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A Rather Vengeful Accord

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Book 1 of The Hallowed Game
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Pub Date Nov 18 2025 | Archive Date Dec 18 2025

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Description

Enrol in this rivals-to-lovers dark academia fantasy of necromancers and gladiatorial combat against eldritch abominations, perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and A Deadly Education.

St Penderghast’s is an elite college for necromancers and gladiators, promising glory to those who can perfect the arcane arts of graving or spiring. Graving is the notorious act of raising the dead and shaping their decaying flesh into eldritch abominations. Spiring is divine-fuelled combat against undead horrors in grand arenas, thrilling crowds of thousands.

Halen Kilchoir would kill (and resurrect) anything to study graving at St. Penderghast’s under the guidance of her hero, master necromancer Mortritis. But Hal cannot enlist alone: the only way she can secure admission is to enter a dangerous accord with her mortal rival, Alastair Faulton – accomplished spirer and the infuriating, formidable exiled scion of the great Faulton dynasty. If they team up as spirer gladiators, fighting gruesome creatures in a cut-throat competition, they could both earn their prestigious places at the college.

As Hal and Alastair fight grisly monsters and ghastly peers side by side, mending their years-long feud in the resplendent halls of the college, Hal faces the horrors of graving, spiring, and the revolting prospect of a romance with her own nemesis.

Enrol in this rivals-to-lovers dark academia fantasy of necromancers and gladiatorial combat against eldritch abominations, perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and A Deadly Education.

St...


Advance Praise

"Danielle Knight makes me wish Dark Souls had romance options, which is a sentence I never imagined writing. With worldbuilding that drips detail, Knight crafts exquisitely grotesque scenes that put her characters in the perfect position to go for each other's throats. Enemies-to-lovers, corpse duels, and dark academia all demand characters that are out for blood, and Hal and Alastair deliver." —Ryan Rose, author of Seven Recipes for Revolution

"Epic fantasy meets dark academia in this pacy and delightfully creepy debut! With a deliciously tense rivals-to-allies romance, a high stakes competition filled with uniquely grotesque creatures, and an ending sure to leave readers desperate for more, A Rather Vengeful Accord is a fun and engaging read for anyone who loves the macabre!" —Rachael A. Edwards, author of A Fate Unwoven

A Rather Vengeful Accord is a brilliant, atmospheric tale that will keep readers hooked from the first glyph to the last twist. I could read Hal and Alastair's banter all day!” —Maria Z. Medina, author of Mistress of Bones

"A Rather Vengeful Accord deserves all the acclaim. Ancient horrors, delicious rivalries and systemic rot are sewn together with expert flair. Knight’s heroine is a furious spark of colour against a unique, necrotic backdrop. Full of political intrigue, monstrous magic and biting prose, this debut demands you return for more." —Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury

"Whip-smart, hilarious, and gloriously gruesome, A Rather Vengeful Accord had me in a chokehold from the first page to the last. The worldbuilding is exquisite, the gladiatorial battles as thrilling as the monsters are nauseating, and the banter so sharp you'll cut yourself. This is an unmissable debut from a remarkable new voice in gothic fantasy." —Bori Cser, author of Mirrorwoven

"Witty and sharp, the unique world building and tongue-in-cheek prose had me hooked from the first chapter. A Rather Vengeful Accord is perfect for those who like their dark academia oozing with blood and rippling with teeth!" —Catelyn Wilson, author of All the Devils

"Danielle Knight makes me wish Dark Souls had romance options, which is a sentence I never imagined writing. With worldbuilding that drips detail, Knight crafts exquisitely grotesque scenes that put...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781837840847
PRICE £19.99 (GBP)
PAGES 368

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