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Cover of A Rather Vengeful Accord

A Rather Vengeful Accord

by Danielle Knight

🌶️fade to black·spoiler·The Hallowed Game #1

Why Read This?

The worldbuilding is dense and rewarding — necromancy vs divine combat, eldritch gladiatorial arenas, and a mystery that keeps unraveling. The banter between Hal and Alastair carries the whole book, and the ending twist recontextualizes everything.

Synopsis

Enroll 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-fueled 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.

At a Glance

3.59 ★ Goodreads
Spice Level🌶️fade to black
Endingspoiler
PairingM/F
Romance Pacingslow burn

Top Tropes

dark academia romanceforced proximityforced alliance

Mood

darkgothicmysteriousintensewitty

Book Details

Goodreads Rating

3.59 ★

Page Count

385 pages

Published

2025

Primary Genre

Romantasy

Pairing

M/F

POV

Third Person

Romance Pacing

Slow Burn

Audiobook

Format

Standard

Tropes

RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

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Mood & Vibe

Mood

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Characters

FMC: necromancer / death magic user sign in to unlock

Spice Details 🌶️

tension / anticipation focus sign in to unlock

violencegraphic violencegorebody horrorgaslightingclassismbullying

World & Setting

high fantasy sign in to unlock

Reading Context

intellectual satisfaction sign in to unlock

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