A Rather Vengeful Accord
A rivals-to-lovers dark academia fantasy of necromancers and gladiatorial combat
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Daphne Press
Published:18th Nov '25
Should be back in stock very soon
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
“Sly, gruesome, and full of wonderfully macabre detail” — Kerstin Hall, Locus and Nebula Award-nominated author of Asunder
Enrol in a dark academia fantasy, in which a student necromancer teams up with her rival for gladiator games against eldritch monsters, for fans of Wednesday and A Deadly Education.
Only the most talented necromancers and gladiators attend the elite academy of St Penderghast's. While necromancers study for the military, learning sorcery that twists corpses into monsters of war, gladiators slay undead horrors and thrill crowds in arenas — a professional sport called The Hallowed Game.
Halen Kilchoir would kill (and resurrect) anything to study necromancy at St Penderghast's, but thanks to a bit of self-sabotage, a team-up with her most hated rival — a gladiator — is the only way she can trial for admission. Either they both earn their place at the prestigious school, or neither of them do.
Alastair, the handsome but infuriating exiled scion of the great Faulton dynasty, has nothing but contempt for necromancy, and Hal is more interested in making monsters than fighting them… even if she is decent with a sword. Yet if they can find a way to stop bickering and work together in the arena, they just might triumph in this cut-throat competition.
As Hal and Alastair fight grim abominations and ghastly peers side by side, Hal faces the horrors of eldritch magic, the perils of fame, and the truly revolting prospect of a romance with her nemesis.
A dark fantasy for 16+ readers who love:
· Creepy loner girls obsessed with dark academia necromancy
· Gothic gladiator arena battles with eldritch horrors
· Morally grey characters all around
· Political intrigue with twists and betrayals
· Super slow burn rivals-to-lovers romance (M/F)
· Battle couples in publicity stunt relationships
· Sports competition drama, rivalries, and banter
A Rather Vengeful Accord was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 24/11/2025
A Rather Vengeful Accord is a delight. Sly, gruesome, and full of wonderfully macabre detail, I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
-Kerstin Hall, Locus and Nebula Award-nominated author of Asunder
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 her characters in the perfect position to go for each other's throats. Rivals-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
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
With risen corpses, nerve-wracking duels, and rivals who can't hide their heart eyes, Danielle Knight's A Rather Vengeful Accord is dark academia for the goth soul. An intricate, agonizingly-tense tale that will set the most curious minds on fire.
-Amparo Ortiz, author of Last Sunrise of Eterna and The Blazewrath Games
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
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
An indomitable heroine, an irresistibly venomous rival, and a cut-throat competition where the magic you wield is as likely to kill you as your foe. A Rather Vengeful Accord is every bit as delicious as it is deadly.
-Annabel Campbell, author of The Outcast Mage
ISBN: 9781837840847
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
368 pages