This was a thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery; Bennett didn't cheat (the clues were all there) but I was still caught by surprise by several developments.

This novel will likely be on my Hugo nominations list for 2024.

Honestly, I would not have picked this book up if I hadn’t gotten the email from Net Galley. I am not crazy about fantasies that force me to keep up with an ever-lengthening list of made-up nouns: however, I loved this book. It is at its core, a well-constructed high-stakes murder mystery. My all-time favorite book feeling is being surprised by a big reveal and then going back and seeing how the author laid out all of the evidence along the way. I think the plant augmentation-based society was interesting and the leviathan threat was compelling but I didn't actually care that much. I have my fingers crossed for a sequel and Foundryside just made it onto my tbr list.

Thank you Net Galley for the arc in exchange for a review.

I have been a long-time fan of RJB and was delighted to be given the opportunity to read this book!
The world building was great and I want more! I hope to read more about Ana and Dinios!
A fun murder mystery.

I just reviewed The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. #TheTaintedCup #NetGalley

It's a (foul-mouthed) female Sherlock Holmes mystery set in a world filled with augmented humans, plant security systems, giant mushroom air conditioners, titans looming at sea, and the murder weapon is a tree. Just the fantastically bizarre read I needed!

I don't want to say too much to avoid spoilers but the characters are unique, the world building is phenomenal, and the mystery is full of twisty fun. Everything is settled in this one but we are left with the possibility of sequels. I do hope we get them because I want more Ana and Din in my life.

*Thank you to Kathleen Quinlan with Random House Publishing Group for an e-arc*

So, I didn't really know what to expect going into this one. I haven't read any of Robert Jackson Bennett's other books (though they have been on my radar). What I got was this strange, fun mix of Lovecraftian-style vibes mixed with plants and mystery. In order to protect themselves from the leviathans lurking in the depths, the cities are walled off--think Attack on Titan, if you've ever seen that show before--with the elites living as far from the wall nearest the waters as possible. The people are also unique in that they use the blood of dead leviathans for augmentation. The main character, Din, is an engraver. Using specific scents, he gave engrave moments in his memory with perfect accuracy. He's essentially an apprentice, working together with one of the lead investigators, a woman named Ana. The relationship between Din and Ana is equal parts long-suffering and somewhat fond. I don't really want to say much more than this because there's a lot of world-building and it's honestly so much more interesting to experience it for the first time. Especially since the fantasy setting largely surrounds a murder mystery that was pretty interesting to watch unfold.

One of the things I appreciate most with mysteries is where the evidence is there, on the page, even if you don't necessarily catch it. So when the investigator or detective or whoever does the deducing, you can look back and think, "Ah, so that's what the information was there for. I remember that." I don't usually like novels where the mystery is solved outside of the readers knowledge by long-winded monologues. I mean, there are definitely some monologues, but the information is stuff that, looking back, you can find in the text. So I really appreciated it.

I will say, though, that there was one aspect of the book that bothered me. It bothered me enough that it affected my review, though I don't know if other people will necessarily see it as an issue. And maybe I'm being too sensitive, but it's something I feel I should articulate nonetheless. In this world, there are sex workers and they also make use of augmentations. They can be physical, but they're largely known for augmenting their pheromones, making them irresistible to anyone they come across. Which... okay. The problem is there didn't seem to be a lot of thought put into this whole thing beyond that. Ana makes a mention of how when someone with those pheromone augmentations enters a room, you can basically hear the sound of anyone with a dick popping a boner. Which.... ugh, okay. The problem (or, one of them) is that it doesn't seem like anyone without a dick is affected. So are the pheromones controlled by those wielding them? At times it seems like they can tweak the levels, but mostly it seems like a constant. Putting aside the issue of consent for both the augmented persons and the people they're around, how is it that only people with dicks are affected? Because Din, the main character, is either demisexual or asexual (with a seeming preference for men?) and he's still affecting strongly. Yet neither Ana or any other women seem affected. This just strikes me as weird. If this were just a passing mention in conversation, I would just put it aside and keep reading, yet this is actually plot-relevant and for the dumbest reason imaginable. Trying to be vague here, but while Din is doing some investigating, he enters the home of a woman who augmented her pheromones. She's part of the gentry, so she has a vested interest in what Din is investigated and, in trying to get information out of him, tries to use her augmentation to seduce it out of Din. When Din doesn't crack, she employs a sex worker (also a woman) in a scene that was just equal parts ridiculous and stupid. This sex worker is essentially wearing two thin, loose pieces of fabric front and back and, using their augmented pheromones, they... fan their scent at Din. So, our main character is sitting in a chair and the dining table with a raging boner, trying to keep his wits about him while I sit there uncomfortable and baffled. Like, it was just so stupid. Like, Din doesn't succumb and what happened to him is treated like the problem it is, but still. I feel like there was a better way to write that? I don't know how else to describe my discomfort than that the sex workers are just props in this story if they aren't background mentions and that feels a bit icky.

It's early where I am and I'm writing this review in a sleep-deprived haze, but I still don't know how else to articulate how I felt reading it. It wasn't quite enough to ruin the book for me because everything else was fascinating and fun, except for that. So, basically it knocked a star down for me and, while I will read the next book, if something like this happens again, I don't know if I'll continue.

I am seriously so happy I got this ARC. Funny enough, I didn’t even apply for it, I just got an email that it was available. And lucky for me I got that email! This book is one of a kind. It’s a crime mystery with fantasy and even some comedy thrown into it, and a seriously unique magic/science system. This book was incredible from start, middle, and end. I am thoroughly looking forward to future books in this series!!

I’m not a huge crime/mystery reader because sometimes I get a little freaked out by it but this book didn’t freak me out. It had body horror but nothing too spooky/horrific that I felt scarred reading it. Rather than being scared, I was more fascinated by the “contagion,” hoping that each page would give me more details.

Part of me wonders if Bennett watches anime because this vaguely reminded me of Gosick (an old anime that honestly I can’t even recall many details of) crossed with Attack on Titan. Ana, with her odd quirks, and Kol’s eternal suffering because of those quirks reminded me of Gosick and the leviathans definitely feel reminiscent of AOT. This is all to say that I love love love this book and I genuinely can’t wait for future books in this series!!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this novel

For someone who enjoys a good reimagining of classic stories this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. This may be an issue that I have with more the the fantastical elements of stories but the characters were impersonal, lacking buy-in from the reader. For those that want to continue to read this story, there needs to be a bit more expository exploration of the world before jumping right in with terminology and the like. I feel there is a lot of great potential for the story and the world that was built but I have a feeling it was a combination of lack of foundation and it not being my cup of tea.

I am interested in reading further in this world if it continues but I do hope there is a bit more subsistence (especially in the opening 20% of the story) that keeps me engaged.

I found The Tainted Cup to be thoroughly enjoyable.

I appreciated the characters as they were quirky and very human. Each had their own distinct personality and made distinct choices.

The world-building felt very unique to me. It was a combination of murder mystery, steampunk, and something else altogether. It was not completely fleshed out but you were given enough to understand that this is not the world that you know and that there are interesting tidbits still to discover.

Generally, I tend to read cozy mysteries more than this genre and it may be for that reason, but the plot of this story seemed new and fresh to me. I appreciated that the information necessary was there for the reader to solve the case along with the investigator.

I recommend this book if you're in the mood for a little something different.

The Tainted Cup
By Robert Jackson Bennett

Holmes and Watson but make it fantasy? Sign me up!

The world building is fantastic! Such an interesting concept, very nature based society with people getting enhancements of different kinds. And a giant sea wall to protect from the leviathans. I loved all the bits you get to learn about the world and society as you try to unravel the murder and the mystery that surrounds it.

I really enjoyed the main characters as well. Very Holmes and Watson relationship but with their own personalities and interesting quirks.

I’d be interested to try this author’s previous works as well.

Thanks so much to @penguinrandomhouse and @delreybooks for reaching out with this arc on @netgalley ! I received the arc in exchange for an honest review.

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The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)
by Robert Jackson Bennett (Goodreads Author)
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Read in July 2023
This was a really captivating read! The author did a great job crafting an intriguing plotline that pulls you right into the story from start to finish!

One of the most remarkable aspects of this book was the intricate world building. At the forefront of this story is a solid murder-mystery waiting to be solved by Din and Ana. By placing it in a really unique Fantasy setting it added an additional layer of complexity and intrigue, amplifying the overall reading experience.

Another noteworthy aspect was the skillful pacing. I never felt like the story veered off or lagged it just had an impeccable flow to it.

This book exceeded my expectations, I was new to reading this author and wasn't sure what to expect.I really enjoyed the atmospheric storytelling and looked forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you Robert Jackson Bennett, Net Galley&
Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Ray for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The Tainted Cup is a new kind of masterpiece from Robert Jackson Bennett. This murder mystery kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out what the HECK was going on.

First off, the world building, as usual for a Bennett book, is absolutely fantastic. The Empire of Khanum was built by the fear of giant monstrous titans who repeatedly attempt to breach the walls built to keep them out. Not only are these titans huge, but their blood and bodies change the very land, allowing advancements in alchemy and specialization that would otherwise not be possible. This world in which plant matter has been utilized for things such as walls, air conditioning, and even personal alteration is extremely creative, but not so otherworldly as to render it as foreign.

The characters have the characteristic wit and humor of Bennetts previous novels, in which sarcasm, intelligence and a few well placed crass remarks rule. Inspector Dolabra is one of my new favorite characters with her brashness and insulting manner. She doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what she is, which is incredibly perceptive and able to make sherlockian leaps of reasoning. Her counterpart, Din, is just as delightful and his arc from stiff rule following engraver to relaxed rule breaking investigatory assistant by the end of the book is very rewarding. As always, the inclusivity of disability and lgbtq+ themes are appreciated, especially as they are just fact in the novel and not overstated or expounded upon unnecessarily.

The mystery itself, as previously noted, was complex enough to provide a significant force to want to read more and more to find out what was happening, and the ending was extremely rewarding. There were a few things I was able to figure out myself, but a lot of aspects were a welcome surprise.

Overall, this book was a 4/5 namely because the beginning was a bit slow and I didn’t love it quite as much as the Founder’s Trilogy. However, this is absolutely another slam dunk for Robert Jackson Bennett, and I can’t wait to read the next installment of this series.

tl;dr
Come for the cool worldbuilding, stay for the twisty mystery.

Thoughts
Is this book really 432 pages long? Because I raced through it in a day, and it felt like it moved so quickly! I've always been impressed with RJB's world building, but this one might be my favorite yet. What do we call a world where plants provide light, vines are cultivated to be deadly security systems, the rich can afford large mushrooms that regulate the air temperature, and the murder weapon is a tree? Ugh, I love it. There are also strong notes of the usual "big monsters threaten humanity" suspects - Pacific Rim, Kaiju No. 8, and most evidently Attack on Titan, but this story chooses to move the first responders into the background and spend more time on infrastructure folks and a detective/assistant pair.

And what a stunning pair they are. Fans of the eccentric detective+earnest put-upon assistant, get ready to enjoy yourselves. Ana is a genius in all rights, but never in too much of a magical way that it seems she arrived at her conclusions unfairly. The clues are always available, and I did manage to pick out a couple reveals before they were dropped. As our POV character, Din is easily my favorite - his dedication to justice makes him very easy to cheer for, and I appreciated that he wasn't portrayed as completely brainless.

Despite all the giant monsters attacking in the background, this is a mystery first and foremost, and I appreciate that the narrative commits to this. I suspect that the mystery and the background plot will eventually merge in future books, but for now, I was happy just to read a really solid mystery with some great twists, and a really cool detective.

Excellent start to the new series. This story was a gripping blend of fantasy and mystery. Lots of super fun twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Vibes feel like Attack on Titan x Sherlock Holmes. Will post on Amazon when the book releases. Thank you so much for the chance to read early.

3.5 stars rounded up. “The Tainted Cup” was my first exposure to this author and I probably should have started with one of his earlier works, as it wasn’t for me as much as I had hoped, but I stayed for the brilliant murder mystery, so it still had enough going for it to keep me guessing and entertained.

My main issue with it was that for about the first 40% of the book it felt so derivative of Attack on Titan that it almost read like fanfiction. I say this not to disparage fanfic, there is plenty of well written fanfic out there, but I expected a bit more deviation from the universe for an original novel. If you loved Attack on Titan, though, you’ll love this.

Then it gets deep into a murder mystery that has at its core a complex conspiracy and the universe finally opened up more for me. I did like Ana, the female version of Sherlock Holmes with her aversion to social events and fondness for sensory deprivation through blindfolds, and Din, her young assistant Engraver who’s been genetically modified to have a perfect memory.

The story is told from Din’s point of view, which was a clever way to build suspense; he’s only four months on the job as an apprentice when murders, contagions and breaches of walls by leviathans require more of him. I just felt their characters were a bit flat and needed more development. Character took a back seat to the mystery, I felt.

The mystery, though, was quite compelling and unpredictable, and I enjoyed the twists and turns that the plot took and the way Ana kept her cards close to her chest but was one step ahead of everybody the whole time. I love well done political intrigue and this executed a geopolitical conspiracy, with its tentacles in every corner of society, perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This right here, this book made my entire week. I got the e-mail from Netgalley and they offered me this book that I didn't even know was coming out let's just say it made my entire damn week(it only took me four days to read).
It takes a bit to peg this book but that's one of the many reasons I love RJB. It's Sherlock Holmes(if Sherlock had a filthy mouth) meets a fantasy/sci-fi world where people can upgrade themselves and they live under constant threat of giant sea monsters that can destroy the empire. It works, trust me.
I'm not great at describing the plot of any book without sounding like a babbling fool and you can get the broad strokes of the story from anywhere. I will say this is the most enjoyable book from RJB since The Divine Cities. I don't wish to knock The Founders trilogy which I enjoyed quite a bit but The Divine Cities blew me away and so did The Tainted Cup.
Come for the great characters but stay for the amazing worldbuilding.

I was so glad the publisher reached out to me to review this book. This book checks all of my favorites: mystery, fantasy, world building, and part of a series (glee!). I’m really glad the author chose to provide all the details of the book early on, so the reader could have the action and intrigue for the remainder of the book rather than getting bogged down and having to slog through mid-book. The characters were great and there was nothing I didn’t like about this book – it just flows, and keeps you wanting more. And, very important, the details are not overwhelming and while intellectually stimulating, the average reader will not be left in the dust trying to figure out what the author is saying.

The story is essentially a crime novel, but with its own twists. A detective, Ana, and assistant , Din, are summoned to solve a murder near the border of the Empire; an Imperial officer is dead because a tree has torn out of his body. This duo is quite unique, as Ana wears a blindfold and never leaves the confines of her home, yet her knowledge and intellect for the job is uncontested; she uses Din, who has a steel-trap memory, for her senses . The two complement each other wonderfully and together they solve the mystery and learn there may be a much larger threat at hand.

I received this Arc from NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine/Del Rey in exchange for an honest review.

Inspired by Sherlock Holmes we follow Ana (Sherlock) and her assistant Din (Watson) trough a fantasy world to solve a murder and unravel greater conspiracies. It’s cleverly written and the world building reminded me of steampunk but think of organisms instead of cogs and steam. The main characters were all great and it was fun to solve the clues. 1 star less as the reader is dumped into an unfamiliar world with not enough explanation which made it hard to follow in the beginning and some lengths in the middle/end of the book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with the earc

I loved the first half of this and the last 15%, but I got pretty lost in the space between. I'm not super thrilled about the title spoiling one of the mysteries, either. I wish we knew more about the villain(s) earlier on, tbh, as the villain is the key to writing a good mystery; otherwise they end up coming out of nowhere in the end. I liked Din's love interest. I'm curious about Ana's background. I think the ending sets up a sequel well. I would have liked to see a skoosh more about what Din fears and enjoys, as he seems a little more robotic than I'd prefer. (I mean, give the man a hobby?) The worldbuilding is interesting, though I'm not clear on how the economy works with such a rigid caste system. Maybe the sequel will reveal more.

Full transparency, this isn’t a book that would have been on my radar had it not appeared in my inbox but I’m glad it did because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Love a good (platonic) partnership and Ana and Din delivered. They work very well both as individuals and as a team—and occasional personality foils to each other.

The world itself is given to us in slices. I guess it qualifies as a minor gripe to say that we don’t see a ton of depth to the political and cultural allegiances developed in this particular book. Because the story we are telling is so contained that aspect felt slightly thinner than I’m used to in fantasy novels. However, it’s enough to orient us to the world and it feels as though there’s plenty of space to expand in future entries, which is great.

The magic system is 10s across the board. Very interesting, very unique, I especially appreciate how Robert showed the interaction between the various enhancements the characters have and their neuro disabilities. I love the inclusion of the leviathans and the mystery of why they keep returning and are getting bigger.

Every aspect of this book is presented to the readers as an opportunity to depuzzle the mystery. From Ana, to the magic system, to some of the things Din himself is trying to hold close to his chest, and of course the main plot, nothing is just handed to the reader. And the mystery is INTERESTING. Which is a novel experience for me, because I haven’t often read and enjoyed murder mysteries. The twists and the turns, the conspiracies… I ate it up.

Finally and most importantly, this book is FUN. Love fantasy that’s brave enough to just have a good time tbh, all I’m looking for from the genre right now. If you enjoyed the Art of Prophecy or were overly sympathetic to the deviant’s in Marvel’s Eternals this book is for you. If you’ve yet to encounter a dyslexic character in an adult book, reason enough to check this out. Just a good, solid, quick read with entertaining characters and a unique magic system. Definitely will check out the next.

'The Tainted Cup masterfully blends detective intrigue with fantasy, echoing the iconic dynamics of Holmes and Watson. Din, with his impeccable attention to detail, pairs brilliantly with the thoughtful Ana, making their interactions the narrative's highlight. While the tempo may wane slightly during Din's solo ventures, the overall charm remains intact.

Bennett's prose is crisp, adorned with rich imagery and authentic dialogue. His nuanced humor enriches the tale, ensuring a delightful read from start to finish.

The standout features of this novel are its impeccable pacing and intricate world-building. From the first page, readers are ensnared by the captivating universe Bennett crafts. At its heart, this book remains a murder mystery, even as hints of broader issues linger on the horizon. The narrative never loses its central focus, ensuring a tight, engaging plot.

'The Tainted Cup' showcases Bennett's unparalleled storytelling, creating a realm that feels vast, yet intimately familiar. I am very much looking forward to the continuation of this enthralling series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for the advance copy.