A plantpunk murder mystery.... wait, what??

OK, so I hadn't heard of plantpunk or florapunk before this book, but it totally fits! The mystery is incredibly well constructed and original, and the relationship between Watson-like newbie Din and his Sherlock-boss Ana is perfect! Ana fascinated me, with her incredible mind and her extreme sensory sensitivity and utter disregard for social norms- she might be one of my favourite characters of all time now! This is planned to be a trilogy, and it just jumped to the top of my most-wanted sequels (and The Tainted Cup JUST published! Aaargh!)

Ana Dolabra is assigned to investigate the death of a high imperial officer whose death would be considered quite strange. She is known for her brilliance in solving cases that most would find impossible to solve. Joining her in the search is her new assistant Dinios who has been magically altered in a way that helps his new boss Ana. The two soon think they know who the killer is now they must bring to light the scheme he has so masterfully come up with. Follow along and see if they can bring the killer to light and keep others from ending up dead.

Actual rating 3.5, rounded up for the lovely cover

I struggled with this book A LOT. Fantasy isn't a usual genre for me; I get lost in the world building and this was no exception unfortunately. The description really drew me in (death by invasive tree, fantastical Holmes and Watson), but in the end, my inability to follow made this more of a trudge than an enjoyment. No blame on the author, he is an excellent writer and his descriptions are stellar, but the fact is that I'm never gonna be comfortable in fantasy worlds. For those who are, I think you'll love this book, but for me, it's back to standard Earth.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Del Rey, the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

“So … you have only worked for an Iudex Investigator for four months, sir?”
“What’s the point of this, Princeps?” I asked, irritated.
I could see the smirk playing at the edges of Otirios’s mouth again. “Well, sir,” he said. “Of all the death cases to be your first, I wouldn’t much like it being this one.”

In the last 2 years, I have gone through Robert Jackson Bennetts first two trilogies. While not related, they are stories that feel similar and show growth and refinement in his storytelling. I LOVED them both and have recommended those books regularly since then. So when I heard the description of this book, I was a bit nervous as it felt like a different lane for him to write in (and admittedly, I'm not much of a mustery reader).

RJB's world building is on full display here. The first few chapters feel like a cultural immersion that doesn't feel overwhelming or rely on front heavy dumps of information. As you read on, the detail and nuance in the world feels so complex. There is a subtleish magic system that feels seamless in the world and feels like there is a potential for a major escalation in power. Especially because it feels like we just barely touched the surface of understanding some of the powerful entities in this world. I feel like both of his 2nd novels had major escalations in scale and power, and I am hoping for that as well!

Whatakes makes this book work so well for me is such a solid cast of characters. You could feel the relationship between characters grow and evolve in ways that highlight RJB's talents! I am excited to see where this goes and what hijinks Din and Ana will end up in!

Big thank you to Random House and Del Rev for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The nitty-gritty: Readers looking for the perfect fantasy/mystery will love Robert Jackson Bennett's immersive world building and lively characters.

I always love it when the first book in a new series works, and I had a blast with The Tainted Cup. Robert Jackson Bennett is a master at creating unique fantasy worlds, and I loved the intriguing mix of old school magic, gothic elements and even cosmic horror. The main focus of this book, though, is a complex murder mystery, patterned after the classic Sherlock Holmes mysteries, which made this quite a page turner, despite a rather slow pace.

And because it’s a murder mystery, I won’t be going too deep into the plot, in order to avoid spoilers. The story is told from the point of view of Signum Dinios Kol (“Din”), an assistant investigator working under the mysterious but brilliant Immunis Anagosa Dolabra (“Ana”). Din and Ana have just been assigned to investigate the death of Commander Taqtasa Blas, an Engineer. The death is unusual for a couple of reasons. First, Blas’s body was found on the Haza estate, one of the wealthiest families in the Empire, although none of the Haza family are at home. Second, the manner of his death is shocking: a huge tree appears to have grown from inside his body, piercing him to death.

As the two begin questioning the servants at the estate, Ana soon realizes that Blas was murdered, and that his murder is only the tip of the iceberg. Each revelation leads to another mystery, and a dangerous conspiracy is uncovered, putting the Empire’s sea walls at risk. The wet season is coming, when the leviathans begin their steady crawl towards shore, and with only the immense sea walls to protect the Imperial Iyalets, everyone is in terrible danger.

The reader is immediately immersed in Bennett’s fantastical world, where people are able to get magical augmentations that provide extra abilities. For example, Din is an engraver, and he’s able to remember everything he sees and hears, which is perfect for recording every little detail at a crime scene, or remembering a suspect’s statement word for word. Later he can recall this information by connecting the memories to a particular scent, although he must carry around a satchel full of vials so that he can smell the right scent when he needs it—which seems a bit cumbersome. Still, this ability makes him extremely valuable to Ana, who is the brains behind the operation, using Din’s memories to solve murders.

Then there’s the setting. The Empire is located near the ocean, and life revolves around surviving the wet season and the possibility that the giant creatures who live in the sea are going to try to breach the sea walls set in place by the Engineers. This is a constant threat, and many citizens are needed to combat the leviathans, including the Legion, whose job it is to kill the creatures if they manage to breach the wall. My only regret is that we didn’t get more leviathan action, but hopefully in future books they will take on a bigger role. Here they are mostly in the background, a terrible threat that’s mostly observed from afar.

I also loved the way nature is incorporated into the world building. Giant mushrooms are used as a sort of air filtration system in homes, and lanterns provide light from glow worms (it’s much more complex than that, but that’s the short version). Even walls are built from a product called fernpaper, a lightweight and strong plant material that holds up to the quakes caused by the leviathans during the wet season. These details are all very carefully thought out and incorporated naturally into the story, something Robert Jackson Bennett is so good at. They also provide clues to the mystery Ana and Din are trying to solve, so they aren’t just window dressing but critical to the story.

But as much as I loved the world, it was the characters who stole my heart. Ana and Din fill in for Holmes and Watson (even readers who haven’t read the Sherlock Holmes books will get it) and the author nails the vibe. Din is twenty and Ana is in her 50s, but the two work perfectly in sync with each other. Both characters have a wry sense of humor at times, despite the heavy subject matter of the murders (not to mention the life threatening leviathans!). Ana especially was hysterically funny, and this humor gave the story an overall lighter tone than some of Bennett’s other books.

And I can’t say enough about Ana’s character, who is now one of my all time favorites. Ana is an eccentric, almost introverted woman who is able to make the biggest of intuitive leaps to solve crimes. She wears a blindfold most of the time in order to keep distractions out of her thought process, and yet she still seems to know everything that’s going on around her. She’s always one step ahead of everyone else and gleefully makes sure they know it. By the end of the story there is still a lot we don’t know about Ana, but hopefully some of her secrets will be revealed in future books.

I loved the way things wrapped up at the end, and it appears that Ana and Din will go on to solve more murders in the future. Readers who enjoy complex mystery plots with stellar world building elements are going to want to jump on this series opener.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett was shockingly good. I don't think I have ever read a better fantastical mystery. I say shockingly because I struggle with hybrid genres, especially fantasy/mystery. I find that either the worldbuilding or the mystery suffers when combined. Yet, RJB has created a fully realized and intriguing fantasy world with enhanced humans, air-conditioning mushrooms, and fearsome leviathans, all while writing an impressive mystery. Seriously, the mystery was so satisfying. The Tainted Cup is perfect for fantasy lovers looking to try the mystery genre and vice versa.

If the above isn't enough to convince you, let me tell you that Ana and Din are magical. They might be my new favorite detective duo. Their interactions left me in stitches. I smiled so much at their dialogue. I have seen several comparisons to Holmes and Watson, and I won't disagree. However, I think they more fully resemble the movie and TV versions (think Downey, Jr./Cumberbatch) than the book versions.

Are you worried about starting a new series? Don't! There are no cliffhangers here. While the ending clearly leaves room for Ana and Din's continued adventures, the mystery is wrapped up.

If you plan to read The Tainted Cup, I recommend the print/ebook version. I did a tandem read (audio and ebook), and while the audio was good, it was harder to follow. There are a lot of odd character names that I struggled to remember until I saw them with my eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Del Rey for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A Fun and quirky mystery. A mix up Fantasy Sherlockian type story in which the side kick is the MC and is an integral part of solving the mystery, Not a straightforward crime and one that will keep you guessing until the end.
I enjoyed the crazy and bizarre world that this story took place in and I would return again if there were to be future books in a series.

I have been waiting for a book so good that it swallows me whole! If you're looking for a vivid, immersive fantasy, look no further than The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett! In a world beset by monstrous leviathans, apprentice Din and his superior Ana must solve a perplexing murder that could have repercussions throughout the empire. Din can remember anything he sees, and Ana uses his memories to solve intricate crimes -- though mostly money fraud -- in a backwater area of the vast Khanum empire. But when a horrific murder falls into their laps, the duo follow the threads to a truly far-reaching conspiracy. One that endangers the very walls that repel massive titans from the deep!

Ana and Din are the fantasy Sherlock and Watson I never knew I needed! Everything about this book was excellent: the unique characters, the worldbuilding, the murder-mystery plot! My only gripe is that this is the first book in the series, so I must WAIT (oh the horror!) for Din and Ana to solve their next conspiracy. I can only hope that they have lots of adventures ahead, because this book is a real gem!!! (I've used so many exclamation marks, but quite honestly The Tainted Cup deserves every single one!) I recommend this to fantasy readers looking for unique worlds and serpentine plotting--sci-fi readers will also enjoy the intricate biomechanics that permeate this fascinating world. All I can say is read it, you won't regret it!

Thanks again to Random House Publishing Group for providing me an advance reading copy of The Tainted Cup. My review is, as always, truthful and unbiased, and I hope it helps introduce readers to new books they will love!

Books as dense and complex as this always take me longer to get through, through no fault of the book itself. I love reading books that challenge me and man did this book do just that. Sometimes they challenge me so much, I just give up (eventually I will return to you, Way of Kings and Assassin's Apprentice).

However, I am very glad I was able to finish this book. I so rarely read something as satisfying and well written these days. Even more rarely do I read about male protagonists (personal preference) as well as the murder mystery genre (I am impatient), but this book blew me away. I love Din so much, especially his dynamic with Ana, Miljin and Strovi (please be in the next books I am begging). I loved that he is dyslexic but still managed to be so incredibly good at his job. I can't wait to read more about him and what other adventures he goes on with Ana.

Something else I appreciated about this book was the humor. I'm not one to laugh out loud at books, but I found myself chuckling multiple times while reading. I also gasped just as many, if not more times due to the plot twists and reveals I didn't see coming.

The world is so unique and interesting while not being too unfamiliar, which let me follow along without having to go back to the beginning of the book constantly to reference the map or ranks.

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and will absolutely be reading foundryside if it is even half as good as this book was.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc as always!

3.5⭐️

This book took me a bit to get into. The world building wasn’t explained very well and I had a hard time understanding how the government worked and if it was good or bad. But once I got about 30% in, I really started to enjoy it!

The mystery was written perfectly. You slowly gained more clues about what was happening and who was behind it but not enough that it was obvious.

I’m really excited for the next book and to see what adventure Kol gets up to next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy to review!

First, I'd like to say that fantasy isn't my usual genre. Second, I loved this.

The premise hooked me right away. A murder mystery in which the victim died when a tree erupted from their body. Interesting things were happening throughout the story. I never felt bored during the world building either.

The story follows Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol. These two were definitely my favorite part of the book. Their banter was very entertaining. They do give off Sherlock and Watson vibes, but they have their own dynamic. I loved the personalities of Ana and Din (as she calls him). The book was unexpectedly funny at some points, too.

The murder mystery was also well done. I can usually guess what's coming, but this kept me in the dark (in a good way).

I think some might stay away from fantasy because they find the world building overwhelming. The author introduces things to the reader in a way that doesn't feel like too much. Some characters had enhanced speed, strength, memory, etc. Din is an engraver, which means he's been altered to remember everything he sees. I thought that the addition of alterations was really interesting.

I loved the story, characters, and the world. I'm really looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

This is perfect for anyone looking to get into fantasy. I'd also recommend this to those who like murder mysteries or who enjoyed Knives Out.

Thank you to Random House Publishing-Ballantine, Del Rey, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for review.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy of the book.

Now, I did dnf the Foundryside at about 50%, and I believe I did it because of the language used that made me uncomfortable with reading it as a Black person.

However, my qualm with this book is that it's a mystery-focused fantasy novel, but the mystery is me trying to understand the world-building and finding an ounce of care for these characters.

There wasn't any stakes, and I could not see myself rooting for anyone. My heart wasn't pounding, and my mind wasn't racing. I can barely tell you who is the main character.

Possibly, I may be the problem.Maybe I need to try this book again once I level up more braincells because I may be a bit too stupid to comprehend Bennett's works.

This is one of the most unique fantasy novels I have ever read! I was a pretty big fan of Foundryside and was excited when this novel was announced and DAMN did it live up to the expectations I had.
RBJ is a true master at world building, and it really shines through in this novel. It very much reminds of of Attack on Titan in a way (big ass titans trying to bust through strong ass walls) but there’s so much more to it than that.
The characters were all very well done, each had their own distinct personality (Ana is my fave, but our MC is a SUPER close runner-up).
And the MYSTERY. Oh my god. I don’t really enjoy mystery novels as they normally don’t have me gripped to the edge of my seat, but this mystery was so intriguing and muddling that I literally could not put the book down at the 200 page mark. It was impossible. I’m also slightly convinced that RJB is a genius after reading this…

4.25 stars

I'm so excited for another series from Jackson Bennett and this was a fantastic opener! The world is unique and interesting, I have questions about how things function and the other ways people can be 'altered' that I think will be answered in future installments. The duo of Ana and Din was perfect, one is eccentric and a very Holmes-like character, the other is more practical and keeps their partner on track.

My only reason for lowering this a tad was that I struggled with so many characters to follow who was who (and the names aren't familiar so it was hard to remember), so the reveal wasn't quite as exciting as I couldn't really suspect anyone.

I can't wait for more of these!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the copy.

A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett
_
Really enjoyed the style of this book. The flow and cadence. The Sherlock and Holmes style mystery between Anna and Din. Anna is a very unique, brilliant character that uses all her senses but sight though she has it. Like her I have been known to interrogate people for hours while laying on the ground blind folded… hmm that didn't sound right.
Very intrigued by the leviathans that they were being protected from and the hierarchy in their society. Also the tree branches, iykyk.

Loved it. Very compelling fantasy world, interesting murder mystery, interesting protagonist. Everything was well-explained and I enjoyed it throughout.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.

Fantastic! Two of my favorite things mashed up nicely, fantasy and murder mystery! I'll be honest, at first I wasn't sure if I was going to like Ana. But she grew on me and our MC Din is a delight.

My favorite thing about this book was the rich worldbuilding. Massive, giant leviathans that come from the sea and attack the walls of the Empire. Various augmentation like being able to recall every little detail, or being stronger, having the nose that can scent like a hound, etc. And the mystery itself, a tree sprouting from a body.

I was so excited to get this arc from netgalley because i could just tell that I was going to love it. Definitely going to add the physical to my shelves in the future. I cant wait for a sequel! There better be a sequel.

Thank you to @randomhouseballantine and @delrey and the author for this e-arc to review.

DNF 33%

I was honestly enjoying this book, I found the premise of it really interesting. The worldbuilding was super cool, all of the powers were unique, and I liked that it was essentially a murder mystery set in a fantasy world.

The only reason I dnfed this book was because it was taking me forever to read only 100 pages (almost an entire month), and I normally can read very fast. This is not a book I wouldn't recommend, I think that some people will like it very much, it just wasn't for me right now. I might pick it up when I have more time in the future, maybe when the series is complete, because I am curious about how everything will end.

Robert Jackson Bennett has always been an author whose work I have admired. In fact, his Divine Cities trilogy is included in my 10 Favorite Fantasy Series of All-Time and is a dark fantasy masterpiece. His second series The Founders trilogy was very different in tone and setting but also garnered a ton of praise in fantasy circles. So obviously when I heard that he had a brand new book and series coming out I jumped at the chance to get a copy and read it. What I discovered is that Bennett has done it yet again in this his third unique world and has delivered one heck of a thoughtful and magical fantasy mystery story.

The first thing that I will say about THE TAINTED CUP is it is very much a procedural murder mystery at its heart and I found that part of the book to be utterly compelling. But there's also the bonus factor of this still being a Robert Jackson Bennett fantasy so we are treated to some awesome elements that only his mind can deliver like giant leviathans who have threatened the coastal cities so much over the years that they had to erect a huge sea wall to protect them from random attacks. This threat is still very much an active one and so picture this as a backdrop while also dealing with the main story of the murders that have taken place. Bennett's worldbuilding is truly second to none and it has only gotten better in this his third series.

Added to the mystery and incredible worldbuilding are characters who are somewhat complex and morally gray. Bennett also performs the little trick of having the main character and POV be the understudy of the legendary investigator. It's almost the same method that Richard Swan used so effectively in his Empire of the Wolf trilogy and I have to say I really like this technique as it allows for us to experience the words and actions of Ana filtered through the doubts and inner dialogue of Din, who is working very closely with her to solve the mysterious deaths. It's almost like having two main characters and it gave the story such wonderful depth.

I will say that the middle of the book slowed down a bit and there was a time when I feared that it would stall and my enjoyment would be lessened. I mainly attribute this to the necessary dialogues taking place with regard to the murder investigation interviews. The action and intensity slowed down considerably during this section. However, the last 75 pages or so kicked everything back up and the book finished in spectacular fashion to say the least, leaving me wanting that next book in my hands as soon as possible.

Ultimately I really enjoyed THE TAINTED CUP and found it to be an interesting murder mystery set in a super cool world filled with sea monsters and influential cabals who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. If you enjoyed books like The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells and The City and the City by China Mieville, you should find much to like in this, Robert Jackson Bennett's latest offering.

I hate to say this, but this novel was a DNF for me. For 42% of the book, I tried. I really tried, but I just couldn’t get my footing in the author’s world. It comes down to two words: incongruous content.

I couldn’t make sense of the choices made in this Bennett’s world-building. Common concepts: tree, worms, lanterns, suddenly became “mai-trees” “mai-worms” “mai-laterns” for no discernible reason. The author use miles, but then introduced “smallspan” as an unexplained type of measurement. He used the term “month,” but gave them all different names like “Egan” and “Skalas,” which made creating mental timelines for the events Din and Ana were discussing impossible.

If that seems nit-picky, you’re right. It is. And I could have gotten past that…but then I was introduced to Ana and her consistent use of the “f” word. That expletive was sprinkled through the narrative like “Salt Bae” sprinkling, well, salt. Let’s just add a few here and a few there and then some more….And it ended up just as bitter tasting for me. Brandon Sanderson creates new cuss words for his characters (see: Steelheart’s “sparks”). We get what they’re saying, but it doesn’t break the narrative voice. I just don’t understand why the f-bomb felt like a good choice for every fifth word out of Ana’s mouth.

My final side-eye to the narrative comes with the use of titans and leviathans. Bennett put so much effort into creating this world with the different zones/cities (“cantons”) all of the many names for the military ranks and then includes the concept of the leviathan, a creature/character so strongly connected to the world that we know. With that inclusion, I felt like the author straight-up booted me out of his world and told me to “go back where you belong.” Which I did. 42% of the way through.

I appreciate NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review