The Tainted Cup by Robert JacksonBennett is a fantasy mystery novel following Dinios Kol, an engraver (altered to have a perfect memory), who is an apprentice assistant investigator of only a handful of months to Immunis Anagosa Dolabra. This book is a combination of my two favorite genres, fantasy and mystery, and it really hit a spot I didn’t know what missing.

The story starts off with the unusual murder of a high ranked Engineer at the far out house of one of the wealthiest families in the Empire. It eventually leads to a suspected conspiracy to bring down the sea wall, among other complex plots.

As for characters, Din and Ana seem to be an odd pair. Ana is extremely quirky, preferring not to leave her residence and wearing a blindfold to reduce inputs. Din is her eyes and ears, engraving everything into his perfect memory. Ana is much a Holmesian character, who sees much even as narrator Din doesn’t. We also meet a slew of other interesting characters along the way who are memorable in different ways, and some I hope we meet again.

I adored the world, with leviathans rising to attack sea walls. It gave a sense of impending doom and that what Din and Ana did didn’t matter in the face of that doom. Yet they persist, and ultimately unravel what appears to be an extremely complicated plot.

I can’t wait for the next book of the series, I’m very much looking forward to learning their next case.

Favorite quote:
“Now … Now it feels frail, and imperfect, and improvised, and … and coincidental, ma’am. The wrong wind might blow it all apart, should it go untended.”

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for allowing me to read this book as an ARC so I could give an honest review.

i requested this because i liked some of this author's previous books but i think i'm just not in the mood for mystery stories right now. might come back to it when i'm in a different mood and i'm sure it will be great for a lot of people but i'm just not feeling it right now

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

I really enjoyed this book! It's great blend of murder mystery and fantasy. The character and world building are great but it does start a little slow. I haven't read this author before but I'll definitely be adding him to my list!

Alright... I have a confession to make. I've never read a book by this author before and I didn't even recognize his name so I had no idea he is the author of what, I have heard, is some really absolutely incredible scifi/fantasy. So I've been literally telling people, just absolutely clueless, how im so surprised this book is so freaking great! Lmao.... aaaaaahhhgg.. that's my life. Apologies.

Now that THAT is out of the way, I will continue to heap praises on this marvelous read. This story takes place in a dystopian style world in which there are attacks from titans at an enormous seawall that protects this empire, while the people that live within make heavy use of plants for protection and control. However, sometimes, these plants can be used to harm as well.

The murder/mystery aspect (which was so fascinating) mixed with these very interesting details of the people, politics and, of course, the plants and their varying uses to enhance many humans, all this together makes just the best read. It's this author's brilliant ideas, especially the plants, their uses, and their side effects, but also the characters themselves who each are very well thought out and fleshed out in this story. Just the combination of all these factors, the smallest details to the main flow, the whole plot, idea, of the book... created for me a scary world definitely, but also a world I felt like I was in, literally inside of, every time I picked this book up (and, while frightening thought I very much so desired to be this enthralled.) Like I was walking by Din's side (the main character) the whole time and feeling like I was experiencing the exact same emotions as him. That's how real this felt to me.

So, if you can't tell, I loved this book. I am begging.... begging for more. Please!!!!

Out February 6, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

This book was a little difficult to get into at the beginning. It started off very slow for me. That being said, I think this book was very well written. I think the author did amazingly with the world-building and the character development. The way the plot unravels is expertly done. I loved the detective-like feel of the book. It’s a very well crafted murder mystery in a fantasy setting. The clues, the red herrings, the leads they were chasing had me extremely invested in figuring out the culprit. The revelations coming together at the end of the book were amazing. It sets the stage for the rest of the books in the series. If you love murder mysteries and fantasy, this is definitely the book for you.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, however my review is completely voluntary and honest.

Robert Jackson Bennet’s The Divine Cities trilogy has long been on my TBR list. When I was given the chance to read his forthcoming novel, The Tainted Cup, I jumped at the chance, and I’m extremely happy I did.

A fascinating blend of fantasy and murder mystery, the novel held my attention throughout, and in fact, it was hard to put down. It’s populated with extremely well drawn characters, even the minor ones, and the world building is some of the best I’ve read in ages. As this appears to be the first of a series, I can’t wait to read the further adventures of Ana and Din.

My profuse thanks to Del Rey Books and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I ventured outside of my typical reads for this one and I’m glad I did! It takes me a little bit to get used to the fantasy/sci-fi language, but I found the characters in The Tainted Cup to be rather remarkable. I would absolutely read more mysteries from this author. Din and Ana will be in my brain for a while. Their personalities were evident throughout the book and I enjoyed delving deeper into their pasts and presents as they worked through this mystery. I hope the author brings us along for their next adventure.

This is a murder mystery with all the twists and turns you'd expect, but something I didn't expect in a fantasy world. What a fun ride.

When a high-ranking officer is murdered by the administration of a contagion that causes a tree to erupt from his body, investigator Ana Dolabra and her new assistant Dinios Kol are tasked with finding the perpetrator. Ana, whose unorthodox methods are often at odds with her straight-arrow assistant, is quick to make associations that involve a far-ranging conspiracy. Ana and Din aren't sure how far up the imperial ranks the scheme extends, but as they close in, they realize that the Empire and perhaps their lives are in peril.

Excellently written with humor and intrigue, this story is engaging with beautiful characters, especially Ana and Din. Both are entertaining, and their combined skills make them a formidable crime-solving duo. The world they inhabit is atmospheric and dangerous. I was happy to see there will be another book set in this world with these two larger-than-life characters. If you like murder mysteries and fantasy, I highly recommend this book. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine, for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 6, 2024.

I absolutely adored this book. It has a compelling mystery, interesting magic system, and political intrigue — plus the main characters are lovable. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

The Tainted Cup is pretty high on my list of anticipated reads for 2024, and it was as wonderful has I had hoped. Robert Jackson Bennett always creates worlds that feel a bit unique and interesting. The mystery is a great way to show and develop the world and the pacing was perfect to keep me engaged. This is absolutely worth checking out!

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review.

I had no idea what to expect going into this as I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I really enjoyed it! This is a murder mystery set in a fantasy world and I’ll admit it took me a little while to wrap my head around all the different terms and characters, but once I did I was hooked.

My favorite aspect of this was definitely the narrator, Din. I’m such a sucker for characters who are extremely talented and yet are completely clueless to how cool they are. He was written in a way that allowed him to be very cunning and vulnerable at the same time and I loved that.

ALSO THOSE CRUMBS OF ROMANCE BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING IF THEY DON’T COME BACK IN BOOK 2 I WILL BE SO SAD.

The setting [partial description]: a murder of a high imperial officer--a tree is growing out of his body! Ana Dolabra, a brilliant investigator is assigned to the case, Her quirks include: "...insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. " Anna is assigned new assistant, an apprentice--Dinios Kol, "...an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report..." The two uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself.

This book is TOTALLY out of my wheelhouse! But, I could not put it down! Highly imaginative, beautifully creative and descriptive, "a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world." At first I was unsure, but I was sucked in and became engrossed. I loved the world that the author created: engravers, sublimes, the Iudex, Iyalets, Leviathians, a wet season, and many, many other moving parts. A huge cast of characters.

Two words I had to look up: cuirass and thurible--go back to the 15th century!

I can definitely see this as a movie--sort of a space western.

In the acknowledgments, the author states that he set out to write "a fun murder mystery," but his editor set him on a slightly different path. I was totally unfamiliar with this prolific author, but will seek him out in the future.

I absolutely LOVED this. It was a delight!!

The mystery aspect was really fun and kept me invested, the characters were interesting and unique, the tone and humor were lovely, and the world is masterfully built.

I cannot WAIT to see what the rest of this trilogy brings, especially with where this ended!! So much was tied up but so much was also left open and I am desperate for more content from this world.

The characters are fascinating!! I loved Ana and Kol, but the side characters were neat too.

RJB tends to lean toward science in his novels, and as a science person I love it. His worldbuilding and explanations have such a good sense of logic to them and it’s easy for me to get into the flow of the world. The reveals and twists and plot points fit into this logic so well and I think that’s so cool!! I feel like I’d catch more on reread because I definitely missed some of the foreshadowing and clues.

The creepy plant stuff was so fun. I love creepy plant stuff.

There are clear ties to attack on Titan in this and I loved aot so that’s a win from my perspective. This is a unique twist that utilizes some concepts from aot, so it didn’t feel overdone. There seem to be a lot of anime ties in general (white haired blindfolded character who is super special and good at their job, titans, three walls, etc) which I think is so fun.

All in all - I LOVED this and I highly recommend it!!

This is a wonderful murder mystery. It includes some areas of fantasy that readers will find fascinating. The two main characters are Din and Ana who are tasked with solving the murders. The plot is intricate and keeps readers engaged until the very end. The characters are interesting and the descriptions will give readers a great sense of what they look like. The dialogue is witty and sometimes funny especially between Din and Ana. It is a great story and readers will be surprised by the ending.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett was a delightfully fun take on the classic whodunnit with a twinge of sci-fi and magic thrown in the mix. I thought the world building was tastefully done so as the reader was not overwhelmed by this new world, but there is still plenty for the reader to learn and discover in coming books.

This book follows Din an investigator assistant as they attempt to discover who killed a commander using a contagion. The contagion is very, well contagious, and kills by literally growing a tree from the poor saps body. (Pun very intended) We quickly find out that there is corruption and revenge at the heart of the matter resulting in multiple answers to the whodunnit mystery. I loved both Din and the main investigator Ana.

Additional details are posted on my blog which is linked below. https://jewelz93.wixsite.com/found-books/post/the-tainted-cup

If you like a Sherlock Holmes-type mystery within a SFF setting, look no further! This is for you. I wasn't familiar with Robert Jackson Bennett; I picked the book because of its cover (it's so beautiful), plus it's a mystery, so what a treat!
The worldbuilding is spectacular. I could imagine this new world perfectly. I loved the main characters, Ana and Din; their relationship is enjoyable, and I was looking forward to their banter. There are some graphic, gruesome descriptions (during fights or murders), but overall, I manage to keep my food down. So, are you looking for a new world to immerse yourself in? Visit the Empire; you won't regret it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine for the e-arc.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-ARC of this title.

I don't read much fantasy, so I wasn't sure about this title when it was offered by the publisher, but I've heard good things about the author, so I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did. This didn't feel like high fantasy, just some fantasy elements, and I really enjoyed the book.

3 stars for "I liked it"

3.5 stars, rounded up.

The Tainted Cup is a fantasy murder mystery, set in a world with a complex governing/policing/military structure centered around using plants and the blood of leviathans (think giant monstrous “cosmic horror” creatures) to augment humans.

Things that worked really well: unique “magic” system (again, it’s more like a science that enhances humans to have certain strengths that often align with their professions: super strength, the ability to see in the dark, perfect memory, etc), complex murder plot interwoven with more than a little conspiracy, a main character with dyslexia, casual queerness, and a self-contained story (no cliffhanger, no real unanswered questions, could easily be read as a standalone but still gives us opportunity for more books with these characters). Din (our main character) has the augmentation to give him a perfect memory (what they call being an Engraver), but he’s dyslexic, so any written words he sees shudder and dance and he cannot remember them unless he either reads the words out loud to himself and remembers the sound or traces the letters and remembers the movement. I really liked that his “magic” didn’t negate his disability, and instead he finds and uses a workaround.

Things that didn’t work so well: it took way too long to understand the sociopolitical structure and the Iyalets (the aforementioned governing/policing/military body), we didn’t introduce the plant-based science/magic early enough (everything is plants and I found it very confusing in the beginning), it was a rather slow build (so while I thoroughly enjoyed the second half, the first half took a long time to really take off).

I also loved Foundryside by this author but was thoroughly disappointed by the other two books in that trilogy, so I’ll proceed with caution as the rest of this series gets published.

The Tainted Cup is just a fabulous, fabulous read. I really loved this story, which is Book 1 of the Shadow of the Leviathan series. Robert Jackson Bennett has mastered worldbuilding and penning stories with depth. This novel made me smile so many times, with it's quiet humor slipped in among a very interesting cast of characters trying to solve a great mystery, while under the shadow of destruction. My only quibble is that of COURSE there had to be a gay/fluid? character thrown in, totally unnecessary to the storyline, however quiet and minimal that part of the story line was. Still, I highly recommend this wonderful start to a new series to anyone who loves fantasy/mystery. I enjoyed this story even better than his last Locklands trilogy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the e-arc. Solid 4 1/2 stars!

This is my first foray into Robert Jackson Bennett, having had some of his novels on my radar for some time. Really enjoyed diving into the world of Daretana, learning about the various cantons (I'm a sucker for a good world map behind the front cover) and the ever impending threat of the Leviathans. I especially enjoyed the banter between Ana and Din, our two main investigators looking into the gruesomely bizarre murder of a high ranking official within the empire. The magic system in the story is also quite easy to follow, and helps develop along various plot points. Overall, I recommend this book for those mystery fans looking for a fantasy twist to their stories. Looking forward to the sequel!