Dinios Kol is an apprentice assistant investigator in the empire and has just been assigned a bizarre murder case - the victim has died via a tree sprouting from him. His boss, Ana, has thoughts but keeps them close to her chest in a Sherlock-esque manner. All the while, the sea walls are at the brink of collapse and the risk of a leviathan breaking them down rises by the day. Din, Ana, and their investigative team must navigate the dangers of a multiple homicide while dearly hoping the defenses of the empire don’t fail and leave the country in shambles.


Din is such a nugget. I loved seeing him grow into his own throughout the case. Ana was a little too secretive and weird but it somehow worked? In my opinion, the bit with Strovi came out of left field - if it was going to be included there should have been more build up and in the state that it’s in right now I think it should have been left out. It could possibly be expanded upon in the following book but I don’t think the series necessarily needs it. Overall though, cute and also super fun.

I had all but sworn off male authors in the fantasy genre due to an unfortunate book I read a few years ago, but Bennett has renewed my faith and far exceeded my expectations! This book was a delightful and intriguing read. I loved the mystery, the characters, and even the sweet and subtle romance that give just enough to me as a romance reader to keep me going. The writing is solid and entertaining. Din is an easily lovable and devious character. I love his banter with Dora who is such a spunky character. Their relationship made the book remarkably entertaining! The only issue I had was the world building, while it was descriptive, I could not easily visualize certain elements to grasp a solid visual. For example, fernpaper which was a critical element of the novel but I could not understand how this thin paper was used to build entire buildings. Likewise, fretvine. The characters are, to me, the driving force in this novel. The mystery is solid and not overly complex which was rather comforting. Looking back now I understand the title and laugh that I did not even consider this in my predictions on how the mystery would play out. I sometimes think there were a few too many characters because I lost track and forgot that Uhad existed until he came back at the end, and I think another investigator just disappeared entirely (unless I am remembering wrong). It took me a while for me to finish the book, but I really did enjoy it when I picked it up. I am very intrigued by the leviathan! I would definitely read book 2 just to understand more about these beings. I have a feeling there is more to them than meets the eye. A "sublime" novel indeed! Looking forward to more from this series and this author! I struggled between a 4 and a 5 because it was a delight to read, but because I found certain parts hard to envision and lost track of other elements, I give it a 4.

I had a bit of trouble getting into this one. But once I got going iI was able to read it through to the end. While I love twists and red herrings and turns, this one was a bit too much for me. SO much going on that I had to take breaks from taking so much in.

Overall it was interesting, but I think I’ll pass on more from this author.

The Tainted Cup is a fascinating murder mystery set in a fantasy world. When high ranking officials start dying from trees erupting inside them, someone must investigate. An eccentric investigator and her new assistant must unravel the cause to stop the deaths and save the empire.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, Bennett is one of the new up and comers I am keeping my out for as his books tend to deliver for me, and this one is no exception!

The Tainted Cup is book 1 in the Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett.
This is my first time reading Bennetts work and ticked every single box I was hoping for.
A fantastic fantasy reimagining with crime and action. Need I say more?
Everything about this book was awesome.
The setting, characters and the world-building…. excellent.
I will be waiting for the next two titles in Shadow of the Leviathan series.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine, Del Rey for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I really, really loved the Founder's Trilogy, which was both a good and a bad thing when approaching this new book/series(?).

Before I began, I already knew I would love the writing, that there would be impeccable world building, and totally original characters who are easy to root for in this book. And that is indeed all true.

Ana is super cool (Bennett writes female characters really well...the dudes, a bit less so). This is a new world with a totally new kind of magic (augmented humans!) and ....LEVIATHANS FROM THE SEA! (I wanted WAY more on those!!) The book has nice pacing and original concepts you're not going to see anywhere else. Overall, it's a fun ride.

However, the flip side--and the part I maybe dug less--was the style of this book. While, I think the idea of placing a whodunnit murder mystery in a fantasy world is super cool, in practice I wasn't always loving it. I think the challenge for me is that the world building was SO interesting, that I wanted to explore that world and not be hemmed in by the constraints of the murder investigation.

I read the author's notes and I applaud Bennett for trying something new. I think I was maybe just hoping for a bit more of something old, with a new spin :) Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Robert Jackson Bennett, has written mysteries before, but never one as artful and complex due to the fantastical setting. This fantasy novel has great and understandable world=building right at the start, so a diver can dive it. The Tainted Cup is definitely a page turnner with dramatic reveals and an interesting dynamic (an eccentric Shelock and Watson).

This is a highly enjoyable murder mystery set within a sci-fi/fantasy setting. It is a book I think both fantasy and mystery book lovers would love!

The characters are well developed and delightful. They all have their quirks, particularly our main characters Din and Ana that are investigating several murders via a highly unusual method. The murder mysteries are the main story line and we catch glimmers of the fantasy/sci-fi world as the plot unfolds and different characters abilities are revealed (e.g., magically augmented humans, leviathan monsters, augmented environment, different class rankings).

While this book was enjoyable, I initially had a difficult time keeping everyone straight and I was sometimes able to figure out some of the plot twists. Nevertheless I highly recommend this book! I am looking forward to seeing Anna and Din’s future adventures in the series.

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

Robert Jackson Bennett is an expert at creating immediate intrigue. The Tainted Cup was a twisting, intriguing mystery set in a well-developed, new fantasy world.

The story primarily follows Dinios Kol, an engraver who can recall exactly places, situations, and conversations, which is of course very helpful in his job as an assistant to an investigator. In the investigator, Ana Dolabra, readers will find a clever reinvention of the classic seemingly omniscient detective. Din, Ana, and their interactions were some of my favorite parts of this book.

As someone who loves both fantasy and mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed every facet of the story. The mystery itself kept me turning pages wanting to know what would happen next. I rarely knew what information and conclusions Ana was going to reveal though clues were planted throughout and available for those clever enough to find them.

Speaking of plants, I found the use of plants and contagions to be fascinating. There is also a magic system that seems influenced by chemistry and genetic modification. The world in which the story takes place is complex and interesting with slow reveals throughout the story.

If you’ve been looking for a fantasy-based reinvention of the classic mystery story, look no further.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All expressed opinions are my own.

I really did not think that I was going to enjoy this book. I generally cannot stand fantasy stories, especially stuff that basically has invented worlds. I was really surprised when I thoroughly enjoyed this book and ended up anxiously awaiting the ending to see what happened to Dinios and Ana. And at first I was super confused about the scene, then I realized the fantasy world this was written, and I got more and more sucked into it. I actually really like the story and would try more from this author! It was very engaging and kept someone who avidly hates the fantasy genre pulled in the entire time.

Fantasy? Mystery? I knew it would be hard for me to not love this book with my two favorite genres attached and it totally delivered. The fantasy world was unique, interesting, and not overwhelming (no complicated magic systems to figure out!). The mystery aspect was complex, layered, and exciting. I could have read this all in one sitting, if I had the chance! It was hard to move on to a different book after finishing this one. Why not a five-star read then? The coarse language, particularly from one main character, was distracting and unnecessary. There were also several, brief allusions to same sex romances, which I could have done without and hope don't get developed further in future installments of this series. Overall, such an engaging and enjoyable read, especially if you're a fan of fantasy and mystery like me!

Thank you to Random House for an eARC of this book!

The Tainted Cup
A new series set in a empire that fights leviathans and has very set classes of society.
Dinius Kol is an apprentice to an unusual investigator. She rarely leaves her home. Din is her eyes and ears. He has been augmented to have perfect recall. The investigator has also been augmented -she doesn’t use her vision but her fingers to read and absorb information. In this world, many get augmented to advance in society.
This is an unusual world and there is a mystery about Din. How did he get the post with Ana Dolabra? His former trainer is determined to find out and punish him.
An engineer has been gruesomely murdered and it is part of a sinister plot to destroy the Empire. Because of Ana’s astute observations she has been asked to travel to the dangerous area where the leviathan has breached the walls.
It is an unlikely duo but they are both strangely likable. Din is so honest it hurts at times. And I really want to know what he is hiding. Ana is very entertaining in her observations and she is very astute.
It took me a while to get into the story but it is worth while to persevere.

This was an entertaining and very well-paced read. The magic system employed in the story is subtle enough that I feel that non-fantasy readers would be inclined to enjoy it as well. The fantasy elements are also very well integrated, and I appreciated that the plot was not bogged down by a lot of world building. I absolutely adored the dry humor of the characters and laughed out loud multiple times. This was hard to put down one I got about 30% in. I didn’t realize this would be the start of a series, so I’m interested in where Bennett is going to take this next!

First - thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book in exchange for a fair review.

Second - hot diggity this is a fun book. It is very Sherlock Holmesy but it also feels very much like Jeff Vandermeer's Shriek series. Eldritch beasts? check. Murder and conspiracy? Check. Body modification? Check. Compelling characters? Check.

Run to go get this book. RJB doesn't write poor books.

I really wanted to enjoy The Tainted Cup, but I sadly wasn't able to get into this story. The world building was good. The characters were okay. I really couldn't get into the characters. The storyline/premise was interesting but couldn't hold my interest. I'm not sure if it was the time period of the story or the writing style. However, I'm sure others may enjoy this book.

The Tainted Cup is a whirlwind murder mystery set in a unique dystopian world. The story follows an investigative assistant and engraver, Din, to an eclectic investigator, Ana, as they try to solve a perplexing murder (an officer killed by a tree sprouting through his body) in a world unique anything I've read before -- there's a magic system, giant walls, and sea beasts (Leviathans) trying to break through and destroy the Empire every wet season. The Empire is unique in that several folks have been augmented with heightened senses, making them especially useful as public servants. Engravers like Din are able to remember every detail of any moment, recalling memories in vivid detail using scents, which make them great investigative assistants. As Din and Ana dive deeper into the mystery murder, Din acting as Ana's eyes and ears on the scene, they realize they're in the middle of a plot more tangled and corrupt than they could've imagined. They're on a race against the clock to solve the case before the walls around them literally come crashing down.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. The plot was interesting to follow and I became more and more engaged as the layers of corruption continued to be uncovered as Ana and Din got closer to the root of the mysterious murders. Though I enjoyed the book, I did have a hard time getting bought into the world at the beginning. I would've loved a bit more context, but stuck it out to see how the story unfolded. Complex fantasy minus the romance bridges on a new genre for me personally, but didn't find that as too much of a barrier and think this is a good "starter" and I'd be interested to see where this story continues to go.

Thank you to Robert Jackson Bennett and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this read! I thought the fantastical elements were unique, and the plot was twisty enough to keep me engaged throughout the entire book. I liked that the protagonist Din, appeared to be both dyslexic and dysgraphic. I haven't often come across MCs with these. But I felt the real standout in the story was Ana!! Aside from being an amazing investigator, she's quirky, brilliant, and she's not afraid to tell it like it is. Ana never held back when she had something to say, and I loved her for it. The end of this one definitely left it open for a sequel, and if one is released, I look forward to reading it.

First, apologies to the author: I like fantasy and I'd not heard of him before. Second: thanks to NetGalley for introducing him to me.

This was a little hard for me to get into. It felt as if I was thrown into a pre-existing canon and I was expected to know what was going on. Yes, many fantasies are crafted in unfamiliar settings, but the neologisms took a bit to get used. That's on me. Still, once I did, I found this quite engaging. I liked the murder mystery plot, the characters (once I got to know them), and yes, the setting. I look forward to the next in the series.

I am retired military and a couple of exchanges resonated:
“Yes. It’s all politics. Ancient rules and rites. To be eligible for a seat in the Senate of the Sanctum, you’ve got to serve at least two terms on watch at the sea walls. Can’t manage the Empire if you’ve never faced what it exists to fight.”

“Sounds unfair, maybe, but I’m not so sure.” He snorted and spat. “Might be the only way the gentry learns what fear is, to live in the shadow of the sea walls.”

And, I liked this:
"Civilization is often a task that is only barely managed."

Recommended for those who are looking for a good story, well told, and a new universe.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I don't consider Science Fiction one of my go-to genres, but the reviews on this were pretty convincing that his writing is appealing to lots of people so thought I'd give it a try. I'm very glad I did because it was super entertaining and kept me wanting to read more. I am now eager for more in this series to come out.