The 17th instalment (short story number 12) in Peter Fehervari’s incredible Warhammer 40,000 Dark Coil series, Aria Arcana takes place during the finale of Requiem Infernal, offering a little insight into what the Angels Resplendent of the Ninth Rhapsody were doing as the city of Sophia Argentum burned. In the midst of the madness, Epistolary Ignacio Verlaine and a squad of Angels Resplendent patrol the storm-wracked skies waiting for revelation. When their gunship is destroyed, Verlaine falls from the sky only to find himself on an unexpected path that leads him inexorably towards the light of the Candelabrum, the great cathedral of the Koronatus Ring, and the destiny it heralds.
You could, if you wanted, read this story in isolation, and probably enjoy it as a bizarre but beautifully written tale of a Space Marine battling daemons – both internally and externally – on a challenging journey towards some kind of enlightenment. You could…but this is undoubtedly best appreciated in context of the broader Dark Coil series, in particular the events of Requiem Infernal and the intriguing arc of the Angels Resplendent. That’s not to say that it isn’t still a strange, twisted tale full of oblique references and head-scratching questions even for a reader well versed in the Dark Coil, of course. Like any Fehervari story it’s worth reading this once, then returning after a little time has passed, and looking for the links and the hints that suggest where it connects with other stories.
If this had been released in the immediate wake of Requiem Infernal it would have been an interesting addition to the Dark Coil, but with The Reverie having been published since then it feels like the perfect moment to return to Vytarn and think about how the Angels Resplendent arc ties into the events of Requiem. It’s hard to say much about the actual plot of Aria Arcana without risking spoilers, but suffice to say it offers an intriguing glimpse of the Resplendent in action, along with some thought-provoking reflections on the character and motivations of Satori, that most mysterious and ambiguous of Coil Travellers. Despite being a Space Marine story and featuring plenty of daemons it is – unsurprisingly, for a Fehervari story – much more cerebral than the usual 40k action fare, and while the plot is pretty linear the outcome is oblique and strange even by Dark Coil standards. This might not be an ideal place to start with Fehervari, but it’s another richly rewarding piece of the puzzle for existing fans!
See also: all of the other Peter Fehervari reviews and interviews on Track of Words
Aria Arcana is available as a standalone e-short – check out the links below to order your copy:
*If you buy anything using these links, I will receive a small affiliate commission – see here for more details.
If you enjoyed this review and would like to support Track of Words, you can leave me a tip on my Ko-Fi page.
