Jonathan D. Beer
@jonathandbeer.bsky.social
Sci-fi writer. Freelance author for Black Library. He/him. All views are my own.
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Pick up my latest novel, TOMB WORLD, out now!
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Pick up my latest novel, TOMB WORLD, out now!
While I'm talking about games I'd like to see (last week), when are we going to get a sequel to Sleeping Dogs?
The answer is probably never, as I think there were loads of legal issues about ownership, but still - best GTA clone by a mile.
The answer is probably never, as I think there were loads of legal issues about ownership, but still - best GTA clone by a mile.
November 1, 2025 at 6:23 PM
While I'm talking about games I'd like to see (last week), when are we going to get a sequel to Sleeping Dogs?
The answer is probably never, as I think there were loads of legal issues about ownership, but still - best GTA clone by a mile.
The answer is probably never, as I think there were loads of legal issues about ownership, but still - best GTA clone by a mile.
This picture needs 200% more slouching, fidgeting, and a cat sitting close enough to demand to be stroking while being just far enough that I need to lean to reach it.
October 31, 2025 at 11:44 PM
This picture needs 200% more slouching, fidgeting, and a cat sitting close enough to demand to be stroking while being just far enough that I need to lean to reach it.
Or, if the Adeptus Mechanicus are your preferred faction in Mechanicus 2, might I tempt you with DOMINION GENESIS, my tale of an AdMech explorator struggling to come to terms with the loss of her forge world?
Truly, the product synergies write themselves.
Truly, the product synergies write themselves.
October 13, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Or, if the Adeptus Mechanicus are your preferred faction in Mechanicus 2, might I tempt you with DOMINION GENESIS, my tale of an AdMech explorator struggling to come to terms with the loss of her forge world?
Truly, the product synergies write themselves.
Truly, the product synergies write themselves.
I feel like it's only a small grift to jump on the back of the Mechanicus 2 demo coming out to say that if you enjoy Necrons and their shenanigans, TOMB WORLD is out now!
I hope everyone who pre-ordered the special ed is enjoying its lushness, and everyone who got any edition is enjoying its story!
I hope everyone who pre-ordered the special ed is enjoying its lushness, and everyone who got any edition is enjoying its story!
October 13, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I feel like it's only a small grift to jump on the back of the Mechanicus 2 demo coming out to say that if you enjoy Necrons and their shenanigans, TOMB WORLD is out now!
I hope everyone who pre-ordered the special ed is enjoying its lushness, and everyone who got any edition is enjoying its story!
I hope everyone who pre-ordered the special ed is enjoying its lushness, and everyone who got any edition is enjoying its story!
This, a thousand times this.
On a day when I read that a new poll suggests Nigel fucking Farage is on course to be the next PM, the Labour Party *desperately* needs to find some spine. Kick out Starmer and McSweeney, and actually challenge the racist narratives of Reform and its media allies.
On a day when I read that a new poll suggests Nigel fucking Farage is on course to be the next PM, the Labour Party *desperately* needs to find some spine. Kick out Starmer and McSweeney, and actually challenge the racist narratives of Reform and its media allies.
September 27, 2025 at 11:21 AM
This, a thousand times this.
On a day when I read that a new poll suggests Nigel fucking Farage is on course to be the next PM, the Labour Party *desperately* needs to find some spine. Kick out Starmer and McSweeney, and actually challenge the racist narratives of Reform and its media allies.
On a day when I read that a new poll suggests Nigel fucking Farage is on course to be the next PM, the Labour Party *desperately* needs to find some spine. Kick out Starmer and McSweeney, and actually challenge the racist narratives of Reform and its media allies.
Just picked up my copy of the illustrated and annotated edition of Chris Wraight's THE LORDS OF SILENCE, one of my absolute favourite books.
The Black Library art team have absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.
The Black Library art team have absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.
August 24, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Just picked up my copy of the illustrated and annotated edition of Chris Wraight's THE LORDS OF SILENCE, one of my absolute favourite books.
The Black Library art team have absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.
The Black Library art team have absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.
Delighted to share the announcement stage with @malkydel.bsky.social and @mikevincent-author.bsky.social.
Khemet's story was a fascinating one to write, and follows some truly exceptional Necron books in recent years. Looking forward to it coming out!
www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articl...
Khemet's story was a fascinating one to write, and follows some truly exceptional Necron books in recent years. Looking forward to it coming out!
www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articl...
August 6, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Delighted to share the announcement stage with @malkydel.bsky.social and @mikevincent-author.bsky.social.
Khemet's story was a fascinating one to write, and follows some truly exceptional Necron books in recent years. Looking forward to it coming out!
www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articl...
Khemet's story was a fascinating one to write, and follows some truly exceptional Necron books in recent years. Looking forward to it coming out!
www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articl...
The demo for Star Birds from Kurzgesagt and Toukana got me within the first fifteen seconds with that fantastic match-cut in the opening video.
June 14, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The demo for Star Birds from Kurzgesagt and Toukana got me within the first fifteen seconds with that fantastic match-cut in the opening video.
Can we all just take a moment to appreciate RTW? Shogun: TW was a landmark in strategy game development, and Medieval was a great iteration on it. But Rome was the undisputed master of RTS games (or, at least, of my heart) for a decade, if not more. I must have put 1000+ of my teen hours into it.
June 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Can we all just take a moment to appreciate RTW? Shogun: TW was a landmark in strategy game development, and Medieval was a great iteration on it. But Rome was the undisputed master of RTS games (or, at least, of my heart) for a decade, if not more. I must have put 1000+ of my teen hours into it.
These honestly might be my favourite books of his, and if you know anything about me at all, you know that I adore the Discworld with every fibre of my soul.
Go and read them, is what I'm saying.
Go and read them, is what I'm saying.
June 1, 2025 at 3:18 PM
These honestly might be my favourite books of his, and if you know anything about me at all, you know that I adore the Discworld with every fibre of my soul.
Go and read them, is what I'm saying.
Go and read them, is what I'm saying.
It's about... well, I'm not going to tell you. You'll just have to read it for yourself.
But it is *wonderful*. As glorious and insightful and funny as everything else the man ever wrote, but condensed into a nome-sized package.
But it is *wonderful*. As glorious and insightful and funny as everything else the man ever wrote, but condensed into a nome-sized package.
June 1, 2025 at 3:16 PM
It's about... well, I'm not going to tell you. You'll just have to read it for yourself.
But it is *wonderful*. As glorious and insightful and funny as everything else the man ever wrote, but condensed into a nome-sized package.
But it is *wonderful*. As glorious and insightful and funny as everything else the man ever wrote, but condensed into a nome-sized package.
I beg your pardon, Spotify?
April 26, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I beg your pardon, Spotify?
It took Eiji Yamamori *fifteen months* to hand-draw a four-second scene for The Wind Rises.
It took some thin dribble of slime three seconds to type a prompt that ripped off that artistry, and the artistry of every Ghibli animator.
And these people *dare* to call themselves artists.
It took some thin dribble of slime three seconds to type a prompt that ripped off that artistry, and the artistry of every Ghibli animator.
And these people *dare* to call themselves artists.
March 27, 2025 at 10:51 PM
It took Eiji Yamamori *fifteen months* to hand-draw a four-second scene for The Wind Rises.
It took some thin dribble of slime three seconds to type a prompt that ripped off that artistry, and the artistry of every Ghibli animator.
And these people *dare* to call themselves artists.
It took some thin dribble of slime three seconds to type a prompt that ripped off that artistry, and the artistry of every Ghibli animator.
And these people *dare* to call themselves artists.
So today we've learnt that slime - gutter slime, oozed from the most foetid depths of the techbros' nutsacks - have taken to using GenAI to ape the style of Studio Ghibli.
It is, simply put, grotesque, and the purest exemplar of the bankruptcy of the entire generative AI "industry".
It is, simply put, grotesque, and the purest exemplar of the bankruptcy of the entire generative AI "industry".
March 27, 2025 at 10:24 PM
So today we've learnt that slime - gutter slime, oozed from the most foetid depths of the techbros' nutsacks - have taken to using GenAI to ape the style of Studio Ghibli.
It is, simply put, grotesque, and the purest exemplar of the bankruptcy of the entire generative AI "industry".
It is, simply put, grotesque, and the purest exemplar of the bankruptcy of the entire generative AI "industry".
Finally watched Sisu, the Finnish revenge-spolitation film. Absolutely cracking. It's on Netflix, and it's 90 minutes long. You owe it to yourself to watch it.
March 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Finally watched Sisu, the Finnish revenge-spolitation film. Absolutely cracking. It's on Netflix, and it's 90 minutes long. You owe it to yourself to watch it.
Apropos of nothing, I've put on Return of the Jedi for the evening.
Fun fact: we only had ROTJ on video when I was very young (let's go with pre-7, as that's when I remember getting the videos of New Hope and Empire Strikes Back).
I cannot remember a time when I hadn't watched and loved this film.
Fun fact: we only had ROTJ on video when I was very young (let's go with pre-7, as that's when I remember getting the videos of New Hope and Empire Strikes Back).
I cannot remember a time when I hadn't watched and loved this film.
March 2, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Apropos of nothing, I've put on Return of the Jedi for the evening.
Fun fact: we only had ROTJ on video when I was very young (let's go with pre-7, as that's when I remember getting the videos of New Hope and Empire Strikes Back).
I cannot remember a time when I hadn't watched and loved this film.
Fun fact: we only had ROTJ on video when I was very young (let's go with pre-7, as that's when I remember getting the videos of New Hope and Empire Strikes Back).
I cannot remember a time when I hadn't watched and loved this film.
John Blanche's depiction of the Eternity Gate has always been one of my favourites in the 40K canon (among the many, many universe-defining pieces he drew), and this takes that epic scale and cranks it up to 11.
This might be my favourite of all of Neil Roberts' work, and that's saying something.
This might be my favourite of all of Neil Roberts' work, and that's saying something.
January 22, 2025 at 1:11 PM
John Blanche's depiction of the Eternity Gate has always been one of my favourites in the 40K canon (among the many, many universe-defining pieces he drew), and this takes that epic scale and cranks it up to 11.
This might be my favourite of all of Neil Roberts' work, and that's saying something.
This might be my favourite of all of Neil Roberts' work, and that's saying something.
After being freaked out we've put on Howl's Moving Castle, our go-to comfort films.
Which is how I came to wonder if anyone has drawn Calcifer speaking Miracle Max's lines from Princess Bride.
"I'm Calcifer, a great and powerful fire demon! And it just so happens that fellow is only *mostly dead.*"
Which is how I came to wonder if anyone has drawn Calcifer speaking Miracle Max's lines from Princess Bride.
"I'm Calcifer, a great and powerful fire demon! And it just so happens that fellow is only *mostly dead.*"
January 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
After being freaked out we've put on Howl's Moving Castle, our go-to comfort films.
Which is how I came to wonder if anyone has drawn Calcifer speaking Miracle Max's lines from Princess Bride.
"I'm Calcifer, a great and powerful fire demon! And it just so happens that fellow is only *mostly dead.*"
Which is how I came to wonder if anyone has drawn Calcifer speaking Miracle Max's lines from Princess Bride.
"I'm Calcifer, a great and powerful fire demon! And it just so happens that fellow is only *mostly dead.*"
There's something - I don't know, cool? Cosmically existential? - about looking into the darkness as I leave my office and seeing Jupiter and Mars hanging above me, then turning to see Venus' glare and Saturn over its shoulder.
Please forgive the terrible photo, it was taken at a bus stop.
Please forgive the terrible photo, it was taken at a bus stop.
January 15, 2025 at 5:40 PM
There's something - I don't know, cool? Cosmically existential? - about looking into the darkness as I leave my office and seeing Jupiter and Mars hanging above me, then turning to see Venus' glare and Saturn over its shoulder.
Please forgive the terrible photo, it was taken at a bus stop.
Please forgive the terrible photo, it was taken at a bus stop.
Actually, on the question of best opening credits, Arcane is a pretty decent contender. The Night Manager's set off an entirely new wave of design, as far as I can tell. Daredevil's were excellent, as are For All Mankind's.
This is tougher than I thought.
This is tougher than I thought.
January 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Actually, on the question of best opening credits, Arcane is a pretty decent contender. The Night Manager's set off an entirely new wave of design, as far as I can tell. Daredevil's were excellent, as are For All Mankind's.
This is tougher than I thought.
This is tougher than I thought.
I was going to take a break when I finished Volume Two, but I've rolled straight on into the final act of The End and the Death. Let the final reckoning begin.
January 8, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I was going to take a break when I finished Volume Two, but I've rolled straight on into the final act of The End and the Death. Let the final reckoning begin.
I've read The End and the Death: Vol Two over the holiday, and I'm just reaching the final few pages.
Dan has achieved something monumental with these books. I am in absolute awe of them.
Dan has achieved something monumental with these books. I am in absolute awe of them.
January 7, 2025 at 8:53 AM
I've read The End and the Death: Vol Two over the holiday, and I'm just reaching the final few pages.
Dan has achieved something monumental with these books. I am in absolute awe of them.
Dan has achieved something monumental with these books. I am in absolute awe of them.
Start of the year book post!
Hope everyone had a nice new year, with many fine reading options available to you.
Hope everyone had a nice new year, with many fine reading options available to you.
January 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Start of the year book post!
Hope everyone had a nice new year, with many fine reading options available to you.
Hope everyone had a nice new year, with many fine reading options available to you.
Name a non-LOTR character that could resist the One Ring.
December 22, 2024 at 9:16 PM
Name a non-LOTR character that could resist the One Ring.
I've been thinking about my favourite book I've read in 2024, and being me I've decided to plump for two - Kim Stanley Robinson's The Ministry for the Future, and Nate Crowley's Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh!
December 21, 2024 at 10:38 PM
I've been thinking about my favourite book I've read in 2024, and being me I've decided to plump for two - Kim Stanley Robinson's The Ministry for the Future, and Nate Crowley's Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh!