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I want to start off by saying thank you to Penguin and Del Rey for giving me a galley early to review.

3.5 stars, with a round up to 4 for goodreads.

“The sights did not cheer me, for I knew the ground here had long soaked in the otherworldly blood of the leviathans”. (Subject to change for publication)

The Tainted Cup is a fresh sci-fi fantasy take on Sherlock and Watson. Our bat-shit crazy but outstanding detective, Ana Dolabra; and our new to the game assistant Dinios Kol. The duo inhabit the Khanum Empire where Robert Jackson Bennett takes a creative approach to a steampunk archetype. And that is what the author is well known for; original and intricate worldbuilding. At the forefront The Tainted Cup is a murder mystery with an immersive background of sci-fi and fantasy. And in that background lurk monsters of the deep looking to destroy the empire as we know it. RJB knows how to keep you interested and has paced the story as to where there was never a point while reading where I voluntarily put it down.

*Slight Spoilers*

The Khanum Empire is a world where people can alter and enhance their physiology. In doing so Kol has chosen the path of an Engraver. Someone who can remember everything around them, catalyzed by an aroma. Kol can absorb a crime scene and regurgitate everything one wants to know about it. We learn that early on when Kol is sent to absorb every aspect of the death scene of a captain. Though there is something very unusual about this. Our recently deceased has been split by a vegetal growth growing from his body. From here we follow Ana and Kol down a suspect rabbit hole, uncovering more plot threads as we fall.

One of the masks we tear off is that of the dynastic family of Haza. Which Ana suspects has been a core piece from the very beginning. We find ourselves being housed in Talagray, a city part of the Haza family calls home, and a city along the important seawall that keeps the Leviathans at bay for now. It's cliche, but the plot really does thicken, twist, and interweave itself. There are reveals that you will see coming, but they are presented thoughtfully and it really didn't break by immersion of the story. I enjoyed Kol thinking he was defective as an engraver, but we discovered that his rare talent is that he can engrave his muscles (LOL yes muscle memory). RJB littered some clues on that early on as well. But something as simple as that made Kol enjoyable to read and tag along on his journey. Especially when we witnessed him take out legionnaires without breaking a sweat.

RJB’s characters might be derivative of classics, but his character work allows you to forget that and be able to understand and care for them. We end our story not wanting to part ways with Miljin (a character that reminded me of Strax from Doctor Who for some reason). We end our story yearning to know what other truths lay in wait when we reach the Conzulate that's waiting to speak to Ana and Kol. I really don't need to say more about feverishly wanting to know more about the world as a whole and the history of the Leviathans

*Spoiler Prediction*

Man how freaking ouroboros style would it be if the Conzulate, when they are no longer fit for their duties, are dumped into the sea and they keep growing into the leviathans that seek to reach the inner ring.

Who knew an eccentric, brilliant middle-aged woman and a young man who plays strictly by the rules would be such a dynamic duo?! Our main character is the Watson to her Sherlock, and I thoroughly enjoyed both the mystery and the fantasy worldbuilding. I did solve the mystery, but I appreciated that it was not overly convoluted.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for gothic so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

Thank you to the publisher Random House - Ballantine, Del Rey for access the eARC in exchange for my honest review! This title will be released on February 6, 2024.

5 STARS. A riveting read that was perfectly paced.

“I was an officer for the ludex, the imperial administration responsible for managing the high courts and delivering justice throughout the Empire. I was supposed to be at this fine home, even if it was filled with screaming.”

What a delight to read a fantasy mystery that initially felt in the spirit of Sir Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes but soon expands to encompass a sweeping conspiracy and existential ponderings! From scene one, you get that foggy atmosphere and mannerly speech. But trade in London for another locale: the humid jungle of backwater Daretana Canton. As the story progresses, we see more of the sprawling Empire of Khanum, with its rigid social structures and hierarchies, palatial aristocratic estates, and a seawall meant to keep the ever present threat of the leviathans at bay.

Our protagonist Dinias Kol—Din for short—serves as the assistant investigator to the eccentric but brilliant Immunis Ana Dolabra (kind of Holmesian). He has engraver abilities to capture precise memories with the aid of scents, but he also hides a secret. Din and Ana shape up as an amazing mentor-mentee crime-solving duo that are drawn in sharp clarity. Peculiar but endlessly fascinating, they are two of my favorite characters I’ve encountered this year.

In conclusion, YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. There was nothing about this story that I disliked. The prose makes for easy enough reading but is full of imagery and liveliness. Atmosphere and setting are rich. Robert Jackson Bennett creates a world and a mystery that suck you in and keep presenting you with new surprises. It really is a unique tale that blends fantasy, mystery, and science fiction with even a bit of body horror.

This book I find quite interesting. The thought it was slight fantansy mix of mystery, to me gave it a kick. The plot seem very convincing as the book build in to the story, very easy to read. The characters, there were such unique touch and very dramatizing and comidic.

In the book only thing I would say, is about the world building was not very atmospheric slight on the magic system. Definitely this book was plot droven and I think that is a good thing when you want a book on point to the detail.

Thank you netgallery for the oportunity to read this book . Rate is 4 stars

A very promising start to a new series by Robert Jackson Bennet. If a murder mystery in the tradition of Sherlock and Watson set against an intriguing fantasy backdrop perks your interest, then do yourself a favor and pick up this book. I would also like to give a shout out to the dyslexia and autism representation found in two of the main characters, very well done in my opinion.
"The empire is strong because it recognizes the value in all our people...And when the empire is weak, it is because a powerful few have denied us the abundance of our people."

✨ ARC Review ✨

This book was a wild ride from start to finish! I often find with mysteries and who done it's that the authors tend to make the reader feel a little ... well stupid. This book had none of that! It was a fun, wild ride that kept me guessing until the end. I can't wait to see what else this series has in store!

THIS WAS SO GOOD OH MY GOSH!!! literally one of my FAVORITE murder mysteries to date!! i love the fantasy setting and adore the representation of neurodivergence :) also, it was just such a fun romp to read about and to try to untangle it myself. btw, the author's note at the end is hilarious. i will be binging everything RJB writes forevermore <3

This was such an unbelievably fun ride!! If you're looking for a fun, unique, and clever murder mystery, you're in the right place. Right off the bat, I loved how we were introduced to the main characters and get to see their very different personalities come into play. Kol is more reserved whereas Ana is the complete opposite, and you never know what quirky thing she will come up with next! While the book is from Kol's point of view, we still get plenty of scenes with Ana which always had me chuckling. When I wasn't chuckling, I was busy trying to mimic Kol's engraver abilities to keep everything straight in my mind of what was going on because there is SO much that they investigate to solve some murders. Although I never knew exactly what to expect, I also never felt overwhelmed with all of the information and truly just loved being along for the ride.

The author does such a great job of creating this very immersive, fantastical world. I was entertained from start to finish and it has been one of my favorite books all year!

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE TAINTED CUP (a LGBTQ fantasy book) by Robert Jackson Bennett in exchange for an honest review. Dinios “Din” Kol has been assigned to assist a brilliant eccentric investigator named Ana Dolabra. Din will have to be her eyes and ears because Ana practices sensory deprivation and never actually leaves her house. When a High Imperial Officer is killed by a gruesome magical contagion, Din is called to record the crime scene for Ana. However, Din has a secret that may hinder his and Ana’s effectiveness. This is terrifying because it looks like the officer’s death is part of a widespread conspiracy with far-reaching effects.

This was a good story with the possibility of turning into a series. Din is gay and becomes part of the story because it influences his decisions. However, like any other good high fantasy writing, the author spins a decent story without filling out his page count with explicit sex. I recommend this book to fans of high fantasy.

This book was excellent. Such a fun read. It delivered everything I was hoping for.
I’ve read a lot of RJB, not everything, but almost. This, I’m my humble opinion, is his best. To me it felt very original, I can’t recall the last time I read a worth while murder mystery in an interesting fantasy setting. The pace was great, the action was great, the length of the book was perfect, and it told a fun story while making you like and root for the characters. Easy five stars and funnest book I’ve read this year.

Describing this book as Sherlock Holmes but dark fantasy with leviathans was the most accurate description given.

I absolutely loved the world building, where you've got an Attack on Titan mix of science fiction and steampunk fantasy. There is political intrigue and subterfuge, man vs nature battles, and just your Average Joe trying to survive.

In terms of characters, I have to say that I initially didn't really like either Din or Ana. Both are neurodiverse coded in their behaviors, but other than their actual friendship and interactions with each other, I wasn't really attached to them. Din acted like a robot and Ana acted like manic pixie girl. However, as you learn more about the characters themselves, the challenges they faced growing up, etc, they finally grew on me. They manage to have both a Sherlock and Holmes and Auntie/nephew relationship that I loved by the end.

One of my favorite reads of the year and cannot wait for Book 2!

This was a great read! It's a mystery/thriller in a fantasy setting. Din serves as an assistant to the eccentric investigator Ana, and they are a fun pair. They're investigating murders in which the victims were killed by large trees growing out of their bodies. They travel to the outer ring of the empire which is littered with giant felled bodies of leviathans, who's blood allows grafts to be made and used for healing, strength, speed, memory and many other things. It's fast paced with discoveries, sword fights and interesting characters and the world building is wonderfully immersive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House -Ballantine for the eARC of this novel. This was a very good Sherlockian mystery/fantasy. Trying to set up a taut mystery while at the same time creating a credible alternative world is no mean feat, but this was done seamlessly by the author. The detective duo of Din and Ana works well, although Din is a great deal more talented than the fictional Watson, and Ana a great deal more profane than Sherlock, which is fine by me. The mystery itself was not that complex, and could be figured out early. That was ok because the fantasy part of the novel was still engaging. I hope this becomes a series and we can look forward to this duo again in the future.

The Tainted Cup is a fast paced murder mystery in a lush fantasy world. Basically right up my alley. My biggest pet peeves with murder mysteries are convoluted twists or easily guessed outcomes. This story avoided both and provided great humor as well! I sped through this, especially once the duo got closer to the mystery. The characters were well developed and the world building was great without being overwhelming (which can often happen in first of series for fantasy novels). I'm excited to see where this series goes in the future!

Thank you so much Netgalley and publishers for an e-arc of this book.

I loved the premise of this book. It is both a fantasy and a murder mystery. I really loved the dynamic between the two main characters (Din & Ana), it was giving Sherlock Holme's vibes in a fantasy world.

Din can remember everything, and Ana can take that information and piece things together in a way Din can't. Making their dynamic interesting, and their way of solving crime unique.

In the midst of that there are sea monsters, and other fantastical elements.

Unfortunately, my interest in this book could not be maintained. I tried and tried to get into it, but for some reason could not. For this reason, I ended up stopping at chapter 11. I feel like this book has so many aspects I love and enjoy, but I felt that the plot was extremely slow moving. Some of the fantasy elements were not explained in the beginning, which left me a little confused as well.

Overall, this book wasn't for me, but I think for the right audience (murder-mystery/crime solving duo lovers) will enjoy this one.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

From the start I loved the premise of a murder mystery set in a fantasy world. The leviathans, grafts, suffusions- all made for an interesting world that was not without some similarities to our own. This had murder, impending doom, political intrigue, the smallest splash of romance, and a weirdly dynamic duo- all the makings of a fantastic murder mystery.
My only issue is that the beginning was so very complex to really begin the world building that I was a bit lost trying to understand the characters and the world. There were so many aspects that weren't quite explained that made it a bit confusing until about halfway through.
At the halfway mark the action really picks up and I felt like we got to see a lot more of the character development at this point. I loved Ana and Din and their weird working relationship that gave me a Sherlock and Watson feel.
The ending was somewhat predictable but extremely entertaining. I am looking forward to the next book to see more of Din and Ana and learn more about the leviathans especially after what Din sees.

This is a great gateway fantasy book. The underpinning mystery is captivating, and the world building is top notch. This is one of those books that you simply can’t put down when you start, and I ended up finishing in two sittings.

I had never read this author before but I will give his books all the looks going forward. How was I going to pass up two of my favorite genres? Fantasy and mystery. Oh, that's right, I wouldn't ever. I'll say I was excited to get approved for this ARC when it popped up and I stayed excited reading each and every page.

This was so good and I absolutely cannot wait to read more. Please sir can I have some more?

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett introduces an unforgettable duo of detectives, reminiscent of Holmes and Watson, who grace the stage in this captivating fantasy infused with an irresistible twist of mystery. I can't wait to read more from this author.