Second book and this is solidified as a favorite series. This is one of those books that I was torn between wanting to read it all in one sitting and forcing myself to take breaks so I could enjoy it longer.

I loved how this expanded the world in such an intricate and interesting way, but especially how the world-building is presented. It feels interwoven in the narrative instead of stopping a scene to explain or dumping information. I was immediately immersed and drawn in to the new jungle location, while learning more of the Empire’s history and how it operates.

It was interesting getting to know Din even more, and seeing the growth and reservations in his role in the Iudex and in his relationship with Ana. Both Din and Ana are fascinating characters on their own, which makes the investment in the relationship between the two even greater. I look forward to seeing even more growth and development in future novels.

As with the first book, the side characters were extremely well-developed a well. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Malo and thought she was a great complement for Din in large parts of the investigation.

This one definitely had a few creepy, horror-feeling moments that I wasn’t expecting, but absolutely enjoyed. Yet I also I think there was more humor in this one, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times.

Now I’m impatient for any future novels, wanting to return to this world and see more of the unique relationship between Din and Ana.

Oh man, I was so excited for this book after just recently reading "The tainted cup"

Here are a few thoughts:

1.This book is absolutely worth your time.
2. It is in my opinion not quite as strong as the first one.

The good:
The dynamic between Ana and Din is as strong as ever. We get more characterization and answers to questions we'd been pondering since the begining, and I love the focus on Ana. I was missing that from the first one. The world building was very good, and it leverages a lot of what worked in the last book.

The not so good:
I'm rating this 4/5 stars because it is very good, just not as good as the last one. What got me was the intrigue and the mystery of it. The first book felt unexpected but earned. This one felt a little more "by the books". By 60/70% I had guessed it, where the last book kept me guessing till the end.

Final thoughts:
You won't go wrong with this book, especially if you enjoyed the first. But it is not quite as strong with the mystery of it all. Still a fun read, still an easy series rec.

Imagine taking Sherlock Holmes and Watson and placing them in a fantasy, futuristic world with monsters, corrupt politicians, and magic. This is what you get when you read The Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett. I was ecstatic when I was sent this advanced copy of A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. I absolutely loved The Tainted Cup, the first book in the series and I was not surprised when book two was equally fabulous. A Drop of Corruption is a magical book. The world building in vast and descriptive, You can envision every aspect of the town. The characters are unique. It is reading a locked-door mystery in a fantasy world with sci-fi technology. It is everything you could ask for and more, all wrapped up in one excellent novel. I hope there are many more books in The Leviathan series because I want to read them all.
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and Del Rey publishing. for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I was so excited to get my hands on Book 2 in this series. I stumbled upon this series wholly by accident and was more than pleasantly surprised by the first book. This is definitely not a genre that I would normally read but I absolutely cannot wait to see this story through. This feels like an amalgamation of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and Agatha Christie...and I love it.

A Drop of Corruption carries on the story of the 2 main characters as they work on solving a particularly gruesome murder. This story feels especially dense, but not in an unreadable way. More in a way of very heavy storytelling and character exposition. The pace and writing moves well, and the descriptions are extremely graphic. If you have a weak stomach you may have to skim over some undesireable descriptions of eating.

The ending is left in such a way that a 3rd book is obvious. And a few new characters have been added to the story which I'm certain will play heavily in the next book. I'm absolutely looking forward to continue in this universe and may even look into some of the author's work.

"You know, you are not a stupid person, Din."

"Thank you, ma'am," I said, pleased.

"Or, rather, not an unusually stupid person."

"Thank you, ma'am," I said, far less pleased.

Ana and Din return in this solid installment in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, investigating another puzzler of a crime.

The events of this book take place in a different corner of the fantasy world than those of book one, but magical corruption and contagion are still things to watch out for. The Empire is in negotiations with the kingdom of Yarrow regarding its impending annexation when a member of the Imperial treasury goes missing from a locked room at the top of a tower, parts of him later found floating in the canals. Once Ana and Din arrive to look into the matter, they come to realize they are pitted against a mastermind of uncanny intelligence and the ability to parse patterns and predict their next moves before they themselves even know what they plan to do.

The investigation sees our unusual duo team up with the local wardens led by a woman named Malo, and an organization of Apoths tasked with obtaining the reagents that provide the people of this fantasy world with their special augmentations directly from the corpses of the dreaded leviathans. We also delve more into Din's circumstances, his desire to return to Talgaray in service to the Legion in order to both be a hero and to be closer to his lover, as well as into the mystery of what, exactly, Ana is that allows her to accomplish the things she does.

The mystery was good and twisty, and the writing amusing, and the lessons once again go beyond magical mayhem to say something about the ills that come part and parcel with society. I will certainly continue reading on on this series to see what Ana and Din find themselves dealing with next.

My review has been posted on Goodreads, and I will post it on my blog (jessicacrawfordwrites.com) on March 18th, 2025, and will share it on my Instagram site (@shelfesteem101) around the same time.

As someone who considered "The Tainted Cup" one of their favourite reads of the year, A Drop of Corruption was a great follow up.

Din feels more fleshed out and "real" than in the previous entry, with just the right amount of background information shared to understand his motivations.
Ana continues to be be an absolute delight. Many books can struggle with "genius" characters coming across as perceptive and intellectually superior as Ana does in a genuine fashion (i.e without dumbing down other characters), however this never feels like the case in A Drop of Corruption and the results are extremely entertaining.
The newly introduced Apoth Signum; Malo was also a great addition to the book, funny without just being the character relief and a character I hope to see more of in future series entries.

You can tell there was meticulous planning in the plot, with a ideal amount of foreshadowing, where the reader can start forming hypotheses about the mystery, without being handed the solution on a platter.

The book itself is set in Yarrow, a Kingdom that is set to become a state of the Empire. I really enjoyed the political dynamic between The Empire and Yarrow Kingdom in which the book is based. This is not a typical dynamic that you see in fantasy and was much more interesting than seeing a typical Conquering Empire seize control via all out war. We also got insights into the Shroud which were creepy in the best way.

Overall a really great second novel, one that left me with more desire to know about the Leviathans and the Empire. Would absolutely recommend this and cannot wait to read the next one.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey for providing me with an ARC.
Shadow of Leviathan is a brilliant series and I think what is the best part is we can follow all we read and can figure out the culprits too.
To say of our characters they are a delight old and new ones alike. Everyone is written so well and with such varying details.
Din can complain all he wants that Ana is erratic but he too is resourceful in an unexpected manner which is what makes them such a wonderful pair. This time Din's more family background was given as well as his confusion on his and the Iudex' contribution to the empire was a very good touch especially given the plot.
Ana, exceptional Ana, who has always been more than she shows and is so unashamedly herself. But it was such a poignant moment when the work took toll on her and the revelations she left for Din about herself, has brought them closer.
Malo was a wonderful addition to our delightful cast of characters. Her personality, principles truly shone through.
All in all a must read for all myster and thriller lovers

I loved Robert Jackson Bennett's "The Tainted Cup." It was a book that got me out of a reading slump of sorts. When I saw "A Drop of Corruption" available to read, I wanted to read it as soon as able.

It did not disappoint. I am not one who remembers details of books after months have gone by, but I felt like as soon as I started reading, it was I had just finished the first book in the series and no time had passed.

This book opens with Signum Dinios Kol, who is augmented to be an engraver, someone who record mentally all kinds of details, which works well for investigations. The Iudex has sent Kol to a Yarrowdale which is not quite part of the Empire, yet. A murder has been committed which is why he is there. He is to investigate and record what has happened before his senior Ana Dolabra arrives.

I enjoyed the opening third of the story a lot. The set up and setting is great. I really liked the addition of the blunt yet pragmatic Signum Malo who is from Yarrow. She is very relatable and plays well as a contrast to Kol, who can seem a little passive at times, and to Ana, who like the Holmesian master investigator can get a little annoying.

The Shroud which is where the Leviathans are harvested of their valuable parts is a very interesting element of the plot.

The machinations did get a little worn and overwrought once I got past the half-way point. Ana dropping f-bombs, which bugged me in the first still bother as they kicked me right out of the story. Fortunately,the last third is loads of bonkers fun in the same way I find Midsomer Murders can be bonkers fun when the pieces all start to fall together. It is very convoluted and convenient but very entertaining too.

I probably would rate "The Tainted Cup" over "A Drop of Corruption" overall, but this was still a very satisfying sophomore entry to the series and I honestly hope that Signum Malo is not disappeared and she shows up in future installments.

I loved this sequel; it has all the magic and mystery of the original plus some new revelations about Din and his employer, Ana. The setting is great, the new side characters are fantastic, the lore of the leviathan and the kingdom of Yarrow are fascinating. I'm not usually a huge fantasy fan, but I would read many more books in this series. They are so enjoyable, both as mysteries and as stories that follow our main character's journey through this fantasy world.

I really enjoyed this new case of Din and Ana! Thw case takes Din and Ana to Yarrow, a very hot and dirty Town that is not yet part of the Empire. Malo, a local Apoth, supports Din in his envestigations as they try to find out how the murder happened. There are some very interesting themes and twist, some of which I predicted! We also get to know more about Ana and Din and I feel likewe are being set up for a lot more books and I hope we will find out more about the leviathans and maybe where they come from!

For me it had bit of a slow start (same as the first book), but I really enjoyed this and also loved the conclusion :) !

I love Din and Anna and their relationship and how it's evolving, and Malo was also a very nice addition to the team for this case! I am excited to continue the series!

I was so excited for the sequel to the tainted cup, and it did not disappoint! The twists and turns were shocking all along the way and getting more backstory on Ana is making the whole world come together. I am so curious how this is going to end

If you thought Ana and Din's last investigation was difficult, their current investigation is even more challenging. What seems like a relatively simple investigation into the death of a Treasury official in the backwater kingdom of Yarrow quickly becomes more complex and confusing. The investigation will reveal secret plans that could have profound consequences for Yarrow and for the Empire. The plot is incredibly complex and will leave the reader guessing. The story will also provide some possible clues into what lies behind Ana's eccentricities and investigative acumen.

It feels so good to be back on a mission in the Empire with Ana and Dinios. The best part about these books is the lush world building. I always think of it as bright, colourful, muddy, gritty and a combination of crumbling buildings and inbetween kingdoms of new civilization.

In this book Din is sent to investigate a death of a Treasury officer in the Canton of Yarrowdale. It's far from the outer rim and ruled by a King who is not looking forward to losing his foothold on a powerful part of the island to the Empire. Dinios works with a new, interestingly green character named Malo, altered to have a sensitive sense of smell. There are a lot of new characters and complicated political secrets. The characters are great, but the pacing is different, the build up of the first book was fantastic, where this is a bit more of a slow burn.

I loved Dins character growth. We see more of his prowess and career motivations. But oooh do we also get the background on Ana... She's still my favorite crazy boss lady.

The Levithians are further from this plot but we are finding out about the Shroud, a facility where magics are made out of the fallen Levithians. And how the empire uses their very make up for their alterations.

As always, the mystery kept me guessing. I took my time with this one as it has such immense world building, characters and details. I'm really hoping the next book has a Kepheus and more action with the Levithians. This series really is incredible if you are craving epic fantasy and a drop of mystery.

4.5⭐
Thanks to @netgalley, Random House and Del Rey for this arc. I genuinely squealed and read it immediately.
#aDropofCorruption #netgalley

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read. Robert Jackson Bennett killed again. If you loved book 1 (which I did) then you will love this sequel.

I highly recommend reading this one!!!

What to say about this book? Honestly, I don't even know except to tell everyone to read it. It's an insane mix of mystery and science fiction, and it's completely captivating. I didn't even know what was happening half the time, and yet, I was totally compelled to continue. (I felt the same way while reading the first book in the series and came back for the second if that tells you anything) There's also this strange Holmes/Watson dynamic going on between our two main investigators, but it's so different than anything that I've ever read before that I absolutely love it. The Sherlock thing has been done before, but never like this. If you like your mysteries with a good dose of weirdness thrown in, or you aren't afraid to immerse yourself in one crazy world with sea monsters, body enhancements, plants with strange properties, and a whole lot more; don't miss this one. You'll be confused and confounded in the best possible way.

While I do still love RJB, this novel felt repetitive to me. The first novel in this series very refreshing and new. The characters, the mystery, the world building, the pacing — everything was very different in a great way. This novel felt very much like it had the same exact formula as the first one, just with different ingredients. I was glad to learn a little bit more about Dolabra, but that was the most interesting part throughout the whole book, which was a little disappointing. Will still stick with the series as I could see it having a crazy progression and ending, just hoping that the formula changes for the next novel(s?). Thanks to NetGalley for ARC access!

A Drop of Corruption is another absolutely brilliant fantasy murder mystery from Robert Jackson Bennett. Ana and Din’s next latest mystery takes place on the very outskirts of the empire, where some of the most important biological materials are harvested from Leviathans, where smugglers hunt the canals, and where political turmoil abounds with a king whose lands are used by the Apoths and fated to the empire. I cannot recommend this series enough to any reader who enjoys a twisty mystery, lovable characters, and complex and intriguing worldbuilding. A Drop of Corruption is a perfect second entry to the incredible Shadow of the Leviathan series.

Something that especially impressed by in this book is that the mystery feels so different from the central mystery of the first book. The location, side characters, motivations of the villains, and crimes committed are all of a completely different type, meaning we get to see Ana and Din confront entirely different scenarios. On top of that, the relationship between Din and Ana is a driving force of the narrative: uncovering Ana’s life, seeing the pair’s often odd affection for each other, and watching Din endure increasing big asks as he wrestles with his own motivations for working with the Iudex are great additions to an already compelling mystery plot.

In conclusion, read this book. If you enjoyed the first book, you will love this one. I certainly did, and am already eagerly anticipating the next entry in this amazing series.

I think I would read anything of RJB at this point (and in fact I am going back and reading all of his previous works!). I loved loved loved this book! The continued world-building, the unique characters and plot, the commentary on autocracy and bureaucracy, and the mystery of it all! I could see some of the twists coming, others I did not until the very end along with Din. I am really really looking forward to seeing what's next from Din and Ana and what RJB writes next!

Another fun installment! Ana and Din’s partnership remains one of my favorite aspects of the story. Here, there was more depth and familiarity to their relationship. It was easier to settle into the story as it follows similar patterns to the first. This murder mystery follows a new environment and supporting characters that interweaves political intrigue and conspiracy.
Thank you Del Rey for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a sequel I was highly anticipating after loving The Tainted Cup earlier this year, and it more than exceeded my expectations.

It was a joy to be back reading about Din and Ana, and following along with them as they attempt to resolve the mystery disappearance of a member of the Treasury that quickly takes a much darker turn. I thought this book was well paced, and the world building is exceptional. I loved getting to further explore this world and my one critique was I would've liked to get more background on our two main characters as this novel focuses heavily on the mystery instead.

Overall I loved this novel, I would highly recommend and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.