Sherlock Holmes meets The Day of the Triffids.

This sci-fantasy murder mystery is unique and multilayered. The first book was amazing but Jackson Bennett outdone himself with this book. The narrative style is addictive and the characters are intriguing and complex. The stakes were even higher this time around. I honestly couldn’t put it down! The relationship between Ana and Din is a breath of fresh air in the genre. I also adored the dyslexic and bisexual representations throughout too. Such a refreshing story that bends multiple genres.

Before I start, I want to give the author an appreciation for what he puts out in his author's note at the end of this book. I don't usually read author's note except for when the book is so good and I see that the author has put out his/her reasoning for putting this book out or regarding their research on a certain topic that was discussed in the book - and Robert Jackson Bennett's author note is exactly that.

"Our headlines are dominated by regimes with one-night all-powerful man at the top making any number of terrible choices and then - to the bafflement of the entire globe - doubling down on them, thus inflicting massive suffering on his people." When I read this in his author's note, I couldn't help but stare at the words in shock because of how true they are to the current world right now. Also his commentary on how fantasies are obsessed with kings and autocracies was too refreshing to me.

After reading that author's note, what I enjoyed about the book became an even bigger adoration and appreciation for it. I loved the Tainted Cup - in fact, I requested this as soon as I finished it and started it minutes after I received the approval email from Netgalley, thank you Del Rey - but there was one thing that keeps popping up in my mind while reading it and that was my not understanding Kol's ambition of wanting to serve "more" in the Empire. What I loved and appreciated about A Drop of Corruption is the fact that this Kol's "illusion" of honor, glory and duty of serving in the Empire is challenged by the investigation and Kol at the end is aware at last. I think my love for this book stems a lot from this observation and this message that the author tries to put out.

Plot-wise, it's also everything I expected after reading the Tainted Cup - solid mystery, great pacing in every aspect without rushing towards the conclusion and great dynamics between the characters. I also really enjoyed how the stake becomes higher the more you dive into the investigation and how it honestly keeps you on your toes about what's going to happen next. I don't really have any comments about the story? this book already has everything I love: sharp social commentary, great world-building and characters, and great humor.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the e-ARC!

4.25 stars

The enigmatic duo of Ana and Din are back with another case! This series is so fun and such a unique concept I love the fantasy/ murder mystery vibes and the world building and magic system are so interesting and well done. This book dives deeper into the world that we are introduced to in the first book and also gives us a chance to get to know the characters more. I especially loved the Ana lore because she is such a strange, mysterious character.
This book is full of poison, political intrigue, and stolen identities. I thought this book was a little harder to follow than the first book. There were so many people with similar names and with all the jumping between locations I found myself a little lost at times. However, i still thought it was a really interesting mystery and I wasn’t able to guess the ending or really any of the big reveals. This is one where k think it’ll be fun to read again and try to pick up on more little clues.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC!

While not as good as book one, I enjoyed this a lot. I didn't care for the way it seemed like everyone stammers every time they talk, but it's easily ignored after a few chapters. It was slower to start than book one, but once it picked up, it kept going. I really appreciate that looking back, I can see little hints of the twist, but I did not actually see it coming. Not entirely at least. We didn't get as much from Din, but I do feel like he is progressing as a character, even if it is of page. And I hope in book three we get to know him a little more. I still absolutely loved Anna, and I love that we are getting a few more glimpses into who or what she is. As with the first book, this one flows well despite being slightly repetitive at times. Overall, I had planned to give 3 stars but decided on 4 when Anna's entire revelation came to light. I'm definitely looking forward to a third installment.
Thank you Random House/Del Ray for an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book after The Tainted Cup. I thought that after the first book I would enjoy this one even more because I would have a better understanding of the world. However, I feel as though I was more confused than ever and that is the main reason why I didn't enjoy this as much as I should have. I felt as though there was too much to follow and all the characters and lands just began to blend together.
Despite the occassional difficulties that I had in following along, I loved the authors writing style and how the fantasy aspects were so different from anything I have read before. The vivid descriptions made it so easy to picture everything (which can sometimes be hard for my brain to do), and the engaging plot had me interested from the first page. I do feel as though the plot dragged on just a little bit too long, and I did see the plot twist/ending coming.
I do not think that I personally will continue to read this series, but I would still recommend it to those looking for a murder mystery fantasy with pictorial writing, complex characters, and an intriguing plot.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The world of Ana & Din has sucked me in! I love a good mystery & love it even more when it contains the perfect amount of fantasy/sci fi!

“A Tainted Cup” fully submerged me in this world of altered characters & titans. “A Drop of Corruption” continues this world, but expands with new characters & places perfectly. The descriptions are great & makes for a very vivid world in my head while reading! And the plot twist- chef’s kiss…did NOT see that coming!

I cannot wait for book 3! I hope we get to see more of Din’s personal life. I also would love more of Ana’s backstory because her quirks are my favorite!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Ana and Din are my favorite new charcters from my favorite new series by one of my favorite new authors.

This second book took everything that was great about the first one and expanded on it. We get to dive deeper in to the characters and the struggles that they face as well as while they work to solve another murder that has strange circumstances around it.

As the plot is laid, the little details work to hook further and further together for a story that has a deeper message that applies to people throughout the world and allows us to reflect on the stories we are told and appreciate as readers of fantasy.

Thanks to the team at Del Rey Publishing, I was able to devour this ARC like Ana Dolabra devours rare and exotic meats.

This second installment of the series, which is like the love child of Sherlock Holmes and The Witcher in tone and theme, was even more compelling than the first. The characters, the imagery, and the twisty turny plot kept me engaged from page one: I can’t wait for #3!

TL;DR

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It’s a wonderful book that builds upon the first in the series. Ana and Din, once again, must protect the Empire in their unique way. 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: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

One of my favorite books of 2024 was the wonderful The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. It had everything I enjoy in a fantasy novel: beautiful world building, intriguing characters, and mysteries that build upon themselves. Well, Jackson is back with A Drop of Corruption, the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. I loved the first book; so, how will the second hold up? Does A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett live up to the first book?

Once again, Din and Ana find themselves on the edges of the Empire in the port of Yarrowdale. They have been called to investigate the murder of a treasury agent. The man was killed in a locked room with no visible means for for the assassin to escape. The treasury agents are in town negotiating the merger of a small kingdom with the Empire. A murder makes an already tense political situation even more ripe for disaster. The Empire needs the little kingdom of Yarrow because off the coast of this river delta, the mysterious Shroud sits. It’s where the ingredients for the Empire’s magical potions, drugs, therapeutics, etc., are harvested from dead titans. In other words, this is a valuable location for the Empire. As expected the small kingdom wants its freedom. Well, the aristocrats of the small kingdom do. The poor, the peasants, and the downtrodden don’t want to return to the feudal state. After all the Empire offers the potential for a better life for the poor.

Ana and Din arrive in country to get to work. Following Din is the financial company that owns Din’s father’s debt, which Din must pay off. With the posting to a wild and volatile part of the Empire, Din’s debt becomes even more cumbersome as the financial institution enacts a clause imparting harsher terms for the debt. Din believes his only way out of the debt is to leave the Iudex and become a soldier. As the investigation begins, Din gets caught up in local and Empire-wide schemes, again. His local guide, Malo, a Warden of the Apothetikals, guides him around Yarrowdale. Chasing an assassin that seems to be able to change his face and blend into the city or the surrounding jungles will test Din’s abilities. Playing the killer’s game and trying to get one step ahead of them will test Ana’s very sanity. On the very edge of society, the fate of the Empire’s magic rests in the hands of Ana and Din.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the second book of the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It follows in the same vein as the first book but evolves the characters and their interactions with each other. A Drop of Corruption is a first-person account of Din and Ana’s investigation. While this book reads a little slower than the first, but it held my attention the entire time.

Thoughts

It’s not quite as tightly written as the first book because the focus of this book is Ana’s game against the assassin. Whereas The Tainted Cup was Din’s novel and felt driven by Din, A Drop of Corruption feels like Ana’s novel with Din being an errand boy. Readers follow Din around, but he’s not pushing the action forward; he’s reacting to situations as they evolve. This didn’t bother me as I found the mystery intriguing, and I think Din’s observations on his world and Ana to be wonderful. Though I do wonder how Bennett will balance Din as errand boy versus his own detective in upcoming novels. (And I do hope there’s more in the future. This is a series worth following.) As always in Bennett’s books, the world-building is wonderful. In the Shadow of the Leviathan series, I love the whole aesthetic. This is a world that has incorporated plants, and instead of the steel and concrete of our world, they have a leafy, plant-based construction. It’s excellent. In addition, the magic is cool and weird and gross. But where A Drop of Corruption shines is the expansion of the political world-building. In the first book, all the readers knew was the Empire. Now, we get a look at other civilizations and how the Empire deals with them. As the book progresses, we learn more about the history of the Empire and begin to see some internal political machinations. Bennett’s addition of these items expands his world into something even more messy than just aristocratic maneuvering.

Din and Ana

Din is a great character. I loved him in The Tainted Cup, and his character growth here is fun and interesting. Now that he’s risen in the ranks to leave his hometown, he’s learning that doesn’t necessarily mean the job gets better. He’s also learning that some jobs, while necessary and important, aren’t glamorous. He dreams of becoming a soldier because at least it’s proactive and, in his opinion, helps the Empire. He believes that solving murders is reactive and doesn’t help anyone. In his mind, being an investigator is not protecting the Empire or even improving it. This is a natural state for anyone, after all, even if you love your work, a job is still a job. There will be days you hate it, days you love it, days that make you think another line of work would be better. Din experiences that through the novel. Ana gives him a chance to experience other lines of work, though, in her requests. Din accompanies the Apothetikal Wardens upriver in search of pirates and smugglers. He visits the kingdom of Yarrow. Throughout, Din grows an investigator and starts keying in on the mystery of Ana herself.

Of course, Ana is very much her weird, wonderful, brilliant self in this novel. Bennett has created the perfect detective for his world in Ana. To be clear, she’s not a perfect person, but she’s the perfect character. Her frustrations, her pushing herself to her very limits, her interactions with other Empire agents, and even her abilities as a diplomat, all shine in this novel. She seems aloof, distant, and, perhaps, even analytically detached from the world, but that’s too simplistic of a reading. She cares for Din in her way. For example, more than once she orders him to rest for his own sake, knowing he won’t comply but still exhibiting concern. In this novel, she pushes herself to her physical and mental limits trying to understand and then out-predict the assassin. But she’s often frustrated as the assassin has already predicted her moves. Has she met her match here?

Conclusion

Robert Jackson Bennett’s A Drop of Corruption is the follow up to The Tainted Cup that I wanted. It expanded the world, developed the characters, and provided an intriguing mystery. This novel solidifies the Shadow of the Leviathan series as a must read for me. Ana and Din can now be ranked among the best of fantasy detectives. A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett continues this wonderful series in ways that I can’t wait to see play out. Bring on book 3!

after loving the first book in this series SO MUCH! i was so so excited to be accepted to read this arc, thank you so much to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this.
i honestly could read any adventure of din and ana together. they’re just the sweetest and i love all the silly stuff they get up to. but also the mystery in this was really intriguing. many times i was feeling a little bit confused, but nevertheless the less i was invested and also left shocked with the reveal. i love din and ana sm <3

I flew through the first book in this series and while it did take me a while to get through this one, it’s not the book’s fault. The expansion of the world, the new characters and an intriguing new mystery had me thinking about this book long after I would put it down. I really hope the author is planning for this to be almost like a Dresden-type series and I cannot recommend it enough! I also can’t stress enough how nice it is to have the representation that the author puts into their books. Thank you.

A fantasy police procedural is exactly the genre that I didn't know I needed, but I fell deeply in love with the combination when I read The Tainted Cup. I was joyful when I realized that it would become a series, and couldn't quite get my hands on this second book fast enough to suit me.

Readers, this book did not disappoint! This installment builds on the characters and events from The Tainted Cup, so I'll keep my review vague so as not to spoil the unique experience you will enjoy there. A Drop of Corruption dials up the fast-paced investigation portion of the story, which was enjoyable for me but felt like a slight pivot from the fantastical world building we got in the first book. It was fun to follow along as Din and Ana follow clues, react to the twists, and handle their business in the way only they can. The investigation takes center stage, but the fantasy elements are still strong and vibrant throughout.

This is such a unique genre mashup and I love that Robert Jackson Bennett is thriving in this space. How refreshing!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Ray (Random House) for allowing me to accompany Din and Anna on this adventure in exchange for my honest review.

** I will be posting my review on StoryGraph closer to publication and IG (@bookish.moment) on March 27. I will update this page with links once those reviews are live. Thank you again for the opportunity to review this book!

While I loved book one I feel like the second book in the series maybe even better, no second book syndrome here. A Drop of Corruption. Give us a new case to follow and this time we are leaving that place that we know and are traveling. We end up in Yarrowdale. We meet new people and with that a new side character emerges…enter Malo. I really enjoyed her.
I think that the writing is still impeccable. I Love RJB and how he crafts a overall story, The world building, the mystery itself kept me guessing and fascinated until the end. I still have never read a fantasy that was more of a true mystery as well until this series and every time I go to pick up Tainted Cup and this I always enjoy myself even more. I have reread the first book about 3 times already. This one will be no different. No matter what if RJB keeps writing exactly like this it is goign to be fantastic. I see that already that there is a untitled book 3 coming for this series and I can’t wait and see what is next!

Thank you Del Rey and for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!

I found Robert Jackson Bennett’s first book in his Shadow of the Leviathan series, The Tainted Cup (https://skiffyandfanty.com/blog/book-review-the-tainted-cup-by-robert-jackson-bennett/), to be entertaining and intriguing. In the sequel, Bennett expands on his worldbuilding, continues character development, introduces new antagonists, and explores a twisting plot. Anyone who enjoyed the first book should find A Drop of Corruption: An Ana and Din Mystery (Shadow of the Leviathan: Book 2) equally satisfying. I definitely advise against jumping into the series with the sequel, though; start with the first one.

This second book in the series shows more about how a lot of things work: the relationship between assistant Iudex(1) investigator Dinias Kol (Din) and his reclusive genius boss Anagosa Dolabra (Ana); the ways the Empire uses the corpses of the dreaded leviathan invaders from the sea in order to fuel its magic and its economy; imperial interservice rivalry and cooperation; and the complicated politics on the frontier. I wouldn’t exactly call the plot convoluted, since it tracks the investigation as it occurs, fairly directly, but events are revisited and rethought as fresh evidence requires reinterpretations, and many avenues of investigation are followed.

At the start, Ana and Din are sent to the eastern edge of the continent, to a kingdom that is still in the slow process of assimilation-by-treaty, but which by circumstances of geography contains the most important processing center for leviathan corpses, from which the empire extracts vital magical substances. Initially, they’re investigating a locked-room mystery in which an imperial Treasury agent has disappeared from a guarded tower, but Ana quickly realizes that it’s a case of murder. As the investigation proceeds, more people die, and tensions rise between the empire and the semi-subject kingdom, with kingdom-internal disputes between assimilationists and resisters providing further complications and possible motivations, as imperial Treasury agents, Apothetikists (basically potion magicians), and the mysterious Augurs try to preserve their departmental secrets from the Iudex imperial investigators.

Since Din narrates (first-person, past tense), we know Ana only secondhand, from her reported actions and words. She cares passionately about justice, and preserving the Empire to bolster its ceaseless battling against leviathans. In this book, we find that she also cares about Din’s welfare, including his mental health and sense of choice – she doesn’t say this, exactly, but some of her subtle maneuvering definitely points to this. And she also deliberately leads Din to a realization about her nature, and another imperial secret. He may still mostly be a tool to her, but one she is investing in, to increase his stability and long-term utility.

Less vague but not plot-critical spoilers for the first and second book:
Meanwhile, Din, suffering from newly increased strain due to his family’s heavy debts, seeks momentary release with a woman (not his boss), and then they keep getting thrown together; I wasn’t expecting this, after the first book’s hesitant, slow-burn male-male relationship, but upon reflection, it makes sense that Din has become more needy instead of less, having little hope of renewing that fleeting former romance. I appreciate what a complicated character Din is.

I also appreciate RJB’s musings, through the mouths of Din, Ana, and various other characters, about the nature of service vs. glory, and justice, and governance. Discussions throughout, and events sweeping through the kingdom by the end of the book, also explore the relationships between rulers and ruled people, and show the unwisdom of relying upon royalty. Bennett’s Author’s Note essay at the end reflects even more explicitly and expansively on the nature of power and autocracy. I appreciate his insights, and his illustrations of them through fiction.

I can imagine RJB ending the series here, having provided some revelations and explanations about worldbuilding, and having resolved certain aspects of Ana’s and Din’s lives through their choices, but that would be disappointing. I’d be happy even with some “the further adventures of Ana and Din” books, but RJB being RJB, I expect that further books in the series, if any, will include much more worldbuilding goodness, deepening of characters, and exploring of societal structures.

Fantastic story and world. I have not read Tainted also by RJB but am immediately going to it now after this. Loved the writing and the description made me feel like I was there in the story. The banter between the characters was also a great time. HIGHLY recommend this book.

Robert Jackson Bennett knocked this out of the freaking park!!
In fear of making this review excited gushing (I'm gonna be honest, that's just what it's gonna be), this was a fantastic sequel and a great installment in the adventures of Din and Ana!
It's more dark in tone than the previous installment, but I thought it worked really well with the horror of the science that this world uses. We also got more lore about the world, great social commentary on autocracy, and the deepening bond between Ana and Din.
All in all, a fantastic sequel and I can't wait to read more. I expect this series is going to become one of my favourite of all time.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book.
4.5 Stars
Sherlock Holmes mystery thriller meets Magician Esque High Fantasy in this brilliantly constructed tale.
A Drop of Corruption is a Sequel to The Tainted Cup following the Detective Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol, as they delve into a complex case involving a missing Treasury officer in the Empire's distant canton of Yarrowdale.
• The narrative is suspenseful and rich with political intrigue - keeping readers engaged from start to finish.
• The world-building is exceptional, a vivid and immersive setting that enhances the story's depth. This is done perfectly – you’re not overwhelmed by the complex details, rather carried along on the journey.
• The plot is complemented by well-developed and interesting characters.
• It is is well-balanced, with a gradual build-up that culminates in a satisfying and thought-provoking conclusion.
Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this ARC and cannot wait to see what else Robert Jackson Bennett comes up with next. If you enjoy High-Fantasy and Mysteries, I think you will enjoy this one.

A Drop of Corruption was a thrilling sequel to my favorite read of 2024.

The investigation kept my interest through the entire book. Pacing was great!

We got to learn more about Ana and Din, but we were still left with questions about Ana's past. I'm eager to learn more about her in the final book. Malo was a great new addition to the cast, and I loved getting a deeper dive on Apoths and their works. I also enjoyed exploring a new culture within this world.

Overall, I had a great time, and this book did not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC!

Oh boy.

look, I understand that I might not be the target audience for this book but I am honestly dumbfounded by how much I hated this book. Plenty of people love RJB and I have seen nothing but praise for him so I trusted my fellow readers and now I will never make that mistake again. I have never hated a book as much as I did foundryside, but still saw a lot of love for this newer series and I succumbed to peer pressure once more as I am still not convinced I read the correct book the first time. And I will admit the tainted cup, in comparison to his other works, wasn't awful; it wasn't good by any means but I was able to finish it with little pain and pure spite. this one is a different story.

ignoring all the issues I have with the writing style, as I believe this man writes like an angry seventh-grade boy, the general plot points of the story seemed interesting enough in the first book but felt overly convoluted in the sequel. There were a lot of things that never got explained in the first book that seemed to be over-explained in this one to make up for it which made everything very confusing. Also, in the first book, the conclusion to the "mystery" felt resolved enough and served its purpose but the ending of this one felt too big and like it was trying too hard to tie all these little details in order to seem clever. Which honestly is a large part of my issue with his writing in the first place, its a very basic writing style with random big fancy words thrown in to make him seem fancy and sophisticated but mixed with the crudeness of the writing feels incredibly off-putting to me.

This is clearly not my author and I need to accept that. if you enjoy high fantasy and murder mysteries, feel free to give it a try because so many others enjoyed the story so I guess I'll go back to assuming that I just keep reading the wrong book.

thanks to random house/del ray and netgalley for the arc.

Why this book?

1. This is an absurdly good, evolved reimagining of Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson.

2. I have said this throughout RJB’s entire catalog – he writes women in a way that DELIVERS. They are smart, clever and often don’t give a damn. My feminist side is delighted. Ana is such an awesome character build. And I flipping love Malo’s introduction in this book.

3. Man, Hollywood would be missing out if they sleep on this. The unique world building alone makes this a page turner. Equal parts creepy, cool and crazy.

The hype is real on this one.

I missed the audio (only because Andrew Fallaize is pitch perfect for this series). BUT I wouldn’t turn down a generous ARC opportunity for this- so TY @netgalley + Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore.