I was so excited to read this book (especially when I saw the physical copy) that I went out and bought it on release day. Unfortunately I DNF'ed this book mainly because of the amount of unnecessary language, particular the overuse of the f word. I own Foundryside (which I haven't read) mainly because of the review Brandon Sanderson wrote on Goodreads. I will still give that one a try but I can't deny I was incredibly disappointed in this book. Not only was the swearing an issue but the plot overall just seemed lacking and slow.

This book is a biopunk murder mystery fantasy and oh boy, it was such a fun time. The book was compelling and intriguing. It had well thought out world building and characters. It was such a good time. I feel like there are infomation in this book that will play a part in the rest of the series, so I would like to reread this when book 2 comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First off thank you Netgalley and Del Rey books for providing an E-ARC in exchange for my review! I ended up purchasing the final copy to support!
First off, to say I enjoyed this book was an understatement. I loved this world that Robert Jackson Bennett introduced to us. The detective murder mystery elements mixed with a unique magic system was definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book. There was not a moment I felt a detail or page was not wasted. Trying to figure out who was responsible for the string of murders while looming leviathan attack just made the stakes high. One of my favorite things in the book was the relationship between Din and Ana. Although not romantic you felt a genuine connection between the two that was platonic in nature and I wanted to read more ! There is nothing I would change about this book and highly recommend to anyone looking for a good murder mystery book!

I loved this book! It was a combination of all of my favorite genres. The story involves solving a mystery that takes place in a fantasy world. There is also political intrigue and a host of interesting characters. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

An absorbing mystery-fantasy crossover from the award-winning author of The Divine Cities trilogy
Speculative fiction author Robert Jackson Bennett makes his first foray into mystery novels with The Tainted Cup, a top-notch police procedural set in an unnamed world little like our own. On this planet, plants have been genetically modified to serve all sorts of functions (kirpis mushrooms cool and filter air, fernpaper is used to construct walls, poisonous vines guard entryways). They're also used in suffusions and grafts to physically alter the inhabitants of the world; for example, giving some superhuman strength or genius-level mathematical ability. And, we soon discover, the augmented plants can be used to commit murder.

Dinios Kol is a newly-minted Sublime – one of the "cerebrally suffused and augmented" who "planned, managed and coordinated everything" for the Empire. Din's suffusion turned him into an engraver, someone who can remember everything they see and hear. He's been assigned to assist Immunis Anagosa Dolabra, Iudex Investigator of the Daretana Canton – aka Ana – a brilliant but irascible, foul-mouthed recluse tasked with looking into a death occurring on the property of the Empire's wealthiest and most influential clan. Din is dispatched to the estate and discovers a grisly scene: the body of a man killed by a tree that apparently grew out of his torso. He relays the details to Ana, who quickly determines the death is a murder, and as the pair investigate, the mystery deepens and the bodies pile up. Increasing the tension, the planet is entering the "wet season," when enormous creatures known as leviathans try to breach Daretana Canton's sea walls, causing massive death and destruction.

The plot is a seamless blend of fantasy and mystery. Bennett's world-building is exquisite, creating an environment at once familiar and completely new. Although the author immediately throws foreign terms at the reader (e.g., princeps, mai-lantern), any words that aren't clear from context are explained a bit later in the story; a map and chart of ranks in the book's preface are helpful here. Bennett doesn't paint a complete picture of this world by any means, but there's enough to fascinate readers without overwhelming them with its strangeness.

Exceptionally impressive, though, is the mystery at the heart of the novel. In many respects it's a standard police procedural – a crime is committed, the authorities collect evidence and interview suspects, the criminal is caught. Every other aspect, however, is wholly unexpected, from the choice of murder weapon to the deductions made by Din and Ana to the ultimate revelation of the guilty party. Bennett liberally peppers the story with red herrings, too, keeping readers guessing from start to finish. And, of course, there's the intriguing pairing of the book's two protagonists. Some have compared them to Holmes and Watson, and while there's rationale for that (Ana certainly has that Sherlock Holmes vibe about her), I find Din a much more interesting and more active participant than Watson ever was.

There are a few things about Bennett's novel that are less than stellar. The secondary characters aren't as developed as I would have liked, with most coming across as one-dimensional. And some stylistic choices should have been rethought, in my opinion, such as repeatedly writing that Ana was "grinning" about something (surely there's another verb that could have been employed for some variety) and the overuse of shocked stuttering during dialogue ("I…I have nothing to say," "Then…then what reason," "But…but just being here," etc.). Certainly, these flaws grated at times, but I enjoyed the mystery so darned much that it still earns my highest recommendation. The book does contain strong language (lots of f-bombs) but otherwise is appropriate for older teen audiences.

The Tainted Cup is the first entry in the proposed Shadow of the Leviathan series, and while its plot wraps up very satisfyingly, Bennett leaves plenty of room for sequels. I, for one, can't wait to read what he dreams up next. Fans of Isaac Asimov's Robot series and John Scalzi's Lock In books will likely enjoy this procedural, as will those who would like to encounter an outstanding yet different mystery novel.

What a well written mystery novel!

This book had so many twists and turns and detective work.

I loved Din as a character. He was a fun point of view to discover each piece of this story with.

The world-building was done well and we discovered more as the characters discovered things. This didn’t feel like an info-dump type of book, but rather well thought out on how to build the world and mystery.

Parts of it felt a little confusing and others a little slow so that is why I gave it a 4 and not a 5. However, it’s a fantastic beginning to a mystery series and I look forward to picking up a sequel.

DNF @30%

I’m definitely an outlier in not liking this. I gave this two attempts several weeks apart hoping I just wasn’t in the right headspace. I made it farther this time but I just wasn’t drawn into the story at all and was bored more than anything. I also hate how often the characters say each other’s names in conversation. Like every sentence has either their name or their title included and that’s just not a natural way of communication.

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for providing this ARC to me!

World building and characters are very important factors to make fantasy novels from "good' to "great". The tainted Cup nailed the both factors. Bennett created a very unique world that readers want to learn more about. Then the two main characters who themselves are mystery. I enjoyed every bit of this fantasy + mystery novel. I can't wait to read the next book of "Shadow of the Leviathan series).

This is another one of those books which gaslit me with a pretty cover. I had the hardest time getting through this book. There is a TON of little details which seemed to slog the book down. Perhaps if the characters were a bit more realistic then the world building would have fit better. As it stood, Ana was to me just trying too hard to be eccentric.
I know a lot of people who enjoyed this. Sadly, this was not a joy tor me.

I received a ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was honestly just so fun. It had a very Holmes-ian feel, with fun fantasy/sci-fi elements in a well-fleshed-out world with complex characters and a really great mystery. It's certainly not for the squeamish (a tree literally grows OUT of a man here, after all), but those who have the stomach for it will find much to love. It has neurodivergent and queer representation, which I always love to shout out when I see it. This is apparently the first in a series (which I'm happy about, because I'd love to see more of these characters and their quirks), but the story itself is pretty self-contained and draws to a satisfying conclusion.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a mystery combined with fantasy book. Fantasy is not my normal genre, but I feel this is a good one for someone that is new-ish to reading fantasy books. The story moved at a good pace and kept my interest throughout. The story was full of twists, which I enjoyed.

Great world building combined with a superbly layered Whodunit! The two main characters were eccentric, quirky and I wanted to know more about them. What a different reading experience! Please tell me there will be more books!!!

The synopsis had me excited to read this story but unfortunately my mood or the pacing of the book made it a slight struggle. I did enjoy the mystery and investigation which is what kept me reading along. The world was described well and was immersive especially the information about the leviathans and the illness. I found the characters a little tricky to keep a part but towards the end, found myself wondering what would happen next. Readers looking for a mystery with a slow build will enjoy this story! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Murder mystery

The characters are able to gain/buy/build enhancements to theirself
An Apprentice w/ a memory enhancement is investigated a murder where a treee or plant grows inside the body and burst through the skin - of course he dies.
But what I really loved was the investigator. I loved how sassy smart and fun she was

Ballantine eARC
I’m going to start with I actually read this on audio and I am so glad I ended up reading it this way, because the protection was top notch. The narrator did such a good job with all the different voices that it was easy for me to keep these fantasy character straight. I am not the biggest fantasy reader, but I didn’t find the story too hard to follow or understand. The magic in the world was laid out in a way where it was easy to digest, and you were just given just enough to understand at that moment, instead of having an info dump. I thought the mystery was solid, it surprised me, and it was just so much fun to spend time in this world with these characters who had all of these different abilities. I see that this is going to be a series, and I am so excited to continue in this world with these characters.

Oh my! This book totally caught me by surprise! I absolutely love it when an author combines genres and weaves a story that sends me into joyful binge reading. This story is so different - loved it!

Bennett mixes dystopian fantasy and mystery together with great skill. I was a bit afraid that the world building for the fantasy portion of the plot or the suspense of the mystery might take a hit as both are so complex to write and write well....but he pulled it off. I was almost immediately sucked into the world and the mystery. I don't often end up binge reading an entire book in a bit over one day, but I did this one.

The basics: A high ranking officer is killed in a particularly strange and gory way. Detective Ana Dolabra and her sidekick Dinios "Din" Kol are on the case. And, it turns out that there is a lot more going on than just a mere murder. The entire plot as it unfolds is a threat to the very Empire itself.

I'm not going to say much about the world or further details about the plot, because this story is really best read with no advanced knowledge beyond the bare basics. Let it unfold from the pages.....not spoilers!

Loved the characters, the world, the premise -- so different and entertaining to read! Very clever. Skillfully written. And, just a joy to read!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Random House Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

Robert Jackson Bennett has become one of my auto-buy authors over the years, and The Tainted Cup is an excellent example of why. The author has a unique talent for world building, that allows him to bring readers into a complex and layered world without overwhelming the reader with the info dumps that can be so common in fantasy. His development of unique cultures and peoples within these worlds makes the read feel immersive in a way many do not. I also greatly enjoyed his approach to the mystery in this book. Many times when a work is described as "Sherlockian" readers are kept in the dark until the big reveal at the end. I didn't find that to be the case here. Ana, our lead investigator, can't keep her observations to herself as the book progresses and it's a much more enjoyable read for that. Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see how the series continues to grow from here.

While this book explored incredibly intriguing themes, I had a hard time connecting with the story. However, that is obviously on me and not the book. I recognize that it has great potential to appeal to other sci fi readers and I encourage others to try it out! The world building is fantastic! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this fantasy novel. It is quite different compared to the fantasy novels I have consumed recently. In a way, it almost gave me Attack on Titan vibes with the Leviathans vs. The Walls.

I almost wish the book was more about that instead of the murder mystery, but I also enjoyed that aspect as well. At times I got confused since there were a good amount of characters introduced all with their own specific titles.

I feel like this story wrapped up nicely, so I am interested to see what the second book entails.

After The Founders Trilogy, I was very excited to see the new world Bennett would build and was not disappointed. It’s unique, engaging, and wonderfully odd. This take on a Holmes-esque mystery was incredibly entertaining at every moment, with a very colorful cast of characters.