Tom R. Pike
@tomrpike.bsky.social
I write science fiction. You can find it in Analog Science Fiction & Fact and Black Library. Day jobs over the years: climate policy research analyst, wiki administrator, and tweet ghostwriter for a cartoon horse. https://tomrpike.com/
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
If a politician:
-Has never cared at all about whales before;
-Is in the pocket of big oil, an industry which has a financial incentive to oppose alternative energy;
and
-is a well-documented liar,
You don't have to take their "we have to stop offshore wind to save whales" claims seriously.
-Has never cared at all about whales before;
-Is in the pocket of big oil, an industry which has a financial incentive to oppose alternative energy;
and
-is a well-documented liar,
You don't have to take their "we have to stop offshore wind to save whales" claims seriously.
November 26, 2025 at 2:50 PM
If a politician:
-Has never cared at all about whales before;
-Is in the pocket of big oil, an industry which has a financial incentive to oppose alternative energy;
and
-is a well-documented liar,
You don't have to take their "we have to stop offshore wind to save whales" claims seriously.
-Has never cared at all about whales before;
-Is in the pocket of big oil, an industry which has a financial incentive to oppose alternative energy;
and
-is a well-documented liar,
You don't have to take their "we have to stop offshore wind to save whales" claims seriously.
Wrote a really messed up scene. You guys are gonna like it. Sorry you’ll probably have to wait until 2027 to see it!
November 25, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Wrote a really messed up scene. You guys are gonna like it. Sorry you’ll probably have to wait until 2027 to see it!
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
One last book purchase before Christmas.
November 18, 2025 at 11:33 PM
One last book purchase before Christmas.
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
Still immensely proud of my second short story's publication in Death and Duty. Physical copies are on sale now!
November 21, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Still immensely proud of my second short story's publication in Death and Duty. Physical copies are on sale now!
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
'the economy' is people burning through slabs of glass and silicon at an absurd rate even though they don't need or want to
November 25, 2025 at 7:58 AM
'the economy' is people burning through slabs of glass and silicon at an absurd rate even though they don't need or want to
This is why there’s moralizing in my fiction. I’m not sorry & it won’t change. It’s there because there are bad people, and when they read my stories, I don’t want it to be possible for them to imagine themselves as my story’s hero.
”I know writers who use subtext, and they’re all cowards.“
”I know writers who use subtext, and they’re all cowards.“
People are saying, "actually, Landman portrays the industry as immoral." C'mon folks. Millions of people came out of the Sopranos worshiping Tony. Millions worship Walter White. "The swaggering, macho hero with agency & good one-liners is actually, in the big picture, bad" *does not get across*.
November 18, 2025 at 3:14 AM
This is why there’s moralizing in my fiction. I’m not sorry & it won’t change. It’s there because there are bad people, and when they read my stories, I don’t want it to be possible for them to imagine themselves as my story’s hero.
”I know writers who use subtext, and they’re all cowards.“
”I know writers who use subtext, and they’re all cowards.“
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
"She does not own a car." In a way, this is actually quite funny, but mostly, the people who write this stuff would go apoplectic if anyone judged their life the way they judged other people's.
You guys realize that taxing people to pay for services isn't socialism, right? This is just how governments work.
November 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
"She does not own a car." In a way, this is actually quite funny, but mostly, the people who write this stuff would go apoplectic if anyone judged their life the way they judged other people's.
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
These articles always depend on a bizarre Schroedinger's Seattle: The city is falling apart due to progressive overreach but we should have re-elected the conservative non-socialist who has been in charge for the last four years.
November 17, 2025 at 2:28 PM
These articles always depend on a bizarre Schroedinger's Seattle: The city is falling apart due to progressive overreach but we should have re-elected the conservative non-socialist who has been in charge for the last four years.
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
Today Jay looks at the Cult Mechanicus eShort story collection for 2025, featuring Jonathan D. Beer, Stark Holborn, Tom R. Pike, Mark Barber, and Avalon Irons.
Cult Mechanicus 2025 eShort Week Subscription: The Goonhammer Review
Today Jay looks at the Cult Mechanicus eShort story collection for 2025, featuring Jonathan D. Beer, Stark Holborn, Tom R. Pike, Mark Barber, and Avalon Irons.
www.goonhammer.com
May 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Today Jay looks at the Cult Mechanicus eShort story collection for 2025, featuring Jonathan D. Beer, Stark Holborn, Tom R. Pike, Mark Barber, and Avalon Irons.
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
the most concise label I can think for this kind of ai art tell is "Details Without Intent". If a human artists is adding details, it costs them time to do so, and so you can bet your ass they will only do so with Intent.
Details Without Intent are an AI art slop thing.
Details Without Intent are an AI art slop thing.
It seems like the biggest tell of AI art is areas that are hugely detailed... but whose details make no sense.
Like a human artists might abstract out details intentionally, but that level of detail takes a human time and effort and why would they put in that effort for amorphous fine detail?
Like a human artists might abstract out details intentionally, but that level of detail takes a human time and effort and why would they put in that effort for amorphous fine detail?
November 16, 2025 at 8:01 PM
the most concise label I can think for this kind of ai art tell is "Details Without Intent". If a human artists is adding details, it costs them time to do so, and so you can bet your ass they will only do so with Intent.
Details Without Intent are an AI art slop thing.
Details Without Intent are an AI art slop thing.
My derelict spaceship boarding action short story, “Dream of the Locust”, is in No Peace Among Stars, a paperback/ebook 40k anthology. Its print run is limited, and there likely will not be reprints. Online print orders are sold out, so B&N is your best bet.
www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/ne...
www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/ne...
November 16, 2025 at 7:57 PM
My derelict spaceship boarding action short story, “Dream of the Locust”, is in No Peace Among Stars, a paperback/ebook 40k anthology. Its print run is limited, and there likely will not be reprints. Online print orders are sold out, so B&N is your best bet.
www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/ne...
www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/ne...
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
My 2nd short is available from The Black Library in the "Death and Duty" anthology! I am super grateful and thankful for this opportunity!
This is available for e-readers and audiobooks! The paperbacks are all sold out online so you'll have to hunt for them in stores if you wanna grab one!
This is available for e-readers and audiobooks! The paperbacks are all sold out online so you'll have to hunt for them in stores if you wanna grab one!
November 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
My 2nd short is available from The Black Library in the "Death and Duty" anthology! I am super grateful and thankful for this opportunity!
This is available for e-readers and audiobooks! The paperbacks are all sold out online so you'll have to hunt for them in stores if you wanna grab one!
This is available for e-readers and audiobooks! The paperbacks are all sold out online so you'll have to hunt for them in stores if you wanna grab one!
The anthology that includes my Warhammer 40k short story about tankists, "Worm of Valhalla", is finally out - not just for pre-order! The audiobook version is also fun because you get to find out which of the characters are Scottish.
www.amazon.com/Death-Duty-A...
www.amazon.com/Death-Duty-A...
Death And Duty (Astra Militarum: Warhammer 40,000)
Death And Duty (Astra Militarum: Warhammer 40,000) - Kindle edition by Lyons, Steve, Hayward, Victoria, Woolley, Justin, James, Rhuairidh, Harris, Carrie, Sollitto, John, Ryan, Sam, Zimmerman, Russell, Davis, Callum, Lawless, Shauna, Vincent, Mike, R Pike, Tom. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Death And Duty (Astra Militarum: Warhammer 40,000).
www.amazon.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:09 AM
The anthology that includes my Warhammer 40k short story about tankists, "Worm of Valhalla", is finally out - not just for pre-order! The audiobook version is also fun because you get to find out which of the characters are Scottish.
www.amazon.com/Death-Duty-A...
www.amazon.com/Death-Duty-A...
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
All of the Warhammer stories I've written!
When I wandered into my local Games Workshop store as a kid more than 20 years ago I'd never have believed I'd get the chance to do this!
It's so fun & there's just as much wonder in the great, grimdark world of Warhammer as when I first encountered it 🖤
When I wandered into my local Games Workshop store as a kid more than 20 years ago I'd never have believed I'd get the chance to do this!
It's so fun & there's just as much wonder in the great, grimdark world of Warhammer as when I first encountered it 🖤
November 6, 2025 at 11:29 AM
All of the Warhammer stories I've written!
When I wandered into my local Games Workshop store as a kid more than 20 years ago I'd never have believed I'd get the chance to do this!
It's so fun & there's just as much wonder in the great, grimdark world of Warhammer as when I first encountered it 🖤
When I wandered into my local Games Workshop store as a kid more than 20 years ago I'd never have believed I'd get the chance to do this!
It's so fun & there's just as much wonder in the great, grimdark world of Warhammer as when I first encountered it 🖤
I have to be honest. I’m deeply disappointed that I have not once seen a Huell meme about this trial. So many missed opportunities.
🚨🚨🚨 The jury has reached a verdict. Sean Dunn, aka the DC Sandwich Guy, has been found NOT GUILTY of assault.
November 6, 2025 at 11:48 PM
I have to be honest. I’m deeply disappointed that I have not once seen a Huell meme about this trial. So many missed opportunities.
I don't love that I live in a society where an issue as important as indoor air quality, and a solution as commonly suggested as houseplants, have seen essentially no high quality research. With indoor CO2, we appear to have completely given up without even trying.
November 5, 2025 at 11:30 PM
I don't love that I live in a society where an issue as important as indoor air quality, and a solution as commonly suggested as houseplants, have seen essentially no high quality research. With indoor CO2, we appear to have completely given up without even trying.
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
Zohran Mamdani has won, & will be the next mayor of NYC.
November 5, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Zohran Mamdani has won, & will be the next mayor of NYC.
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
REV. BLACK (who was shot in the head with a pepper ball): “If this is what they’re doing to pastors, journalists, teachers, mothers, and the elderly gathered to sing and pray outside ICE facilities… what might they be doing to our neighbors who are behind those walls?”
October 31, 2025 at 2:33 AM
REV. BLACK (who was shot in the head with a pepper ball): “If this is what they’re doing to pastors, journalists, teachers, mothers, and the elderly gathered to sing and pray outside ICE facilities… what might they be doing to our neighbors who are behind those walls?”
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
Sergeant Aisha Itoh is about to have a total chitin-ightmare in my #warhammer40k Sentinel short story ‘Blood Sands’ - in print for the first time!
You also get:
💀Blood
💀Sands
💀Sentinels
💀Astra Militarum Messenger Pigeon cameo
...& 11 other stories from fab folk!
www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/p...
You also get:
💀Blood
💀Sands
💀Sentinels
💀Astra Militarum Messenger Pigeon cameo
...& 11 other stories from fab folk!
www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/p...
October 26, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Sergeant Aisha Itoh is about to have a total chitin-ightmare in my #warhammer40k Sentinel short story ‘Blood Sands’ - in print for the first time!
You also get:
💀Blood
💀Sands
💀Sentinels
💀Astra Militarum Messenger Pigeon cameo
...& 11 other stories from fab folk!
www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/p...
You also get:
💀Blood
💀Sands
💀Sentinels
💀Astra Militarum Messenger Pigeon cameo
...& 11 other stories from fab folk!
www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/p...
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
Reluctant soldiers pining for the agrarian life is one of my favorite tropes, can’t wait to read this.
October 25, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reluctant soldiers pining for the agrarian life is one of my favorite tropes, can’t wait to read this.
Black Library also just released another anthology, "No Peace Among Stars", which republishes my story "Dream of the Locust", a run-and-gun spaceship boarding action / philosophical debate between cyborgs and space orks. It'll be out in paperback and ebook. www.amazon.com/Peace-Among-...
No Peace Among Stars (Warhammer 40,000)
No Peace Among Stars (Warhammer 40,000) - Kindle edition by Flindall, Jon, McDougall, David, Wilt, R S, Fenech, Mark-Anthony, Vincent, Mike, Crowe, William, Swan, Richard, Harris, Carrie, Davis, Callum, Lawless, Shauna, Holborn, Stark, R Pike, Tom, Barber, Mark, Irons, Avalon. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading No Peace Among Stars (Warhammer 40,000).
www.amazon.com
October 25, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Black Library also just released another anthology, "No Peace Among Stars", which republishes my story "Dream of the Locust", a run-and-gun spaceship boarding action / philosophical debate between cyborgs and space orks. It'll be out in paperback and ebook. www.amazon.com/Peace-Among-...
Black Library's new anthology "Death and Duty" closes with my new short story, "Worm of Valhalla", which is about a reluctant tank commander who'd rather be growing tomatoes. You can preorder paperback and ebook, and an audiobook will be out in about a month. www.amazon.com/Death-Duty-W...
Death and Duty (Warhammer 40,000)
Amazon.com: Death and Duty (Warhammer 40,000): 9781836091998: Lyons, Steve: Books
www.amazon.com
October 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Black Library's new anthology "Death and Duty" closes with my new short story, "Worm of Valhalla", which is about a reluctant tank commander who'd rather be growing tomatoes. You can preorder paperback and ebook, and an audiobook will be out in about a month. www.amazon.com/Death-Duty-W...
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
Remember in 1996 when destroying the White House was generally considered to be a bad thing
October 24, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Remember in 1996 when destroying the White House was generally considered to be a bad thing
Reposted by Tom R. Pike
In which I wrote an entire page about the handling of Imperial citizens' poop, and got paid to do it.
I have a strange job. Fun, though, sometimes.
I have a strange job. Fun, though, sometimes.
Want the reader to inhabit your Imperium? Show them how basic life functions in the day to day. This whole passage (and more) was an absolute delight!
-from Tomb World, by @jonathandbeer.bsky.social
#Warhammer #BookSky #BlackLibrary
-from Tomb World, by @jonathandbeer.bsky.social
#Warhammer #BookSky #BlackLibrary
October 22, 2025 at 8:55 AM
In which I wrote an entire page about the handling of Imperial citizens' poop, and got paid to do it.
I have a strange job. Fun, though, sometimes.
I have a strange job. Fun, though, sometimes.
When I was making Personal Space, I requested footage from the Reagan Library. I explained my intention to misleadingly edit the Reagan footage so it sounded like he said humans had landed on Mars. They had to let me do this. That’s what “public domain” means. www.axios.com/2025/10/24/c...
Reagan foundation "reviewing legal options" over Ontario, Canada, tariffs ad
The foundation said the ad that prompted Trump to cancel trade talks with Canada "misrepresents" Reagan's address.
www.axios.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:21 AM
When I was making Personal Space, I requested footage from the Reagan Library. I explained my intention to misleadingly edit the Reagan footage so it sounded like he said humans had landed on Mars. They had to let me do this. That’s what “public domain” means. www.axios.com/2025/10/24/c...