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The Eighth Sin: A Court of Blood
When the aging demon emperor gives his children an ultimatum, Prince Valdir launches a brutal campaign to claim the crown. At his side if the war hero known as the Sword of Nour; Cliona Sangaria.
Together, they wage war across the realms in the name of conquest and glory. But with every victory, the cost grows higher - and Cliona begins to see the true price of Valdir's ambition.
Torn between honour and conscience, and haunted by a past she cannot forget, Cliona must decide where her loyalty lies - because in a world ruled by power and blood, loyalty can become the deadliest sin of all.
A Court of Blood is the second installment in The Eighth Sin, a dark fantasy series filled with war, sacrifice and the corruption of power. For readers who want to experience the story chronologically, this installment can also be read first.
Content Warning
Within these pages, you’ll find scenes of violence and cruelty, some of which may be deeply unsettling to some readers. There are depictions of torture, monstrous transformations, the horrors of battle, and the deaths of both soldiers and civilians—including children. War does not flinch, and neither does this book.
Read The Eighth Sin series if you love:
- Brutal action and high-stakes adventure
- Creative world-building and magic
- Zero romance
- Immersive fantastical monsters
Together, they wage war across the realms in the name of conquest and glory. But with every victory, the cost grows higher - and Cliona begins to see the true price of Valdir's ambition.
Torn between honour and conscience, and haunted by a past she cannot forget, Cliona must decide where her loyalty lies - because in a world ruled by power and blood, loyalty can become the deadliest sin of all.
A Court of Blood is the second installment in The Eighth Sin, a dark fantasy series filled with war, sacrifice and the corruption of power. For readers who want to experience the story chronologically, this installment can also be read first.
Content Warning
Within these pages, you’ll find scenes of violence and cruelty, some of which may be deeply unsettling to some readers. There are depictions of torture, monstrous transformations, the horrors of battle, and the deaths of both soldiers and civilians—including children. War does not flinch, and neither does this book.
Read The Eighth Sin series if you love:
- Brutal action and high-stakes adventure
- Creative world-building and magic
- Zero romance
- Immersive fantastical monsters
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2025
About the author
Krystyna Fulford
6 books3 followersHi, I'm Krystyna!
I'm an indie author from Yorkshire (UK). I write dark, high-stakes action fantasy with unique magic systems, and gruesome monsters.
As an archaeology graduate (and previously a history teacher), I love all things history. So, there are lots of of historically-inspired elements to my books.
I'm the author of 'The Eighth Sin' series, which currently is made up of one published book (A Court of Blood) and one that will be out in October 2026 (The Crimson Chain). The series will (likely) be 6 books long, so long as the characters co-operate and don't get any new ideas!
I also have a cosy teenage fantasy adventure novella called 'The Witch's Garden'.
I'm usually being supervised by my two golden-oldie dogs; Perry (aka Baron Pezley von Pezlington), the retired gundog cocker spaniel, and Elsa (aka Madam, or Demon Dog [She's a sweetie but she does love to creep!]), the ex-racing greyhound.
When I'm not writing (which isn't often!) I also play Dungeons and Dragons, computer games and board games, love going on long walks with the family, and enjoy cooking and baking.
I'm an indie author from Yorkshire (UK). I write dark, high-stakes action fantasy with unique magic systems, and gruesome monsters.
As an archaeology graduate (and previously a history teacher), I love all things history. So, there are lots of of historically-inspired elements to my books.
I'm the author of 'The Eighth Sin' series, which currently is made up of one published book (A Court of Blood) and one that will be out in October 2026 (The Crimson Chain). The series will (likely) be 6 books long, so long as the characters co-operate and don't get any new ideas!
I also have a cosy teenage fantasy adventure novella called 'The Witch's Garden'.
I'm usually being supervised by my two golden-oldie dogs; Perry (aka Baron Pezley von Pezlington), the retired gundog cocker spaniel, and Elsa (aka Madam, or Demon Dog [She's a sweetie but she does love to creep!]), the ex-racing greyhound.
When I'm not writing (which isn't often!) I also play Dungeons and Dragons, computer games and board games, love going on long walks with the family, and enjoy cooking and baking.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 30, 2026
An Imaginative Dark Fantasy with Plenty to Explore
A Court of Blood is an ambitious fantasy novel that takes readers into a complicated world of demons, political intrigue, military conflict, and shifting loyalties. The author has clearly put considerable thought into building this world, and the level of detail is impressive.
Cliona Sangaria is a particularly interesting character. She's strong, capable, and committed to her responsibilities, but what makes her worth following is the gradual tension between her sense of duty and her growing awareness of the consequences of her actions. I appreciated that the story isn't simply about battles and power struggles. There are some interesting questions about loyalty, morality, and the choices people make when they're caught up in something much bigger than themselves.
My biggest difficulty was the amount of information to absorb. There are a lot of characters, places, political relationships, and descriptions, and at times I felt the story became weighed down by its own detail. A little less explanation in certain sections would have helped the pacing and allowed the characters and their relationships to stand out more.
Still, there's a lot to admire here. The author has created an imaginative world with considerable depth and plenty of room for further development. Readers who enjoy darker fantasy, complex political situations, and morally conflicted characters will likely find this a worthwhile read. It's not necessarily a quick or easy book to get through, but there's enough substance to make the journey interesting.
A Court of Blood is an ambitious fantasy novel that takes readers into a complicated world of demons, political intrigue, military conflict, and shifting loyalties. The author has clearly put considerable thought into building this world, and the level of detail is impressive.
Cliona Sangaria is a particularly interesting character. She's strong, capable, and committed to her responsibilities, but what makes her worth following is the gradual tension between her sense of duty and her growing awareness of the consequences of her actions. I appreciated that the story isn't simply about battles and power struggles. There are some interesting questions about loyalty, morality, and the choices people make when they're caught up in something much bigger than themselves.
My biggest difficulty was the amount of information to absorb. There are a lot of characters, places, political relationships, and descriptions, and at times I felt the story became weighed down by its own detail. A little less explanation in certain sections would have helped the pacing and allowed the characters and their relationships to stand out more.
Still, there's a lot to admire here. The author has created an imaginative world with considerable depth and plenty of room for further development. Readers who enjoy darker fantasy, complex political situations, and morally conflicted characters will likely find this a worthwhile read. It's not necessarily a quick or easy book to get through, but there's enough substance to make the journey interesting.
October 27, 2026
If you are looking for a gritty, action-packed dark fantasy with zero romance and maximum stakes, this is it. When a dying demon emperor tells his heirs that the crown belongs to whoever can secure him immortality, it ignites a savage war across multiple realms.
What makes this book so gripping is that it doesn’t follow the royal heirs directly; instead, it embeds you on the front lines with a high-ranking demon soldier. The political intrigue is sharp, the battles are epic, and the world-building is phenomenal. I absolutely loved learning about the backgrounds of the different races and unique monsters.
Cliona's, the FMC, character development is easily one of the best parts of the book. As Prince Valdir wages a brutal war across realms, she is forced to confront her own morals, and her unwavering sense of duty. Her internal conflict perfectly highlights the book's core theme: that in a demon empire, loyalty can be the deadliest sin.
Why You Should Read It:
✨️Phenomenal World-Building: Exploration of forgotten ruins and deeply realized lore.
✨️No Fluff: No romantic subplots to slow things down—just pure, adrenaline-fueled action and deep political scheming.
✨️Visceral Battles: The combat is incredibly detailed, utilizing a great mix of swords and magic.
✨️Disclaimer: I don't personally have triggers, but this book features highly graphic war scenes, including torture and heavy gore, so definitely check the trigger warnings first!
What makes this book so gripping is that it doesn’t follow the royal heirs directly; instead, it embeds you on the front lines with a high-ranking demon soldier. The political intrigue is sharp, the battles are epic, and the world-building is phenomenal. I absolutely loved learning about the backgrounds of the different races and unique monsters.
Cliona's, the FMC, character development is easily one of the best parts of the book. As Prince Valdir wages a brutal war across realms, she is forced to confront her own morals, and her unwavering sense of duty. Her internal conflict perfectly highlights the book's core theme: that in a demon empire, loyalty can be the deadliest sin.
Why You Should Read It:
✨️Phenomenal World-Building: Exploration of forgotten ruins and deeply realized lore.
✨️No Fluff: No romantic subplots to slow things down—just pure, adrenaline-fueled action and deep political scheming.
✨️Visceral Battles: The combat is incredibly detailed, utilizing a great mix of swords and magic.
✨️Disclaimer: I don't personally have triggers, but this book features highly graphic war scenes, including torture and heavy gore, so definitely check the trigger warnings first!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews