Review: Red Tithe

Red Tithe by Robbie MacNiven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Going into this story after reading about the unique lore of the Carcharodon Astra chapter, I had a lot of expectations. Especially after reading about Tyberos the Red wake, who's a veritable beast, even when compared to your standard space marine. After reading it, those expectations were, may be 70-75% met you could say.

The space sharks are a chapter whose founding is shrouded in mystery. A fleet-based chapter, they've been wandering the far fringes of the imperium for the past 10000 years, exiled for reasons unknown. There, they wage a silent never-ending war, against the horrors and threats which hide in the shadows, threatening to consume the Imperium.

Based on their age, as well as the parts about them being exiled, my head cannon is that they might be the remnants of the legion belonging to one of the lost primarchs. Whatever the offenses of them or their gene father might be, they were condemned to roam the void as penance, and to hold vigil, for until they're pardoned and can return to the embrace of, he who they refer to as the 'Void Father'.

Other than their mysterious lore, what really draws you in are their rad looking Polynesian inspired aesthetics. Particularly, the members of the chapter have names reminiscent of someone from the part of the world. And their warriors have a habit to donning bone accruements, and putting on facial markings, the likes one would see in real life people from the Māori tribe. All of which adds to their visual appeal.

There is also the interesting dynamic where in this story, they're pitted against the traitor night lords legion. This is of note, because both chapters share several similarities.

The Night lords, in case you're not aware, are a former imperial Astartes legion, that turned against the emperor during the time of the Horus heresy. After their defeat, like most other traitors, they fled, but not the Eye of Terror.

You see unlike other chaos warbands, the Night lords had not completely submitted to any one chaos god. While their members would individually succumb to one or the others, as a legion, they preferred to remain independent and do their own thing. This left them in the unique position, of not having any support base, either from the Imperium, or the ruinous powers. Which is a major background piece of lore, in their own trilogy of books, Night Lords by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. In case you haven't read those, I suggest you do. They're quite the ride.

Coming back to plot, a parallel between the Carcharodon and Night Lords are how both are sort of in exile; and as such, are in constant need to resources, material and human. The Night lords engage in piracy, and plunder imperial worlds and ships to scavenge. The space sharks address this Issue, with something called the Grey Tithe, and the Red Tithe. The latter of which is one of the main background focuses of the story.

This adds a layer of shade in their conduct, as despite being staunch loyalists (although no one much know of them), they top up their manpower and material requirements, in much the same way; only with a long-lost contract as their backing. This entails them to arrive at some backwater Imperial planet, and to requisition the entire populace of the planet, hundreds of thousands of souls, as future aspirants, as well as serfs, mostly slaves.

Which might seem like a terrible thing for the 'good guys' to be doing. But that's only because you forgot what sort of story you're reading. And here, the difference between the good and bad guys, is just how many degrees they're removed from, when committing horrific deeds in the name of their own ideals. You get used to it.

Another aspect of note is the way in which they engage in battle. Unlike your standard loyalist or traitor marine, the Space Sharks believe in proper reconnaissance, combined with a fast decisive strike to decapitate their enemies, without suffering great casualties. Which might circle back to their bootstrap mentality and lack of resources. I mean, these guys are still using Heresy era armor and equipment, because they don't have most of the tools of expertise in form of mechanicus support to properly upgrade them. This, similar to the Night lords' story, adds a further level of danger in each mission which they embark on.

Fitting of their namesake, a Carcharodon engaging in battle doesn't shout battle cries or show any emotion; In fact, they don't make noise of any kind. Going for the whole silent hunter type of warfare. Which definitely makes them seem like the talented idiot savant cousins to your standard space marine.

Sadly, despite anticipation, we do not get an appearance from the Chapter master, the red wake himself. Guess I'll have the read book 2 for that pleasure.

All in all, Book 1 in the Space Sharks series, have left me lot of new lore points to ponder over, while leaving me thirsty for something more significant.

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