The Tainted Cup A Novel by Robert Jackson Bennett was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had never read this author before but I certainly will read more of his works. This book took me back to my childhood. A time when books were not woke and authors could write a good fantasy fiction story. This book fills that bill, as it is filled with clever plotting, wrapped around a murder mystery that is a delight to read. The world is a world filled with mysteries, with many oddities thrown in. The characters helped me not get bored, nor did I skim any pages. If you or someone you buy gifts for likes a murder mystery taking place in a fantasy world, I highly recommend this book.

5 Stars.

If you've ever wanted a whodunit but make it fantasy, this novel is for you. The Tainted Cup is about Din, an Apprentice Assistant Investigator and his superior, Ana, as they investigate an odd and alarming murder within the outer rings of the Empire. All is not as it appears, and they slowly realize the murder is part of a great conspiracy within the Empire.
The world building and details in this book are excellent and initially I thought I would be lost and potentially confused, but RJB presents everything so well with such great detail, that I was along for the ride from the beginning. I enjoyed that the murder and conspiracy plots were well detailed and laid out, but at no point did I feel that I understood the full extent of who was responsible. I hate when books are predictable and plots are easily solved, and this one met all the requirements to keep me intrigued and surprised up to the very end.
The cast of characters is varied, but everything is told from Din's perspective, which I found particularly enjoyable since it was his first murder investigation as a young apprentice, it made the grand reveal a surprise to him as well. I've seen multiple reviews compare Ana and Din to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and I certainly appreciated and understood that comparison as I read further into the book.
I definitely recommend this for readers who enjoy fantasy fiction, but also enjoy murder mysteries and clever plotting and writing.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

TL;DR

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a delight to read. It’s an innovative world filled with mystery and oddity. The characters are wonderful; the mystery is excellent; and the setting is fantastic. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: The Tainted Cup by Robert Bennett Jackson

Some books just click with you. The plot, the characters, the setting, the mystery, the themes, etc., all just work together to make a truly wonderful reading experience. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett did that for me. It’s a book that just hit on all cylinders, and I cannot wait for the next one in this promising series.

The world of The Tainted Cup is strange in the best possible way. It reminded me a lot of the videogame Against the Storm. (Probably because I’m addicted to that game.) The world incorporates plants and biology in wonderful ways. For example, the people who work for the Empire are ‘enhanced’ in certain ways. Din, the main character, has been altered so that he cannot forget anything…ever. He is apprenticed to Iudex Inspector Ana Dolabra, who is enhanced in unknown ways herself. Din does the legwork, and he acts like the Watson in this duo. Ana is definitely the Sherlock character. She’s voracious in consuming knowledge and excels at piecing things together. Logic and deduction are her tools, and she’s a master artisan with them. As a downside, she can’t handle much stimulation. In fact, she spends most of the novel with a blindfold around her eyes. It isolates her and lets her think. The downsides of Din’s alterations won’t come until late in his life when his brain is full of memories. But he also harbors another secret. He’s dyslexic. Not a concern in our world, but it’s one that he hides from everyone for fear of being drummed out of his apprenticeship. When a particularly gruesome murder happens to a high ranking Engineer in their town, Ana and Din must investigate. The death is caused by sudden plant growth from the torso of the Engineer in the home of one of the richest and most powerful families in the Empire. Soon, the death leads them to others in a city that protects the Empire from the Leviathans that emerge from the sea during the wet season. The investigation is also conducted in a town under evacuation warning as the leviathans rise from the sea. Can Din and Ana figure what the murderer is trying to do before the town is destroyed?

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a first person point of view novel that puts a mystery in fantasy clothing. It’s an engrossing read that gets better with each turn of the page. Bennett layers all the elements together to make a story that grabs you and won’t let you go. Highly recommended.

Setting

Bennett is wonderful at creating worlds. His Divine Cities series were set in a weird and interesting world. As much as I loved those settings, The Tainted Cup surpasses them hands down. It’s a verdant setting. Leafy greenness suffuses the book, and reagents open doors that are blocked by plants. Plants make up much of the building material and, in some cases, technology. There’s a fungus that acts as an air conditioner.

Then there’s the leviathans themselves. Their threat hangs over the novel throughout. The novel takes place in the Titan’s Path. It’s where the Titan’s emerge from the sea and walk on land. When they die, the magic in their blood and bodies change the very landscape itself. This creates the magic of the world and the modifications that people live with here. Bennett never explains them or their purpose, and that’s perfect.

Characters

Din is the main character, and he’s wonderful. In the beginning of the book, he’s more unsure of himself; he’s worried he’ll be found out and lose his lucrative position. Coming from a poor family far from the center of the Empire, Din sends his money home to his family in the hopes of moving them to safer locales inland. He’s insightful and improvises well. The novel treats him as an extension of Ana’s will in the world, but he very clearly surpasses that at various points throughout the novel.

Ana, on the other hand, is a wild character. She has zero f’s to give. It’s clear that she’s a woman used to money, and readers learn that she may have been sent to the outer lands in disgrace. She cares about Din in her own, and we see that throughout the novel. Later on, we get to see her mentoring him, and it’s clear that she’s training him for something great. The more the reader learns about her throughout the novel, the more she grows on you.

Themes

The themes of this book hit home. I’d love to discuss them, but the ones that stuck with me are spoilers. I can say one that that Bennett gives us at the end of the novel that struck a chord deep within me. To paraphrase Bennett, the more people think society is broken, the more broken it becomes. Anyone in the U.S. has to feel this. Trying to encourage people – regardless of party – to vote is often met with what’s the point? And it’s hard to argue with that. Bennett’s novel is filled with people trying to improve and better society. It also contains some who are willing to do what it takes to improve themselves. There are Engineers literally trying to patch a breach in the walls that protect society. I’m looking forward to discussing this more with others when they’re read it.

Conclusion

Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup was a pure delight to read. It introduces a wonderful world with excellent characters. I cannot wait to return to Bennett’s world and follow Din and Ana on their next investigation. Highly recommended.

The most intricate, ambitious, labyrinthine SFF mystery I’ve read since Gideon the Ninth.

Leviathans threaten the shores of the empire every wet season, and every year the citizens fear the sea wall, the legion troops, and the artillery won’t be enough to hold them back any longer. In a society shaped by elaborate plant manipulation, the people regularly undergo grafts and suffusions, altering and enhancing themselves in strange ways to better serve the empire and its wall. And among the rich and influential clans of this land, political schemes and conspiracies run deep.

Among all of this, our protagonist Din is called on to solve a highly gruesome and unusual murder on a lavish estate.

This story is so strikingly original, so vivid, so satisfying. It’s built on the bones of the classic murder mystery formula, but the stakes are dialed up to 100 as it gradually expands in scope to a grand political affair. The worldbuilding is a little bit dark fantasy, a little bit weird fantasy, a little bit Sci Fi and steampunk. The fantasy elements and mystery elements of this book fed into one another masterfully. SFF mystery has so much potential since the author gets to invent a whole new set of rules for the world that can then be played with, manipulated and subverted, and when it’s all married together well and the internal logic tracks all the way through, the payoff is incredible.

I also want to highlight the fact that this book has a queer, disabled main character! Din is now my son and I love him so much. This is a queer-norm setting, but the character does face some ableism.

If I wanted to poke holes, I could find elements of this novel that weren’t quite as impactful as I hoped they’d be and knock this down to a 4.5 or a 4 star. But the thing is, I don’t want to poke holes, because it’s been ages since I’ve had this much pure fun reading anything. At one particularly shocking point, I was reading this book while I stood over the stove cooking pasta because I genuinely couldn’t put it down to make myself dinner. I was dialed in.

Absolutely can’t wait for the next book! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

Thanks to Del Rey Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

I love coming across a unique and fun story, and this tale absolutely hits the mark!! The Tainted Cup is a delicious murder mystery set in a fantasy world full of terrific characters. The story engages you right from the first chapter where you are introduced to the murder victim and the main character, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver; with the use of scents, he is able to remember scenes and conversations in perfect clarity later. He is the perfect assistant to lead investigator Ana Dolabra, a brilliant but incredibly quirky individual who refuses to leave her house. The world created here is built around a society which is forced to try and prevent huge sea creatures from coming ashore and wreaking havoc. As Din and Ana work their murder case, they find themselves unraveling long held secrets which put many people in danger, including themselves.

I enjoy murder mysteries, and this is an intricately plotted one that definitely had me in the dark until the end. Add in a fascinating world of creepy plants, physically altered people and political machinations.......I am hooked and can't wait for more with Din and Ana!!!

The Tainted Cup is a truly excellent introduction to a new mystery series by Robert Jackson Bennett. As someone who loves a cozy mystery, I will say this initial introduction has everything you could want-an engaging protagonist, a compelling mystery, and a host of additional characters who are quirky, surprising, and well-defined.

As a fantasy book, I think people who really love the genre of fantasy will be intrigued, but perhaps ultimately unsatisfied. The world-building is unique, but not as well defined as someone coming into this story from his last publications-The Founders Trilogy. It is not a traditional fantasy series; the main thrust of the novel is to plot and solve the mystery-not to explain or provide context to the world. Despite that I still recommend it highly for fans of the genre as the magical elements and constructs are new and provide endless imaginative corners to explore.

This book sets up a sequel and additional lines of exploration in the world. I look forward to what will come as the over-arching world-based mystery is compelling.

One thing that I really love about this series is how it sets up interesting questions about what we do to maintain infrastructure and the societies in which we live. It is a grand fantastical ponderance on maintenance and the maintainers. It is the natural answer to the question and problem posed by the Op Ed | Let’s Get Excited About Maintenance! I recommend you read the article as a companion piece; they work together in exciting ways.

I do not want to spoil anything because this is such a good book, but read it, you will not be disappointed. Thank you to the publishers for early access to The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. #TheTaintedCup #NetGalley

I won't lie, I was CONFUSED the first few chapters of this book. I maybe should have jotted down some notes because all the different names/ranks of characters were really hard for me to keep track of for awhile. However, I ended up really enjoying this! Ana was my favorite, she had me cackling so many times. I want to be like her when I grow up! Hah.
I thought the murder mystery fantasy was unique for sure. Was definitely different from any of my other recent reads.

Commander Blas has been murdered in a most unusual manner: a tree spontaneously and explosively grew inside (and through) him. But it's not the local investigator who shows up to the crime scene, but her assistant, Dinios Kol. Ana Dolabra, his master, is a curious woman who never leaves her home unless she has to, yet she is renowned for solving all manner of cases without ever visiting the crime scene. That's in part to the aid of Kol, who has been magically altered to remember every single thing he ever experiences, from a conversation to a splatter of blood in the corner. Together, the two work to uncover what happened to Blas, only to find themselves untangling a conspiracy that may threaten the whole of the empire.

THE TAINTED CUP is a comfortingly familiar murder mystery that exists in a strange, eerie, even macabre world. The murder itself goes through the usual twists and turns, starting as something seemingly simple (even if it is bizarre), and gradually expanding into a string of murders on a much grander scale. I do feel at times that the author was leaning a little too much on the Watson/Holmes archetypes, down to the Holmes-like character of Ana craving drugs when she doesn't have an interesting case to engage with. The initial mystery itself was solved so quickly it left me surprised, but it soon becomes clear that that was merely the opening act, a way of introducing the reader to the world and to how Dinios and Ana work. As the story progressed, Dinios and Ana began to stand on their own, and I fell into a rhythm with the book.

The real stand out in THE TAINTED CUP is the world itself. This is a country that lives in constant fear of the "wet season," the time of year when enormous creatures called leviathans arise from the ocean and begin a rampage inland. All the machinations of the empire go towards defending and maintaining huge walls to try and delay the leviathans long enough for them to be killed. This particular mystery happens as the wet season is beginning, so our heroes are attempting to solve the crime as the weight of an impending leviathan attack hangs overhead, knowing that at any moment, a monster could appear and wreak havoc.

But that isn't the eeriest part of all. That honor belongs to both the plants of this world and the grotesque alchemy they allow. The author has created all manner of strange plants that have their uses, from providing natural air cooling to building materials. More importantly, many people of this world alter themselves, gaining abilities like a perfect memory, great strength, a prodigious mind for calculations, but always at some kind of cost, like a shorter life span. What's more, people also live in fear of contagion, of some plant or experiment that has gone wrong and will unleash death on anyone who comes into contact with it until it is contained. In short, this is a world with a casual acceptance of looming terror around every corner, where short term gain is accepted against long term tradeoffs, all in the service of the empire that leads the effort to keep the monster at bay.

You'll come to THE TAINTED CUP for the mystery, but it is the world that you'll remember long after the story is done. I find myself thinking about it constantly, with its oppressive, gloomy atmosphere and curious plants. There are more mysteries to come in the empire of Khanum and I'll be back to read them, if only to explore more of the strange secrets hiding in the empire's corners.

Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Intriguing new mystery series! I enjoyed the characters, world and contagions! It is amazing to me how an author can write a completely fictionalized story, where do these ideas stem from. Thank goodness Robert Jackson Bennett has the skills to make this come to fruition, so I can actually leave reality behind. I am anticipating the next books in this series that I already marked them on Goodreads.

A fresh fun murder mystery in a fantasy world. Fantasy isn't my usual genre but mystery is so I really appreciated the careful and thoughtful worldbuilding that made it easy to visualize the state of play. The characters are good, the mystery just twisty enough (and I love the trees) and it actually became a page turner for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This was so entertaining! A fantasy mystery with absolutely amazing world building and an unforgettable cast of characters. I loved Ana and Din’s banter and quirky relationship; he is the yin to her yang.

I thought the author did such a great job with the world building. It was so smooth and casual and felt so natural. A lot of times I feel like fantasy authors are bombarding me with info in order to create a unique world but, in this story, it just unfolded in a very “show, don’t tell” way. I was so impressed.

The mystery itself shouldn’t have interested me as much as it did. It’s a testament to the characters that I was invested in a the murders of characters that I didn’t really care about.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series. I was hoping Din would get more of a romance but maybe that will get picked up in the next book? That part of the story ended so abruptly. I also want to learn more about the leviathans!

A whimsical ride. I truly had no expectations going into this read, but I left pleasantly surprised. I thought it was fantastic that they ended up answering all the questions that came up throughout the plot, but it didn't feel like an unnecessary info dump.

This book was really fun! This book did a really good job of answering the questions from this book, but leaving enough unanswered to continue the series. I loved the Holmes-and-Watson vibes, especially since the Holmes character, Ana, was perfectly neurotic, smug, and knowledgable. I loved how often the Watson character, Dinios, would be frustrated and awed by her in equal measure.

In addition to enjoyable characters and mystery, I liked the fantasy world that was created. Learning about this world was a nice layer added to the mystery of the plot.

This was an utterly unique and enthralling ride!

I went into this novel with little exception but I devoured this. Murder mystery set in a fantasy world? I wasn't sure how this would work out but it was amazing! The magic system is fun and unique. The character dynamics intriguing and so well done. I can't say enough good things about this book!

I am now desperately waiting for the next one!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

The author does a great job of world building and introducing us to that world. They did a great job of giving enough information that everything (mostly) made sense but also not spoon feeding it to us.

This universe has giant leviathan monsters who live in the sea but are not confined to the sea. Their blood has magical properties that humans have been able to harness to modify features of themselves. For example, our main character Din is an engraver. He remembers everything that he sees or hears. Others have calculator-level mathematical abilities or insane physical strength. Within the boundaries of this universe, it all made sense and was logical and well thought out by the author, which I so appreciate.

Din is an assistant investigator to Ana who is pretty crazy/eccentric. She was a very fun character that seemed partially based on Sherlock Holmes. They're investigating a series of murders where trees are sprouting out of people's bodies.

Again, the author did a great job of providing the clues for who dun it, but it wasn't too obvious. I figured out some parts, but missed others. When I looked back, I saw how the clues were there. It was interesting enough to keep me guessing, without being a case where the author gives you clues to one thing, but surprise! it's actually this different thing even though nothing supports it. It was very well done.

The book could have benefited for a little tightening up of the narrative. It seemed slow at parts, especially in the beginning, and I don't think it needed to be over 400 pages. I also was a little confused about how the "grafts" for special abilities actually worked - are they patches that you apply to your skin? To your brain? Is it something you take? An injection? It didn't impact the story but was a little unclear.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.

The Tainted Cup was such a fun and fantastical read. It was unique. I haven't read anything quite like it. The author did a great job of seamlessly blending various genres that I don't often see paired together.

The characters were top-notch. They were fun and quirky and you couldn't help but root for them throughout the story. I especially loved the character of Ana. While 2024 just started, I have no doubt that Ana Dolabra will make the list of my top literary characters for the year. I love sarcasm. I love spunk. I love attitude. Ana had all of it in spades. While the whole book was great, she was the highlight for me!

I really enjoyed the mystery and how it unraveled through the book. There were plenty of twists and turns and I never knew quite what to expect or how the different murders all came together. It was well executed, fun, and kept me invested right up to the end.

Lastly, the book was fast-paced. There was never a dull moment, which made it easy to cruise through it and get lost in the pages.

The only thing I'd love to see for future installments is a little bit more world building. I want to know more about the Leviathans and their background.

After this delight of a book, I'm going to have to dive into RBJ's backlist of books! This was a fun read that I would definitely recommend. I think it's great for fans of blended genres, Knives Out, Sherlock Holmes, quirky characters, and unique reads!

I know RJB is a favorite fantasy author for a lot of people, but The Tainted Cup is the first book by this author that I've read. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a murder mystery set in a fantasy world, but I found that I actually really loved it! Dinios and Ana are such eccentric characters to follow, I never knew what they would do next.

Right away you're plunged into a fantasy world that feels particularly alien. Dinios arrives at a manor house to investigate the murder of a high ranking officer who died quite horribly, and things start to unravel from there. What begins as a simple mystery becomes more complicated as the book goes on. I'm fairly certain this is slated to become a series, and I'm excited to see where Dinios and Ana will go next!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I tried to give this book a fair chance but it was not for me. I DNF’ed around 30%. I couldn’t connect with the characters or the story. Obviously my personal experience does not mean others will challenge to connect with this novel. From other reviews I have seen, I am one of very few that didn’t care for the book.

When a high ranking is officer is killed after a tree mysteriously grows out of his body while staying at an influential family's mansion, investigator Ana Dolabra and her engraver assistant (altered to remember everything he encounters) Dinios Kol are called in to investigate, but neither could ever imagine what their investigation is about to reveal.

This fantasy Sherlock Holmes style murder mystery was quite fun. I liked the characters of Dinios and Ana and their chemistry. He's very patient with his boss's eccentricities and loyal to a fault. The world building was easy to follow and their was lots of tension between the investigation and the danger of the leviathan breaking through the sea wall and killing the citizens and destroying the different cities. The only criticism I have is it is a little slow in some places toward the beginning. I hope this turns into a series, as I'd like to read more about the adventures of our main characters! Recommend for fans of murder mystery and fantasy.

Thank you to Ballentine, Del Rey, author Robert Jackson Bennett, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

And now for something completely different. This is an intriguing murder mystery similar to a Sherlock Holmes novel set amidst a sci-fi fantasy novel. The world building is very unusual with people modified for a variety of reasons, including perfect recall. The empire's primary focus is holding back the leviathans that break through the sea walls and terrorize the population by destroying homes and killing people. When a high level official is found murdered, in a very unusual manner, an investigator and her assistant are called upon to uncover the truth of what happened. However, the truth is much larger than anyone could imagine. The characters are so unique. The investigator is very eccentric and prefers to stay blindfolded. Meanwhile, her very patient assistant, with perfect recall, has plenty of secrets of his own but is very honest and loyal. Together, they are quite remarkable. There are quite a few surprises as this mystery gets larger before it gets solved. While this book stands on its own, I could easily see these characters returning in another novel, and if so, I will be reading it. I would love to see more of them.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy. My opinion is my own.