A fantastical new world created by a Dudley author is coming to life through the voice of a top TV actor.

Chris Barrie, probably best known and beloved as the hologram Arnold J Rimmer in the hit BBC sitcom ‘Red Dwarf’, lent his vocal talents to creating an audiobook of the sci-fi adventure Dinosaur written by Dudley-born Stephen Llewelyn.

Chris, also known for portraying Gordon Brittas in the Brittas Empire, was locked away during lockdown narrating the book.

While the pandemic has hit the creative industries hard, some publishers are reporting profits up by 60% on e-books and online sales – making narrating them a valuable niche for actors and performers.

Dinosaur is the first book in the New World sci-fi series written by Mr Llewelyn, who was born in Dudley in 1972 and who still has many family members still living in the area.

He spent much of his career working in the construction industry, with a nine-year interlude in IT and marketing.

He has lifelong passions for music, history, archaeology and palaeontology, all of which influence his works of fiction.

He now lives in Snowdonia National Park in Wales – affectionately known as ‘Dudley-by-the-sea’ by many a Black Country expat, with his partner and four Border Collies.

He said he was delighted and honoured to have Chris Barrie involved.

“Mr Barrie’s genius for impressions and portrayal of multi-faceted characters made him the natural choice for this audiobook.”

Mr Barrie needed all his skills, as Mr Llewelyn’s 500-page book is full of ‘a wonderful gallery of characters, often with names with ‘hellish pronunciations.’

The audio book performed by Chris Barrie is available to order in both downloadable and CD formats, from www.fossil-rock.com/dinosaur-uk It is an independent publisher of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, suspense, crime/legal drama, mystery, horror and supernatural and modern fiction.