The Flesh Tithe

Warhammer 40,000

by Miles A. Drake

Hell has come to Sygera. In the city of Moldevar, xenos aircraft battle the Imperial navy in the skies, and nightmares stalk the streets – creatures of metal, bodies crafted like skeletons with claws in place of hands, draped with the flesh of their victims. Against them stand a pitiful few defenders, among them Sister Hospitaller Lucia, who stands as a symbol of the God-Emperor for the people of Moldevar in these dark times. As the survivors rally around her, can Lucia lead them to salvation?

Read it because
It's the debut story from Miles A Drake, and it's dripping with atmosphere – and has some unexpected guests that change the story as it goes on

39 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2017

Reviews

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grim strong debut by Black Library new author Miles A. Drake.
Loved the characters, the storyline and the atmosphere of doom, but mid and final twists were just phoned for me.
If this short tale had few pages more and a less spoilering cover (if you put a Death Spectres Space Marines chapter symbol there, readers know they are coming sooner or later.)
, this was probably going to be a 5 stars review.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Black Library debut of Miles A. Drake, this is a dark and powerful short story which pits Sister Hospitaller Lucia against the horrors of an invading necron army.

A non-military protagonist (although she’s still pretty handy with a bolter) emphasises the fear and the danger, and this is about as dark as they come, even for 40k stories. Grim, but good.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/09/...

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miles A. Drake's debut Black Library short story, The Flesh Tithe follows Sister Hospitaller Lucia of the Order of the Ebon Chalice as she must take up her bolter once again as Sygera is besieged by Flayed Ones of the Necrons.

My favorite aspect of The Flesh Tithe was the relationship between Lucia and Raul, an enforcer that quickly joins the barricade at Lucia's convent, and Sergeant Nevekarion of the Death Spectres. I found myself dreading when Raul is at the forefront of the fighting. Their endings left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

Speaking of the ending, I was surprised at how it concluded. Due to knowing how Cavan Scott's Flayed, the other Death Spectres short story, ended, I was expecting a twist along those lines. And while the story was heading down such a downer ending, the end paid off Lucia's relationship with Nevekarion to create a more hopeful twist.

Overall, a very good debut for Miles A. Drake! I hope he gets the chance to write a full-length Death Spectres story in the future!

[Andrew Alvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grim read, full of bolts, blades and bloody bodies...lots of bloody bodies.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haha surprised on ending this one