Bleeding Shadows...

And on we go. The last eighteen or so months has been a very busy time in the recording studio for me and as a consequence, lots of audio stuff is now being released. It's tricky to work out an exact correlation between recording and publication, as some recordings have a longer production process than others. My recording of The Bible for example is still caught up in that process; I had originally thought it might have been published back in May. But as you can see from the 'new releases' area to the left of this page, highlighted in bright green, even in the last few months of the year, new work is still being published - and often to my surprise.

This week has seen the release of two new recordings; one, an anthology of short stories from Games Workshop and the other, an intriguing mystery, Bleeding Heart Square by Andrew Taylor, which is available to download from audible.co.uk or Amazon.

Here are some details of both recordings:

1934, London. Into the decaying cul-de-sac of Bleeding Heart Square steps aristocratic Lydia Langstone fleeing an abusive marriage. 

However, unknown to Lydia, a dark mystery haunts Bleeding Heart Square. What happened to Miss Penhow, the middle-aged spinster who owns the house and who vanished four years earlier? Why is a seedy plain-clothes policeman obsessively watching the square? What is making struggling journalist Rory Wentwood so desperate to contact Miss Penhow? And why are parcels of rotting hearts being sent to Joseph Serridge, the last person to see Miss Penhow alive?





A Horus Heresy anthology

From the battlefields of Phall and Isstvan, to the haunted shadows of Terra itself – the Horus Heresy rages on across the galaxy in this collection of short stories and novellas.

This anthology spans the entire Horus Heresy, with short stories from Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill and Gav Thorpe, as well as two brand new novella-length tales. Learn the fate of Rogal Dorn's fleet originally sent to Isstvan III and descend deeper into the darkness of the Night Lords Legion.

Performed by John Banks* Jonathan Keeble and David Timson, Produced by Matthew Renshaw 

This anthology contains the following stories:

The Crimson Fist by John French
The Dark King by Graham McNeill *
The Lightning Tower by Dan Abnett *
The Kaban Project by Graham McNeill *
Raven's Flight by Gav Thorpe *
Death of a Silversmith by Graham McNeill *
Prince of Crows by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

From the battlefields of Phall and Isstvan, to the haunted shadows of Terra itself - the greatest war in the history of mankind rages on. While the traitor Legions continue their campaign of terror across the galaxy, preparations are made for the defence of the Imperial Palace and the final, inevitable reckoning that must yet come between Horus and the Emperor...

Running time: 11 hours and 44 minutes

I'll see if I can find some audio clips to go along with these titles, just to give a flavour of the content, although alas, that's not always possible. In the meantime, my latest news is that I started recording a series of classic sci-fi novels on Friday, which will hopefully see the light of day early in the new year, so much more on that subject nearer the time of publication - and having had a lot of fun with the Games Workshop crew recently, I'm recording more with them next week. top secret at the moment of course, but patience will always be rewarded - so I'm told!

Thanks for stopping by...

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

ORB SCEPTRE THRONE

Good afternoon! Much to relay of recent and future adventures, but for the moment, here's a 'newsflash' update to note the release of this audio book:

The tumult of great powers colliding has passed, and the city of Darujhistan and its citizens can at last get on with what matters: trading, bickering, politicking and enjoying all the good things in life. However, not all are ready to leave the past behind.

A treasure hunter digging amongst the burial grounds that surround the city is about to uncover a hidden crypt. He will open the last of a series of sealed vaults - the one that no other dared touch - and in so doing set free something so terrifying that the knowledge of its interment may have been systematically wiped from all history.

Fortune hunters are also at work far to the south. When a fragment of Moon's Spawn, once the home of Anomander Rake, Son of Darkness, crashed into the Rivan Sea, it created a chain of small islands. Legends and rumours already surround them. The most potent of these is that here is hidden the Throne of Night, claimed by some to be the seat of Mother Dark herself.

Either way, all who seek this ancient artefact - renegade mages, hardened mercenaries, even a Malazan army deserter - believe it will bestow unlimited power upon the eventual possessor. The stakes are high, greed is rife, betrayal inevitable, and murder and chaos lie in wait....

Written by Ian C Esslemont, produced by Neil Gardner and narrated by me. 

Running time 25 hours, 23 minutes

A Random House Audiobook, available now from audible.co.uk

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

October-fest...

Once again, my apologies for the lack of updates over the last few weeks; my excuse as ever, is that I've been immersed in preparation and recording. Details of what I've been doing will certainly appear here as soon as possible, although alas, not in this posting, as the intensity of work continues and I'm in the studio for the next several days. Before the middle of next month, I'll be recording four audio dramas and six audio books and time, as you can imagine, is at an absolute premium.

Such a short update, but there is something I can mention immediately, which is the release of an anthology of Warhammer stories that appear now as a single edition and here are some details:

Corax: A Horus Heresy anthology

The Lord of Ravens, Master of Deliverance, Primarch Corus Corvax of the Raven Guard takes centre stage in a collection of works by Gav Thorpe that explore his campaign of vengeance against Horus' allies and his desperate attempts to hold his Legion together.

After Isstvan, after Deliverance, the Raven Guard still endure. Their primarch Corvus Corax has rallied countless warriors to his banner, striking back at the forces of the Warmaster on every front – from the degenerate hereteks of the Mechanicum to the cruel legionaries of the Sons of Horus, none shall escape his wrath. But although Corax has managed to stall the physical corruption of his own Space Marines, what of their spirit? And what sinister end must await those who dwell forever in the darkness?

This anthology contains all of Gav Thorpe’s tales of the Raven Guard in the Horus Heresy – the novellas Soulforge and Ravenlord, and short stories ‘The Shadowmasters’, ‘The Value of Fear’ and ‘Raptor’. Also included is the brand new novella Weregeld, taking Corax’s legend to its grim conclusion.

 Narrated by Gareth Armstrong and John Banks  

Produced by Matthew Renshaw & Written by Gav Thorpe 

Audiobook running time 12 hours and 49 minutes

 * * * * *

Also,  released on the 6th October from Audible.co.uk, is my audio book version of Ian C. Esslemont's Novel of The Malazan Empire: Orb, Sceptre, Throne. 

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

...an 'august' update - hopefully!

Only the second update this month and very little in the way of excuses as to why I've been away from the blogosphere. Wait a minute; did you say 'Olympic Games'? Ah, yes; I have been glued to the Olympics and huge congratulations to all, medal winners or not and indeed to Rio for hosting the whole thing under difficult circumstances. Roll on Tokyo!

I wonder what events the Space Marines would be good at? Weight lifting? Shooting, TaeKwon-Do? At least those and several others I should imagine; but I digress.

Once again those good folks at Games Workshop have managed to spring a surprise or two over the last couple of weeks and I should give proper details of them here. A while ago, I mentioned that the second quartet of stories in the Realmgate Wars series had been released under the collective title Knights of Vengeance. Subsequently, the entire eight story saga was also released under the title The Realmgate Wars: The Audio Collection. What I have only recently noticed however, is that the first four stories have also been released under a collective title, The Hunt For Nagash. And so, perhaps somewhat out of sequence, here are the details:

In the long-ago Age of Myth, Sigmar's pantheon of gods conquered the Mortal Realms and ruled them in peace – until the coming of Chaos. Among the greatest of Sigmar's allies was Nagash, the god of Death and ruler of the underworlds of Shyish.

At the height of the Allpoints war, Nagash betrayed his oaths of loyalty and doomed Sigmar's plans to failure. Now, as the God-King's Stormcast Eternals battle to liberate the Mortal Realms, a force from the Hallowed Knghts Stormhost has been sent to find Nagash and bring him back into the fold. But as they search the Realm of Death, they find only the servants of Chaos – until a chance encounter provides hope. If they can trust a vampire, that is.

The Hunt for Nagash Audio Drama Collection consists of four audio dramas by Josh Reynolds, in a zip file:

Performed by:

 Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, Stephen Perring,

 Saul Reichlin and Luis Soto

Written by Josh Reynolds & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

And secondly for this month and coming as a complete surprise, a release from the Warhammer 40,000 range of stories, which are set some 10,000 years after the original Space Marine adventures.

  

Deathwatch: The Last Guardian

Dark Angels Brother Balthasar and a Deathwatch kill-team investigate a long-dead eldar craftworld infested with daemons…

As part of an elite Deathwatch kill team, Brother Balthasar of the Dark Angels joins a special Inquisitorial mission to the eldar craftworld of Kher-Ys. Long ago ravaged by the daemonic forces of Slaanesh, the craftworld may still harbour the unlikeliest of allies for the Space Marines, and the key to a greater victory for the Chapter.

Performed by:

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Tim Bentinck, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, 

Penelope Rawlins and Tania Rodrigues 

Written by C Z Dunn & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

And that's just about it for this posting; I'm currently preparing an audio book to record in October and awaiting some audio drama scripts for early September. I think there might also be another audio book or two to fit in around that schedule, although, as the sun is shining and the great outdoors beckons, I reckon I can safely defer any proper activity at least for the rest of the afternoon - a bit of executive time management - The Doctor would surely approve!

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

Novels of The Malazan Empire: Stonewielder

Released by Random House Audiobooks on 4th August, Stonewielder, by Ian C. Esslemont.

Greymane believed he'd outrun his past. With his school for swordsmanship in Falar, he was looking forward to a quiet life, although his colleague, Kyle, wasn't as enamoured with life outside the mercenary company, the Crimson Guard. However, it seems it is not so easy for an ex-Fist of the Malazan Empire to disappear, especially one under sentence of death from that same Empire.

For there is a new Emperor on the throne of Malaz, and he is dwelling on the ignominy that is the Empire's failed invasion of the Korel subcontinent. In the vaults beneath Unta, the Imperial capital, lie the answers to that disaster. And out of this buried history surfaces the name Stonewielder.

In Korel, Lord Protector Hiam, commander of the Stormguard, faces the potential annihilation of all that he holds dear. With few remaining men and a crumbling stone wall that has seen better days, he confronts an ancient enemy: the seaborne Stormriders have returned.

Religious war also threatens these lands. The cult of the Blessed Lady, which had stood firm against the Riders for millennia, now seeks to eradicate its rivals. And as chaos looms, a local magistrate investigating a series of murders suddenly finds himself at the heart of a far more ancient and terrifying crime - one that has tainted an entire land....

Stonewielder is an enthralling new chapter in the epic story of a thrillingly imagined world.

Produced by Neil Gardner and narrated by me. Running time is 26 hours and 42 minutes.

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

listen, enjoy, repeat...

Y'know, those good folks at Games Workshop do seem to like springing surprises and this month has had it's fair share. Earlier in July, I mentioned the four story collection of Realmgate Wars audio dramas Knights of Vengeance. 

Now also available, in a single box set collection, are the eight audio dramas that make up the entire epic saga: The Prisoner of the Black Sun, Sands of Blood, The Lords of Helstone and Bridge of Seven Sorrows by Josh Reynolds & Beasts of Cartha, Fist of Gork, Fist of Mork, Great Red and Only the Faithful by David Guymer.

Here's some fabulous artwork and further details of the stories in this collection:

A journey into the Realm of Death in search of Nagash himself leads the Hallowed Knights Warrior Chamber known as the Bull-Hearts into a dangerous alliance with an arch-betrayer... and the consequences of that decision lead them on another hunt, searching the Realm of Beasts in a quest for vengeance. Eight audio dramas weave a tale of hope, treachery and retribution that crosses Realms, life and death.

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Beth Chalmers, Steve Conlin,

 Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Stephen Perring, Saul Reichlin, Luis Soto and Ramon Tikaram 

Produced by Matthew Renshaw

Also released this month, is the audio drama The Either, again with some fabulous cover art. This story has been available in other formats earlier this year, but here it is now in all it's individual glory!

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.

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Robin Bowerman, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, 

Toby Longworth, Luis Soto & Ramon Tukaram 

Written by Graham McNeill & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

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

The Dragon Lords: Fool's Gold

Released today from Hachette Audio UK:

It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. The taxes are high and their control is complete. But for one group of bold misfits, it's time to band together and steal back some of that wealth.

No one said they were smart.

Unabridged audio book narrated by me with a running time of 15 hours - 46 minutes. 

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

...hi John, yeah, it's a great part - a gangster. Yeah, a gangster, really mean; gritty. Oh - and he's a raccoon...

Sometimes I wonder if the guys at Big Finish - Mssrs Richardson, Briggs, Bentley, Dorney & Fitton - get together from time to time, share copious amonts of alcohol and devise characters commensurate with the phrase "...betcha Banksy can't play that!"

Who knows? Whatever the case may be, the 'challenges' that have so far come my way, include being required to play several Gestalt Entities ie, The Morass, a swarm of leeches, a sponge, a fog, several Metatraxi and Numlocks (could have been Tabshifts or Alt Gr Backspaces!) a whole host of other creatures and alien beings, a dingo, an octopus and most recently - a raccoon. A raccoon. Happy to pick up the gauntlet and run with it, I decided to make him Swiss - just for the fun of it! And here is the result:

Come to Ricosta! Tropical climate, untouched beaches, fabulous cuisine... and no extradition treaties. The perfect retirement planet for a certain type of 'business person' – such as Ms Melanie Bush, formerly the co-owner of the Iceworld emporium, now on the run from her former criminal associate's criminal associates...

Some other former associates of Ms Bush are abroad in this space Costa del Crime, however. Not long ago, the time and space traveller known as the Doctor arrived here, alongside his sometimes-criminal associate, the reformed juvenile offender Ace. But now the Doctor's gone missing – and Melanie Bush is about to learn that on the planet Ricosta, the wages of sin... are death.

 Sylvester McCoy The Doctor   Bonnie Langford Mel   Sophie Aldred Ace 

Ginny Holder Gloria/Secretary  Des McAleer Lefty Lonnigan  Stephen Hagan Nathan Later

 Harry Myers Atomon/Sperovore Banker/Steward 

John Banks Mayor/Sperovore Auditor/Sperovore Financer 

Other parts portrayed by the cast

Written by Matt Fitton
Directed by Ken Bentley  

This is quite an unusual addition to the Big Finish playlist and I'm very much looking forward to giving it a listen. In the meantime, I'm back in the BF studio next week for more fun; but that's...

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

...what's going on?

...a line from Eastenders or a classic album from Marvin Gaye? Your call; mercy, mercy me...

So this month of July brings some new stuff for the ears of the world to wrap themselves around and a few audio surprises to savour. I've also been in a variety of windowless rooms, otherwise known as recording studios, to lay down some heavy sci-fi/fantasy beats, for no other reason than to bring joy and enlightenment to the universe - well, someone had to give it a go.

The first thing to mention this month is the release of Only The Faithful, the fourth instalment of The Knights of Vengeance series from Games Workshop, in which I play Lord Relictor Ramus. Here are some details:

At last, the Hallowed Knights have cornered their quarry... but the vampire they seek has amassed an army of the dead, and the price of vengeance will be dear indeed.

After a gruelling journey, the warriors of the Hallowed Knights and Astral Templars have found their quarry in the Sea of Bones. During the hunt, Mannfred the vampire lord has raised a mighty undead host to protect the realmgate he has claimed.

Whilst Ramus of the Hallowed Knights seeks the vampire’s head and Vandalus of the Astral Templars wants to reclaim the realmgate, both must fight as one and alongside their orruk allies if they are to triumph. Against one of Nagash’s mortarchs, the test will be stern and only the faithful will prevail...

Performed by:

Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, 

Stephen Perring, Saul Reichlin and Luis Soto 

Written by David Guymer & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

One of the surprises I alluded to above, is that all four stories in this series are available together; whoda thought it?

As this is only the first week of July, the rest of the month's releases are, well, yet to be released. I will of course publish details here when they become available; in the meantime, here's news of an unabridged audio book I recorded recently for Hachette, which is scheduled for release on the 19th:

It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. The taxes are high, and their control is complete.

But for one group of bold misfits, it's time to band together and steal back some of that wealth.
No one said they were smart.


Written by Jon Hollins and narrated by me, with a running time of 15 hours, 46 minutes.

* * * * *

There's much more to come this month, but for the time being and in time honoured fashion, I'll sign off by saying...

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

The Trouble With Crimson Angel Guards...

Oh dear, I see it's been a cheeky month since my last posting here! There's no excuse, absolutely no excuse for such a long delay in updating the blog... well, there is, there is an excuse, a very good one, in fact, the best excuse there is - I've been busy working! The downside to that mini revelation, is the usual caveat of saying that I can't talk about what I've been doing yet; does that ever get less boring to hear? No, I thought not, sorry, but as ever, all will be revealed as soon as possible.

In the meantime though, things that I also wasn't allowed to talk about when they were first recorded, can now be splashed across these cyber pages in all their glory, because they are now available for the listening pleasure of all those who actually derive 'listening pleasure' from them - ah, as neat a slice of tautology as you could hope to find!

Moving swiftly on; I think we're up to release number 33 now with this lates batch. Not the floods of early spring, but a gentle summer trickle to match the mood of the weather, which is a bit soggy and warm at the moment. So here goes - in order of release, sort of:

This month's first offering - and coming in at a whopping 32 hours & 14 minutes - is the third novel/audio book in Ian C. Esslemont's Malazan Series, produced by Neil Gardner and read by me for Penguin, Random House and now available from audible.co.uk:

The return of the mercenary company, the Crimson Guard, could not have come at a worse time for a Malazan Empire exhausted by warfare and weakened by betrayals and rivalries. Indeed, there are those who wonder whether the Empress Laseen might not be losing her grip on power as she faces increasing unrest as conquered kingdoms and principalities sense freedom once more.

Into the seething cauldron of Quon Tali--the Empire's heartland--marches the Guard. With their return comes the memory of the Empire--and yet all is not well with the Guard itself. Elements within its elite, the Avowed, have set their sights on far greater power. There are ancient entities who also seek to further their own arcane ends.

And what of the swordsman called Traveller who, with his companion Ereko, has gone in search of a confrontation from which none have ever returned?

As the Guard prepares to wage war, so Laseen's own generals and mages, the 'Old Hands', grow impatient at what they see as her mismanagement of the Empire. But could Laseen have outwitted them all?

Could she be using the uprisings to draw out and finally eliminate these last irksome survivors from the days of her illustrious predecesor, Kellanved?

* * * * *  

Next up is another audio book, this time from Games Workshop  - and coming in at a relatively paltry running time of 10 hours & 57 minutes - Angels of Caliban:

The First Legion go to war, and their primarch's brutal actions threaten to tear apart the fragile alliance of Imperium Secundus.

With the Dark Angels spread across a hundred systems, primarch Lion El’Jonson stands as Lord Protector of Ultramar – though his true motives are known to few indeed, and old rivalries on the home world threaten to tear the Legion in half. But when word comes of the Night Lords’ attack on Sotha, the Lion’s brutal actions bring Imperium Secundus once again to the brink of civil war.

Not even the most fearsome warriors of the Dreadwing, nor any arcane secret of the Order, can guarantee victory if he sets himself against his loyal brothers.

   Written by Gav Thorpe and Produced by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

...so, last and certainly least (in terms of running time!), the latest adventure of The Fourth Doctor, The Trouble With Drax:

Altrazar. The temporal Atlantis, a place lost to time. Believed by many to be a myth, it has long been the perfect location for the rich and powerful to hide away their most dangerous secrets.

Until now.

Because the somewhat crooked, not exactly honest, wheeler-dealer cockney Time Lord known as Drax has found a map that leads to its location. And, at the behest of a manipulative businessman, he's going to use it.

When the TARDIS is dragged out of the space-time vortex, its crew aren't best pleased to see the Doctor's old school friend, even less when he pressgangs them into joining a raid on the most secure safe-house in history. However with Romana and K9 held hostage, the Doctor has little choice but to agree. With Drax in tow, he heads for the planet.

Which is where the trouble starts.

 Tom Baker The Doctor    Lalla Ward Romana    John Leeson K9/Cabot  

Ray Brooks Drax    John Challis Rosser    Hugh Fraser Charles Kirkland/Shopkeeper 

Jane Slavin Shopkeeper 2    Miranda Raison Inspector Fleur McCormick    

John Banks Grunthar/Street-Cleaner

 Written by John Dorney
Directed by Nicholas Briggs 

* * * * *

And that is almost it for this posting; but there's just enough time to say that I'm currently preparing to record an audio book next week, followed the week after with a trip up to Games Workshop Head Quarters to record more audio drama narration and I'm really looking forward very much to all that.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll do my best to update again before too long!

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

...and in a late item of news...

...yes, late indeed! Late at night and late to post. The two releases described below actually became available last week, quite unexpectedly too I might add.

My only excuse for such tardy behaviour is that it's been a bit of a 'full on' week one way and another and I'm also now deep into preparation for quite a bit of Games Workshop activity next week, followed by a 'fantasy genre' audio book to be recorded the following week for Hachette, which is part of the Little, Brown Group for whom I recorded Nev Fountain's novel, Painkiller, last autumn - small world! I'm enjoying the slower pace of preparation for these recordings, as the last six or seven months have been almost too crazy for comfort. This new audio book, when recorded, will I think, be the 43rd audio recording (ie books & drama) since completing The Bible in mid November '15 - crazy indeed!

But onwards, ever onwards! And onwards in this posting to two very interesting releases (28 & 29 in this year's tally) from Games Workshop - here are some details:

Meduson: Ultimate Edition

A Horus Heresy anthology

Ten tales of the Tenth and their Shattered Legions allies bring the brutal guerilla war to life as the Sons of Horus hunt the leader of the insurgency – the infamous Shadrak Meduson.

Driven almost to the brink of self-destruction by the death of Ferrus Manus, the Iron Hands now seek vengeance for the many horrors of Isstvan V. Gathering survivors from the Raven Guard and the Salamanders aboard any vessels capable of warp travel, they wage a new campaign of annihilation against the traitor forces across the galaxy - a campaign masterminded by legendary warleader Shadrak Meduson.

In Meduson: Ultimate Edition, Black Library is proud to present seven short stories from the original anthology, as well as Grey Talon and The Either as full-cast audio dramas with complete production scripts. Finally, the defiant strength of the Iron Tenth begins to fall in the brand new story Hand Elect by Chris Wraight.

Meduson by Dan Abnett

Unforged and Unspoken by Guy Haley

Immortal Duty by Nick Kyme

Hand Elect by Chris Wraight

The Keys of Hel by John French

The Noose by David Annandale

Deeds Endure by Gav Thorpe

   

368-page hardback book with full-art matt PPC hardcover

Gloss dustjacket in the Horus Heresy series style with gold foiling and art by Neil Roberts

 

Includes 2 CDs contained in the endpapers

 Grey Talon by Chris Wraight. Running time 60 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Toby Longworth & Luis Soto.

 The Either by Graham McNeill. Running time 67 minutes. Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Robin Bowerman, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Toby Longworth, Luis Soto & Ramon Tikaram.

Great Red

 

Part 3 of the Knights of Vengeance audio drama series

In the Sea of Bones, the Hallowed Knights and their allies meet a worthy foe – and a possible ally – in the mighty Great Red and his Ironjawz horde...

The hunt for Mannfred von Carstein takes the Hallowed Knights and Astral Templars far into the hazardous Sea of Bones. It is here that Ramus of the Shadowed Soul and Vandalus, the ‘King of Dust’, meet a worthy foe: the Ironjawz. Led by the fearsome Great Red, this orruk tribe sees the intrusion of the Stormcasts as a challenge. War against the orruks would threaten their mission, so Ramus and Vandalus set out to broker an alliance – but Ironjawz only value strength and, to appease their savage nature, the Hallowed Knights and the Astral Templars must prove they are mighty enough to be considered allies...

Performed by:

 Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, Stephen Perring and Luis Soto

Written by David Guymer & Produced by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

And so to wrap up this late edition, I'd just like to say how pleased I am that the Tenth Doctor Adventures mentioned previously, seem to be being very well received, so thanks to all who have expressed such a positive reaction to these stories, of which, I am delighted to have been a part.

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

David Tennant and Catherine Tate: The Tenth Doctor Adventures

How exciting is this!?!? Available from today, three stories featuring the fantastic David Tennant and Catherine Tate as The Doctor and Donna respectively - I just can't wait to listen to these stories and here, to whet your appetite, if such a thing were necessary, are synopses and some amazing artwork:

Technophobia

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...

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble),  

Niky Wardley (Bex), Rachael Stirling (Jill Meadows), 

Chook Sibtain (Brian), Rory Keenan (Kevin), Jot Davies (Lukas)

Other roles played by the cast 

Written by Matt Fitton
Directed by Nicholas Briggs

Time Reaver

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.

 

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble),  

Alex Lowe (Soren), Sabrina Bartlett (Cora), Terry Molloy (Rone),  

John Banks (Gully), Dan Starkey (Dorn)

Other roles played by the cast

Written by Jenny T Colgan
Directed by Nicholas Briggs 

Death and the Queen

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),  

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

Other roles played by the cast

Written by James Goss
Directed by Nicholas Briggs 

 

 

Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, this was such a fabulous project to work on and I'm grateful indeed to Nick Briggs for having me in to play Gully in Time Reaver. It seemed to me that the 'stars' of the show were also savouring the time they had together in the studio, reprising such well regarded, and indeed, loved characters. 

The fun was had in getting things right and doing our very best to convey the drama of these stories; there was no 'phoning it in'; David and Catherine, as the true professionals they are, were thoroughly prepared and committed to the project and it was indeed a privilidge for me to share a studio with them - a bit daunting, especially playing such an extreme a character as Gully, but a pleasure nontheless. 

Thank you to all!

Here's a link to Paul Simpson's review, which came through via twitter at the crack of dawn this morning; again, thank you Paul!

 Sci-Fi Bulletin Review: Time Reaver

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

The Tenth Doctor Adventures: coming May 16th...

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...

...new audio samples uploaded; it must be May!

So what's happening? Well, I had a really good time last week, recording a new series of audio drama with the ever fabulous Big Finish gang. As usual, I can't really give any further detail at the moment, although keen Twitter followers might well have joined the dots by now and have a pretty good idea of what's been going on. I will of course spill all the necessary beans just as soon as I'm able, but I'll end on the teasing note of saying how much I enjoyed working with BF friends & acquaintances old and new, some of whom, I haven't seen for quite some time. Great to catch up during working hours and very civilised to wander off together for a quick sherry or two at close of play.

After 26 audio releases so far this year, the pace has eased a little, although there's much more in the pipeline; much more! It 'may' be (May.. geddit? Oh, please yourselves...) that the unabridged NRSV Bible is to be released this month, all 74 plus hours of it and also perhaps, the first of the Malazan Empire novels, Dancer's Lament might be issued on CD. It's currently available as a download only, possibly from both Amazon and Penguin Random House. We shall soon see!

For various reasons, but all to do with self-promotion and getting the next job if I'm honest, I've uploaded some new material to Spotlight and to this web site, in the form of samples taken from some of the Games Workshop recordings I've been working on recently.

I love, I mean, really love recording the Warhammer stories and dramas; they are fascinating and beautifully written. Because both the audio books and dramas deal with such a finely crafted and well documented world and often in fantastic detail and use a language intended to convey the sheer majesty and scale of both the soldiers themselves and the vastness of space they inhabit, they can be unbelievably tricky to do. Giving voice to such larger than life characters such as the many Legions of Space Marines and their even larger than 'larger than life' Primarch's and the variety of other creatures and humans who also feature in the stories, can be a huge challenge.






In order to illustrate the point about the complexity and density of the language, I've just uploaded another audio sample from the opening chapter of The Harrowing, by Rob Sanders, a short story taken from the War Without End anthology, which I narrate in the voice of a character, 'Operative-unit 55/Phi-silon'. I hope you'll give it a quick listen and see what I mean. It's posted below. Allowing the narrative to sound 'conversational' is also quite a challenge, but enormously satisfying - if it all works! The Harrowing is a fantastic story and I really had fun recording it.






And that I think is about all for now. Of course, I couldn't post with out adding a graphic or two - how dull would that be, just acres of text to look at?!? So I've randomly added some Space Marine imagery to liven the whole thing up; two White Scars and two Ultramarines.

* * * * *

As a bit of a 'post script' and because this posting differs from the usual style/content of a regular update, I'm going to add a review for the audio book, Mr. Mac and Me that I happened to come across the other day and here it is:
 

In 1914, young Tom is disturbed, yet fascinated, by how his Suffolk coastal town is affected by the outbreak of war. The energy and enthusiasm of John Banks's performance key into the 13-year-old boy's active imagination and natural curiosity. Tom is especially drawn to the newcomers Mr. Mac--the real-life artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh--and his wife, whose loving marriage is so different from what he sees at home. Banks's excellent use of volume and pacing builds tension as the authorities begin to suspect the Mackintoshes of treason and Tom, who has befriended the couple, is at a loss for what to do or believe. In addition, Banks's characterizations are spot-on; young or old, male or female, he has the inflections down pat.

by Esther Freud Read by John Banks
 
Fiction • 8.25 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2014  C.B.L. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2015]

I am most grateful to 'C.B.L' for taking the time to write such a sympathetic and generous review of a book that I loved and thoroughly enjoyed recording.

Thanks also to C.B.L for a similarly generous review on the same AudioFile web site, for Ali Smith's How To Be Both, which I also narrated - thank you!

* * * * *

At the moment, I have two audio dramas to prepare, but the heat is off in comparison to the last six or seven months; so...

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

25 & 26...

...and still more audio stuff explodes onto an unsuspecting listening world! "Now what?" I hear you ask. Well, let me tell you! Two further releases from Games Workshop, namely, Fist of Mork, Fist of Gork, a full cast audio drama and The Path of Heaven, an unabridged audio book by Chris Wraight and narrated by me.

Here are some details and some fantastic artwork:

The Path of Heaven

The Khan returns! After the events of 'Scars', the White Scars Legion have chosen their loyalties. Now, after years of battle against the traitors, it's time to return to Terra and prepare for the inevitable invasion.

But first, Jaghatai and his warriors must brave a gauntlet of enemies and the terrors of the warp...

For too long had the Vth Legion ranged out beyond the sight of the wider Imperium, remaining ignorant of the Warmaster’s rebellion and the war that inevitably followed. Only once their primarch, Jaghatai Khan, had satisfied himself that the path before them was just and true did the White Scars choose a side, taking the fight to the traitors on every front.

But, four years later, the Legion’s unfettered spirit has been broken by relentless attritional warfare against the Death Guard and the Emperor’s Children – the Khan’s Stormseers must find a clear route to Terra if they are to take part in the final, apocalyptic battle.

  Narrated by John Banks

 Written by Chris Wraight and Produced by Matthew Renshaw

Audiobook running time 13 hours and 28 minutes

 * * * * *

Fist of Mork, Fist of Gork

 

Part 2 in the Knights of Vengeance audio drama series

The siege of Cartha is over, but the hunt for Mannfred von Carstein continues, and more savage enemies await the Stormcasts in the Carthic Oldwoods...

 

After a bloody triumph at the siege of Cartha, Lord-Relictor Ramus’ Hallowed Knights and the Astral Templars of Knight-Azyros Vandalus press on with their search for Mannfred von Carstein, but they soon learn that orruks, not ogors, hold sway in the Carthic Oldwoods. 

The Stormcast Eternals must overcome not only these brutish warriors, but also the will of their gods. Ramus and Vandalus must prevail against the fist of Gork and the fist of Mork if they are to forge a path to the Sea of Bones where their hated quarry awaits. 

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Jonathan Keeble and Luis Soto

Written by David Guymer and Produced by Matthew Renshaw

* * * * *

I think it 's about time to edit together some new audio samples, which, when completed, I'll post here and perhaps delete some of the older samples already posted below (scroll down, waaaay down). Many of the things I'd like to post are yet to be released, although that still leaves hundreds of hours of narration to consider. That's my work sorted out then! Speaking of work; I've had a few days 'off', but I'm delighted to be back with the Big Finish crew next week to record some more audio drama. A great story this one and a fabulous cast; but all top secret for the moment, which is why I will say...

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