it can't be done; not yet at least. It's almost always the case that until the publicity machinery of each particular company gears up to promote the 'new product', those of us involved in its creation are bound to secrecy - sometimes officially, by being required to sign 'non-disclosure' clauses in contracts.

What I can talk about this fine December day, is the release of the following audio drama and audio book productions. First to mention is the box set collection of stories from Big Finish, featuring Sir John Hurt as The War Doctor. Here are some details:

Taking place before the apocalyptic events portrayed in the 2013 Doctor Who TV special The Day of the Doctor, this new four-disc box set finds the War Doctor recruited for the war effort by the scheming Cardinal Ollistra (Jacqueline Pearce). A desperate mission will send the Time Lord deep behind enemy lines – where the Daleks await!

Written and directed by Big Finish Executive Producer Nicholas Briggs, Doctor Who – The War Doctor 1: Only the Monstrous contains the following three stories, along with a bonus documentary disc.





The Innocent

As the Daleks mass their time fleet for a final assault on Gallifrey, something ancient is waiting for them at Omega One. And a sacrifice must be made.
Arch-manipulator and Time Lord strategist, Cardinal Ollistra receives shock news of the Doctor’s death.
Meanwhile, on the planet Keska, a parochial war has returned to plague a peaceful civilisation after decades of tranquillity. But how can such a war have any connection with the great Time War which, at any one moment in the whole of eternity, could threaten to tear the universe apart?
If only the Doctor were still alive.



 


The Thousand Worlds

With the high-ranking Time Lord Seratrix behind enemy lines, the War Doctor finds himself assigned to a rescue mission. But any room for manoeuvre is severely restricted by an area of space known as the Null Zone.
Times have changed on Keska, and a countdown to destruction is beginning.
But who are the Taalyens and what is their part in the great and terrifying Dalek plan?






The Heart of the Battle

Trapped in a citadel swarming with Daleks, the Time Lord rescue force must find a way to overcome insurmountable odds. With the Daleks apparently planning to rule the Null Zone, perhaps their thirst for universal conquest and victory has been quenched…
The War Doctor doesn’t believe so — but how can he prove it without destroying any chance of peace?
As the countdown to the destruction of Keska proceeds, a deadly choice must be made... A choice that will define this Doctor, and perhaps forever cast him in the role of ‘monster’.

John Hurt    Jacqueline Pearce    Lucy Briggs-Owen    Carolyn Seymour

 Beth Chalmers    Alex Wyndham    Kieran Hodgson    Barnaby Edwards    Mark McDonnell

 John Banks   &   Nicholas Briggs

* * * * *

The next release this month comes from Games Workshop and is the third instalment of the quest of The Stormcast Eternals in which I play Lord Relictor Ramus:

Mannfred von Carstein leads his Stormcast allies into the deathly city of Helstone... What does he seek, and why does Lord-Celestant Tarsus feel a connection to the forsaken place?

 

The quest to find the Nine Gates that lead to the underworlds of Shyish and an audience with Nagash continues... Tarsus of the Hallowed Knights leads his Stormcast Eternals into the unearthly city of Helstone. Their enigmatic guide, Mannfred von Carstein, assures them that what they need to find his necromantic master lies within its halls, but there is more than darkness lurking in the ruins. Chaos has already taken root and a reckoning against the servants of the Plague God awaits.

Performed by:

 Gareth Armstrong  John Banks  Jonathan Keeble  Toby Longworth  Luis Soto &  Ramon Tikaram

Written by Josh Reynolds and Produced by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

And finally; released this month from Fantom Films, is the audio-book version of Karen Louise Hollis's biography of Anthony Ainley: 

Although known to an audience of millions the world over for his portrayal of The Doctor's arch nemesis The Master in Doctor Who during the 1980's, Anthony Ainley had a prolific career which encompassed starring roles in Spyders Web and It's Dark Outside, as well as appearances in renowned dramas such as The Pallisers, Elizabeth R, Nicholas Nickleby, Upstairs, Downstairs, and cult films including Blood On Satan's Claw and The Land That Time Forgot.

But the dramas in Anthony's real life were far more fascinating than any of the many parts he played on screen. Born the illegitimate son of actor Henry Ainley, and taken into care at the Actors' Orphanage at the age of four, the hidden story behind one of Doctor Who's most enigmatic characters is brought to life by author Karen Louise Hollis.

Using exhaustive interviews with friends and colleagues from every aspect of Anthony's life, including his best friend from school, fellow children from the Actors' Orphanage, cricketing friends, colleagues, and those who remained close to him until his death in 2004, this book aims to uncover the real Anthony Ainley - The Man Behind The Master.

* * * * *
 

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

Audio updates...

What with computer meltdowns and furious bouts of activity, it's been quite a while since I've just been able to post a general update about what's going on in my professional world, tiny as it is.

First thing to mention perhaps is the astonishing realisation that our recording of the New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, read by me and produced by Neil Gardner, is complete.

After 18 days in the studio, we finished last Friday evening, although as the editing process has reached Galatians, Book 66 of 84, there will still be a number of pick ups and corrections to be made over the next several weeks.



The greatest 'surprise' when reading The Bible as a narrator, was just how many names there are, both of people and places and how fearsomely tricky some of them are to say, especially if one wishes to give a flowing, seamless read, which is of course, a minimum requirement. Here's a very small example of what I mean, taken from The Book of Numbers, although there are many other exhaustive 'lists' throughout The Bible:

Numbers Chapter 1: Verses:

4 A man from each tribe shall be with you, each man the head of his ancestral house.
5 These are the names of the men who shall assist you: From Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur.
6 From Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
7 From Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab.
8 From Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar.
9 From Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon.
10 From the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
11 From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni.
12 From Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
13 From Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran.
14 From Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel.
15 From Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan

For reasons unknown, one of the trickiest names to read 'fluently' was King Ahasuerus; getting the pronunciation right drove us both to distraction. Anyway, here's Rembrandt's impression of what he might have looked like, bless 'im!

The next item on the agenda is to mention a couple of BBC Radio Drama Award nominations. Checking the Big Finish web site the other day, it came as a bit of a surprise to realise that four of their productions have been nominated for the 2016 Awards and I'm delighted to be acting in two of them - I know! Third year in a row to be nominated, which is hugely gratifying, as I'm sure you can imagine.

The two nominated productions I'm involved with are The Judgement of Sherlock Holmes, written brilliantly by Jonathan Barnes, in which I play Inspector Lestrade and The Hunted from the second series of Survivors, again, superbly written and directed by Ken Bentley, in which I play Daniel Connor. Congratulation to the entire cast & crew involved in the nominated productions - what larks!


And so, to round off with teasingly minute scraps of information about what's coming up. You will, I know, sympathise with me in regard to a situation that arose a couple of days ago; I was offered a really exciting job that I'd been hoping to get for weeks. My joy lasted for mere seconds however, when I realised that it clashed with another job already agreed and in the diary; to add to the carpet chewing frustration, the jobs only clashed because the original dates had been altered - oh, the agony and the ecstasy - only in reverse!

Moving on; I'm very much looking forward to co-narrating a fascinating new novel next week. It's a highly original work, full of twists, turns, red herrings and wrong-footings and I hope both the book and our audio-book do very well.

At the end of next week, I start recording the biography of an actor, who might well be of great interest to classic Doctor Who fans and I shall say much more about both projects at the appropriate time.

Following that, in a couple of weeks, I'll be recording more audio drama for Games Workshop and for the first time in several years, I'll also be narrating some short stories and a novella for them, which I'm really looking forward to and very excited about. Plans are also afoot for a hugely challenging and exciting project, but I really can't say anything about that at the moment because I'm still waiting to be 'approved' by the powers that be; if it works out, and I ought to find out fairly soon, there will definately be much more to come on that particular update - much more!

Exciting and busy times ahead, for which I am very grateful.

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

The Realmgate Wars: Sands of Blood

And so, onto November's other audio release and this is the next story in the Realmgate Wars epic saga from Games Workshop. It's always good fun to record Warhammer stories and a particular pleasure to find myself working with such a talented bunch of people, some of whom I've also worked with at Big Finish. There's much more to come from this series of adventures and indeed, there are other stories in the pipeline featuring Space Marines, but more of that when details are available and I'm allowed to talk about them.

In the meantime, here are some details about Sands of Blood:

Part two of the Realmgate Wars audio drama series:

The Hallowed Knights – and their vampire ally, Mannfred von Carstein – continue their quest to find the gates of the underworld and an audience with Nagash.

A bunch of Stormcast are exploring the Realm of Death in search of an immortal god who's not too fond of their master. There's no way things could get worse for Tarsus and his Bull-hearts. Is there? Well, with the treacherous Mannfred von Carstein as their guide (and it doesn't get much more treacherous than ending the world-that-was by literally stabbing someone in the back...) the scope for "worse" is limitless...

In the quest to find the Nine Gates to the underworld of Styxx and an audience with the great Nagash, Tarsus of the Hallowed Knights leads his Stormcast Eternals to the Blood Wastes. His guide, Mannfred von Carstein, warns that this is a tempestuous land, full of ill-intent.

Whilst rescuing a conclave of priests from a Bloodbound warband, Tarsus and his men are forced to seek refuge from a spectral storm in a strange bastion. As the Bloodbound follow them and lay siege, Tarsus discovers this Temple of Final Rest carries a dark secret, one that could either save or destroy them.



Performed by

Gareth Armstrong  John Banks  Ian Brooker  Beth Chalmers  Steve Conlin  Toby Longworth  
Luis Soto & Ramon Tikaram

Written by Josh Reynolds

Produced by Matthew Renshaw

...only the faithful! 

Survivors ...as I was saying

The first blog update on a new PC! The last one, ten years old, went into terminal decline a couple of weeks ago, just when I wanted to talk about the new series of Survivors and turned into something resembling the 13th Doctor that I played in Trial of The Valeyard - a bit demented, jibbering, confusing history and plain refusing to function. The new gadget is working well so far and most of the essential files have been transferred, so at last, time for an update - or two!

If Survivors is your cup of audio tea, you will probably have heard the latest series by now; I haven't received my 'contributer copy' yet, so I'll have to rely on my recollection of events until it arrives. A number of reviewers have expressed opinions on Series 3 and I'm pleased to say that they seem to be very positive, for which of course, I am grateful.

If, like me, you're still a bit in the dark about this latest series, here's an idea of what it's all about:

It begins with just a few people falling ill. Another flu virus that spreads around the globe. And then the reports begin that people are dying…When most of the world's population is wiped out, a handful of survivors are left to pick up the pieces.
Cities become graveyards. Technology becomes largely obsolete. Mankind must start again…

     Cabin Fever by Jonathan Morris

After weeks of searching for her son across a devastated Britain, Abby Grant and her allies head into London in pursuit of new leads. One of the party is quarantined, holed up with a fever. They remember the very first days of the Death, and the actions of a man called John Vincent…

       Contact by Simon Clark

A lonely voice on the radio calls out across the ether. Maddie Price is a long way from home, but not yet ready to give up hope.

        Rescue by Andrew Smith

When his friends' lives hang in the balance hundreds of feet above London, Jimmy Garland leads a daring rescue mission into the capital.

         Leaving by Matt Fitton

Down on the coast, plans are being made to reach out across the world. It could mean a new beginning for some, and the long-awaited chance to return home for others.

                                                

Carolyn Seymour Abby Grant   Richard Heffer Jimmy Garland   Chase Masterson Maddie Price  
John Banks Daniel Conner   Fiona Sheehan Molly   Andrew French Dalton Roberts 

Paul Thornley John Vincent   Damian Lynch Marcus   Miranda Raison Janet   John Voce Walter

Lisa Bowerman Gloria   Christopher Hatherall Tyler   James Joyce Jonathon   Louisa Clein Pam 

Script Editor Matt Fitton

Directed by Ken Bentley

 Producer David Richardson

'With an astonishingly accomplished sound design and acting almost literally to die for... the audio revival of Survivors has now proven itself easily the best and most consistent work that Big Finish has taken on, and with a format that allows for a greater involvement in characters and storylines there are ways in which producer David Richardson is even improving upon the TV original.'

                                                    J.R. Southall  Starburst 
 
'I could talk for hours, but I'd be giving away too many spoilers. It's basically dark, it's scary. It gives you a glimpse of so many of us. It's the human condition taken to its extremes... if you are tempted even remotely to embrace the Survivors, you will not regret it.'
                                                                  TinDog Podcast

Surviving?

Imagine then, you've survived 'The Death' only to realise that life as it was once known, has gone for ever and all the modern conveniences we've become so used to and feel so exposed and helpless without, are set to incrementally disappear - food, medicine, shelter and computers...  as I sit here, I am intensely aware that the machine on which I write, is hanging on by a thread and has crashed so many times in the last 72 hours, that I'm already looking for it's replacement - oh, the irony! To survive only to witness the death of one's 'puter!

Having finally managed to open my email program and got something other than a sharp 'boink' sound out of it, I decided to write to the BBC. That, of itself, took a while but then took a further hour to properly send. Only then did I notice the error I had corrected... hadn't actually corrected at all. Boink!

Moving on; yes indeed, Survivors Series 3 was released on Monday and I suppose by now, some keen listeners will have hoovered up every last episode and may even be looking forward to series 4. More of that anon.

Having spent quite some time trying to write and post more about Survivors, I'm afraid the computer gremlins have beaten me and I'll have to postpone further details - maybe until I get a new computer!

My apologies for such a minimalistic posting, but I will post properly about this release and others just as soon as I am able. How frustrating!

I hope you 'enjoy' Survivors - more anon...

The Tenth Doctor

It's been quite a time; the last several weeks of my ongoing audio odyssey have provided some amazing and extraordinary experiences - and I use the word 'extraordinary' as someone who fervently believes that any 'artist' caught in the act of lazily using it to describe anything and everything, should be heavily fined by the Acting Police - so be assured that if I'm employing the word here, it's because events have indeed been extraordinary.

And here's why; not only have I recently had the immense honour of working with one of my professional heroes, Sir John Hurt, but last week, also had the great pleasure of working with a couple of Doctor Who icons, whose work both inside and outside the series, I admire very much, viz - David Tennant and Catherine Tate - oh yes!!!

News of the Tenth Doctor audio series we've been recording has been released today and here are some details from Big Finish, along with some fabulous artwork. Incidentally, I'm delighted that my character - octopus and chief villain Gully - features quite prominently in the artwork...

David Tennant portrayed the Doctor on screen from 2005 until 1 January 2010, returning to play alongside Matt Smith and John Hurt in the 50th Anniversary special The Day of the Doctor in 2013. Catherine Tate made her debut as Donna in December 2006, and after a series and two festive specials she made her last appearance alongside David on 1 January 2010. Their on-screen partnership is generally regarded as one of the great high-points of the enduring science fiction phenomenon.

Technophobia by Matt Fitton

When the Doctor and Donna visit London’s Technology Museum for a glimpse into the future, things don’t go to plan.

The most brilliant IT brain in the country can’t use her computer. More worrying, the exhibits are attacking the visitors, while outside, people seem to be losing control of the technology that runs their lives.
Is it all down to simple human stupidity, or is something more sinister going on?

Beneath the streets, the Koggnossenti are waiting. For all of London to fall prey to technophobia...

 Time Reaver by Jenny T Colgan

Calibris. The spaceport planet where anything goes. Where anyone who doesn't want to be found can be lost, and where everything has its price. Where betentacled gangster Gully holds sway at the smugglers’ tavern, Vagabond’s Reach.

The alien Vacintians are trying to impose some order on the chaos. Soon the Doctor and Donna discover why. An illegal weapon is loose on the streets. A weapon that destroys lives… Slowly and agonisingly.
The Time Reaver.

 Death and the Queen by James Goss

Donna Noble has never been lucky in love.

So when, one day, her Prince does come, she is thrilled to have the wedding of all weddings to look forward to. Though the Doctor isn’t holding his breath for an invitation. And her future mother-in-law is certainly not amused.

But on the big day itself, Donna finds her castle under siege from the darkest of forces, marching at the head of a skeleton army.

When it looks like even the Doctor can’t save the day, what will Queen Donna do to save her people from Death itself?

David Tennant The Doctor   Catherine Tate Donna Noble

Technophobia

Niky Wardley Bex   Rachael Stirling Jill Meadows   Chook Sibtain Brian   Rory Keenan Kevin

Jot Stevens Lukas

Time Reaver

Alex Lowe Soren   Sabrina Bartlett Cora   Terry Molloy Rone   John Banks Gully   Dan Starkey Dorn

Death and the Queen

Blake Ritson Rudolph   Alice Krige Queen Mum   Beth Chalmers Hortense   Alan Cox Death

Other roles played by the cast

 Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures is produced by David Richardson,

 script edited by Matt Fitton and James Goss 

and directed by Nicholas Briggs

* * * * *

So just to round off for now; my audio narration of The Bible is well underway and indeed, should be completed sometime in the next couple of weeks. This week, I'm also off to Games Workshop again to record further adventures of Ramus, in the Realmgate Wars series, which I'm very much looking forward to. Further details of all these projects will be released and published as they become available and I'm sure there'll be much more artwork to drool over.

Coming soon:

Series 3 of Survivors next month and The War Doctor the month after, along with further releases from The Age of Sigmar - phew!

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

Doctor Who: Doom Coalition

"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend, step inside, step inside!"...

And coming very soon to a galaxy near you, Doctor Who: Doom Coalition. So what's it all about?

Starring Paul McGann, Nicola Walker and Hattie Morahan, this brand new set of four-adventures sees the Eighth Doctor drawn back to Gallifrey to face The Eleven (Mark Bonnar) – a Time Lord criminal who retains each of his personalities every time he regenerates.

The new story will see the Eighth Doctor and Liv cross paths with new companion Helen Sinclair. Together, they'll journey from Sixties London to Renaissance Italy and a meeting with famed astronomer Galileo Galilei (John Woodvine).

It all comes down to a stunning showdown with the Eleven – one that will have dire consequences for the Doctor across the series!

You'll have to trust me on this, but unless I've hit the digital cutting room floor, I am actually in this series, although I'm probably not going to be credited. I'll have to give it a forensic listen, but it might be fun just not to mention specifically what my contribution to the whole thing really was; bit of mystery, bit of surprise perhaps...?

In any case, it should be a fantastic production and I'm very much looking forward to its release on Monday 12th October - yes, Monday! Hope you enjoy, hope I'm in it! 

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