Hard to think of a way to describe this one without giving too much away, so I'm going to ask you a few questions:
1) Do you like a good murder mystery / who-done-it?
2) Do you like fantasy?
3) Do you wish you could have both at the same time?

If your answer is yes to all three, then you need to check out The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Truly the combination of salty-sweet for your literary diet; The Tainted Cup follows a Sherlock Holmes type narrative that is sure to delight!

This starts a new and exciting series from the author with one of the most imaginative stories and characters! This is a mystery yet so much more! It starts with a body found in a country mansion on this strange world. He dies by having a tree grow straight up and through him!
An inspector, Ana, is called upon but her "Engraver", called Din, is sent to the scene to assess the situation.
Din can view the whole situation, like smells, the feel of things, remember word for word the interviews, and all other visual details then report it all back to Ana.

These two characters and their roles are very strange and intriguing! Ana has bindings on her eyes but seems to see very well. I was fascinated with their jobs and their unique gifts.

So much happens in here! I am definitely going to buy the audio version when it comes out to listen to while I do things. I really loved it. I can't wait for the next book too!

Murder mystery in a fantasy setting, and that setting is great. The leviathans and the plant based "magic" made for an original and engrossing place to put a Holmesian detective story. Driving that story through Din's Watson was a good choice, especially since Din himself was much more than just an observer. The mystery was well done, with just enough clues planted along the way to make you think "oh that's important" but not give away how it all fits together, and its woven together at the end very well.

Beyond Din the characters aren't well developed or explored enough. Ana is surface level great and hilarious, but we don't get enough insight into where she's actually coming from other than having Holmesian deduction skills. Hopefully that gets explored more in future installments.

This is just a really good book. Robert Jackson Bennett created an extremely thorough fantasy world as the backdrop for a murder mystery/crime novel, and it is going to be a trilogy! The vibe here is an ... environmental steampunk vaguely-nautical situation that I really enjoy. The investigators have a Sherlock & Watson thing going on and the fantastic elements are interesting. I loved this, and will also be reading Foundryside/The Founders Trilogy ASAP.

This book was great! Thank you so much for reaching out and offering it to me! My husband and I read it together and really enjoyed!! Thank you NetGalley, Robert Jackson Bennett and Random House for the opportunity!

In a world where humans have been genetically modified and colossal Leviathans regularly attack the borders of humanity, a high ranking military officer is murdered. This is not an uncommon occurrence in Daretana; however, the method is highly unusual: the officer is found impaled by a tree that seems to have spontaneously grown from inside his body. Even in a world where contagion is rampant, this seems like an impossible way to die. This is when brilliant but eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra is called in to investigate along with her newly appointed assistant Dinios Kol.

This book was a wonderful and immersive experience. The world building was thoroughly explained, developed and very unique. I loved the elements of plants brought into every aspect of this society. I also loved the dystopian walled sections of the empire. Whenever there are walls in dystopian societies, interesting social classes form around them. The author used these divides to create a cut-throat, privileged, and scheming gentry class. The main characters are complex and fun to unravel more about as the book progresses. They are a great sci-fi reimagining of the Watson and Sherlock pair that feel familiar without feeling like a copy. The mystery in this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end when everything finally clicks. Mystery combined with the intense world building makes it so you are constantly putting part of the elaborate puzzle together. This was one of my favorite books of the year thus far and I cannot wait for the next installments!

The Tained Cup is a murder mystery set in an entirely original fantasy world. We have an eccentric investigator, Ana Dolabra, not unlike the beloved Sherlock Holmes. Her assistant investigator, Dinios "Din" Kol, is her eyes and ears quite literally since Ana is secluded and prefers to spend her days wearing a blindfold. Together they investigate a multi-layered crime involving a prestigious, wealthy, and well-connected family.

There were aspects of this novel that I found enjoyable. For the most part, this one is not for me. I'm definitely a lover of Sherlock Holmes and the wider remake world that encompasses that variety of investigator. That was what originally captured my attention in the synopsis; plus, I do love a good fantasy novel. However, the world where Ana and Din exist is complicated. It felt very otherworldly, but when F-bombs are being dropped here and there, it drags me back to the real world. How would a word like *fuck* exist in this fantasy world? It just didn't make sense to me - so in that regard, the world-building felt overly complex. Call them generals, clans, etc. Familiar words if you want to be so familiar as to you use the word *fuck* many many times throughout.

This one was fine, but just not for me.

First kudos to Bennet for the creative use of botany, which underpins the entire storyline. The empire is threatened by seaborn (e) titans. Concentric semicircle walls protect the population with the gentry occupying the safest section. Din and Engraver is paired as an assistant to Ana an investigator in a tiny backwater of the empire. They are drawn into an insidious plot to possibly destroy the empire. Din, with secrets, serves Ana who has greater secrets, the two end up with the daunting task of discovering who is threatening the empire.
Bennet’s creativity is captivating. The plot is important but I found myself looking forward to seeing what new graft or contagion might shift the storyline. The types of characters let alone the mystery of the titans made this difficult to put down.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

432 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group 0 Ballatine, Del Rey
Release Date: February. 6, 2024

Fiction, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Poison

Engineers are being poisoned. Signum Dionus Kol is an Engraver, someone who records everything. He is working as an apprentice to Ana, an investigator. The men are growing trees out of their bodies after being poisoned. There is a cover up. With the government. Now they have to find out if there is a contagious event happening and if so, how many are involved. This is all happening while the people are living in fear of the Leviathan coming which will destroy the city.

The story has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in first person point of view. While reading the book and seeing the world from Dionus’ viewpoint, you can feel his desperation in hiding his condition and being discovered. Ana’s character is bizarre but I really. Came to admire her. If you enjoy sci fi fantasy mysteries, you may enjoy reading this book.

This was fantastic and so much fun to read!! A fantasy murder mystery set in an interesting world that starts with a bang from the first chapter.

When a high ranking officer in Daretana’s greatest mansion turns up dead from what appears to be a spontaneous tree that erupted through his body, the Empire’s greatest detective, Ana Dolabra, and her assistant, Dinios Kol, take the job the solve the case. This was a fun reverse spin on the classic Sherlock Holmes and so well done! I loved the characters and they were well fleshed out along with the strong world building. This fantasy world and the magic system was entirely unique and I loved it. This plot stays interesting and the mystery keeps you engaged. Definitely worth the read for any fans of high fantasy with awesome dystopian like worlds and a great set of characters.

A young girl picks up a mysterious ball that is some sort of puzzle, she doesn’t throw it down a creepy well, so she is then forced to circle the globe many times since if she stays in any one place more than once she will die.

An interesting book, sometimes captivating, almost a “pager turner”. I DID want to find out what happened next and the “what” was interesting, the “why” never felt genuine. At one level it is the author’s rodeo so he/see can do whatever they want. The rules of this curse or gift are not defined for her or for us. Who or what is behind it is never revealed, unless it is a metaphor for how to live….maybe. Maybe not.

Competently written. Maybe a little cheesy is some parts, but maybe that is the story he wanted tell. A story will a little bit of soap opera dialog.

She kisses him—a thousand and one kisses by now—and pulls him to her. - Location 1619-1620

“Lionel, I want nothing more than to have you with me,” she says, prodding the ground with the end of her spear. “But you were put on this earth for a reason.” She looks up. “And I wasn’t.” - Location 1722

And there is sometimes it felt like the characters were just vehicles for the author to get out his worldly wisdom.

Silence between them. Whether it is the tone of her voice or the mood of the evening, she feels the prince has divined her meaning. “A lack of words,” he says, “is not a lack of insight.” “No,” she agrees. - Location 1917

Bottom line, entertaining but I don’t know that I will seek out the author’s next novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reading copy.

The book starts with Din investigating a murder where the victim was killed by some type of grass that sprouted within him, in consequence his body was mutilated. This fact makes the story very peculiar and got my attention pretty quickly. The mix of mystery and magic in this book was very unique, there are giant monsters that are trying to penetrate their cities and attack them ( I don’t know why but every time this detail was talked about in the book I couldn’t stop thinking about the anime attack of titans).

The logistics about this book are very well thought through, I really don’t know how Ana could solve anything as she did, her smile was very creepy though. I enjoyed Din character the most imagine been able to remember every detail of every second of what you saw kind of cool. But alas I felt that this book dragged at some parts that made loose my attention in the story and I felt that the world building needed a lil more work.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett was suggested to me by NetGalley as a book that I might be interested in reading due to the previous books on my shelf.

The book sat on my NetGalley shelf as I finished other projects, but softly kept calling my name. Beckoning to me. (Yes, the spirit of a book calls to me…always has…a long story.) NetGalley, you can read my mind.

The Tainted Cup is a fantasy world filled with intrigue, fantastical upgrades, grafts and suffusions to a person’s body in the name of progress. Unfortunately, with progress also comes the constant feeling of fear, evil, and death. The story is told in first person by Signum Dinios Kol, assistant to the investigator and a Sublime.

Din has received suffusions and grafts beyond the normal suffusions offered to the populace. They render him able to remember all that he sees and hears with a sniff of a glass tube. Din is an Engraver. In the canton of Dartana, Din is sent to investigate the murder of an Engineer, Commander Taqtasa Blas.

This is a bizarre murder. So odd that it leads Din and his boss, Investigator Immunis Anagosa Dolabra or Ana, into a frenzied and dangerous mission to find out the identity of the killer.

The Tainted Cup was a quick read once I became familiar with the vernacular. The language slowed me down a bit at first, but then the adventure pulled me along. The writing was so emotive, that I felt like I was part of the story.

This murder was ingenious and I enjoyed how the various grafts and suffusions changed the course of interaction between characters, as well as, changing the characters themselves. The use of science/surgery/vaccines in creating Din’s world is a beautiful touch. After reading about murders by knife, gun or rope it was refreshing.

I enjoyed Din’s character. He was honest, kind and not afraid to be afraid. Fear didn’t stop him from performing his duties. He was an honorable Engraver. There is no getting around an Engraver. Engravers remember everything they witness, making them a useful tool to have when investigating a murder.

My favorite character, however, was Ana. Her sense of humor and straight talk made me very fond of her from the moment she was introduced. Ana was unique and had odd methods of deciphering the data that actually made sense. Ana was not afraid of anyone, and most were afraid of her. She was deadly, but fun.

I began to put myself into the story. What type of Sublime would I have chosen? Would I have chosen to be a Sublime at all? Yes! I would love to be an Engraver or an Investigator like Ana.

I am so happy that NetGalley suggested this title, and that it whispered to me from my shelf. The Tainted Cup was a book I didn’t realize I was missing, until I began reading. I can’t wait to read book two. Hurry, please!

Thanks bet galley for this book. I really enjoyed the plot. Wanted a bit more from the characters. Excited to see more from this author.

Wow! Two of my favorite things in one book--a murder mystery (plural, actually) and a fully conceived fantasy world unlike any I've ever read. There were also great characters--imperfect and absolutely fascinating. And monsters. And people enhanced (or not) in many different ways. And like most readers, I love Ana Dolabra, the eccentric but brilliant investigator, and her assistant, Dinios Kol, who can't seem to fathom just how amazing he is. And, because it's a fantasy world, there are also sword fights and a drop of romance. What's not to love? I already can't wait for #2 and the first hasn't even been published yet! I will definitely be buying a hard copy of "The Tainted Cup" when it is published next year.

Review of Uncorrected eBook File

When Engineer Commander Taqtasa Blas dies in the Haza estate house in the Daretana Canton of the Empire of Khanum, Iudex Investigator Immunis Anagosa Dolabra, assisted by engraver Signum Dinios Kol, investigates. It is obvious that the high Imperial officer was murdered in a most inventive . . . and gruesome . . . manner.

With the approaching wet season bringing the threat of the great leviathans approaching the Empire’s coast, the Engineers guard the sea walls in hopes of avoiding any breaching that would allow the titans to break through. But, no matter how close the wet season, the crime must be investigated, the perpetrators identified.

As Ana and Din seek answers, they find hints of a threat to the Empire. Can they find the murderer and put a stop to the scheme that threatens both the Empire and its people?

=========

Strong world-building and interesting characters are highlights of this inventive fantasy tale. The mystery of the murder, the ingenious contagions, the stunning manner of the murder all speak to a narrative filled with delightful surprises. Ana’s eccentricities, Din’s uneasiness, and magical self-alteration and plant-based enhancement all combine to create an exciting glimpse into a unique fantasy world.

Ana and Din, each with their unique abilities, make a formidable team, superbly qualified to investigate the crime. Readers who enjoy fantasy are sure to find the narrative intriguing, although they are likely to wish the unfolding narrative gave more insight into the magic of the realm and of the leviathans that threaten the Empire.

However, the oft-repeated use of an offensive expletive [amazingly, the author has found half a dozen iterations of it to slide into the narrative] is both off-putting and insulting. It detracts from the telling of the tale and lowers the rating for this book.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#TheTaintedCup #NetGalley

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this one. Unfortunately, it didn't hook me right away and I'm not very interested in seeing if the book picks up. I may return to this one at a later date. DNF at chapter 4

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. It was really well written and it just had you trying to solve the mystery. I look forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

Robert Jackson Bennett's works are an acquired taste, I believe. And this novel is quite tasty, indeed.

To call this a murder mystery, while accurate, does this story a huge disservice. The author creates a fantasy world that is incredibly complex and at the same time, immensely relatable. The cast of characters are all fascinating, but especially the main characters; Ana, the quirky, hugely talented investigator, assigned to a horrific murder case and her young assistant Din, an enigma who doesn't believe he is as capable as his boss believes he is. In this world, people are enhanced, or augmented, with specific powers for the job they do. Soldiers are imbued with extra strength, medical personnel can work wonders with herbs and elixirs, and Din is an engraver, who can remember every detail of a crime scene and every word spoken by the suspects.

The mystery is a great tale by itself, with twists and turns and red herrings aplenty. But what makes this stand out is the world created by Mr. Bennet, a fantasy land that seems eerily familiar; a society run by an Empire, with rich people conniving to stay that way, and poor people doing all the hard work to keep the Empire running. Oh, and colossal sea creatures routinely clamber out of the ocean depths to attack the outer lands of the Empire.

This was absolutely unputdownable, for me. I will be eagerly awaiting to see what's next for Ana and Din.

Incredible!! THE TAINTED CUP drops the reader right into the thick of things. I will admit to being confused in the very beginning however it didn’t take long for me to become fully invested in the investigations.

I have always had a great fondness for Sherlock Holmes style mysteries but find myself disappointed all too often as they can get stale. That is not a worry with this book as it is set on a unique world peopled with interesting characters.

Inspector Ana Dolabra has some definite eccentricities with her unorthodox brilliance, blindfolds and her self imposed isolations while her apprentice Dinios Kol is kept busy trying to curb some of her more unsocial tendencies. This is a new pairing for both yet they tend to compliment the other. They are intriguing and leave me wanting to know even more. The secondary characters are just as well fleshed out and really contribute to the plot.

And then there is the mystery itself. Parts of it seem rather simple to figure out. That is until a new twist changes everything. I will admit that my jaw dropped when the identity to the last villein was revealed.

I would recommend THE TAINTED CUP to any reader who enjoys a good mystery mixed with the science fiction of a new world. The twists and turns will keep you on edge of your seat until the very end and leave you wanting more.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.