This book contains a terrible depiction of ND experience. As someone ND, I am not continuing with a book that is full of lazy stereotypes.

Robert Jackson Bennett’s "The Tainted Cup" stands out as a compelling high fantasy novel intertwined with a gripping murder mystery, reminiscent of classics like Sherlock Holmes and modern favorites like "Knives Out." The narrative delves deep into themes of systemic power, societal norms, and the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in a world that often overlooks or exploits them.

At its core, "The Tainted Cup" is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of a high fantasy world. The story revolves around Ana Dolabra, an eccentric and brilliant detective, and her assistant Dinios Kol, an engraver with a perfect memory due to magical alterations. The plot kicks off with the mysterious death of a high Imperial officer, an incident as bizarre as it is terrifying, involving a tree erupting from his body. This sets Ana and Din on a path to unravel a web of deceit, magic, and murder that threatens the Empire.

Bennett’s narrative explores the confrontation with systems of power that disregard differences and label them as suspect. The differently abled bodies in the story are not only marginalized but also manipulated for the whims of the powerful. This theme resonates strongly with contemporary issues, making the story relevant and thought-provoking. The protagonists' journey is one of defiance and resistance against this dominant order, often at great personal cost.

Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol are the heart of the novel. Ana, with her insistence on wearing a blindfold and refusal to leave her home, is a fascinating mix of eccentricity and brilliance. Din, with his perfect memory, serves as Ana’s eyes and ears, making their partnership essential and symbiotic. This dynamic is reminiscent of the famous Holmes and Watson duo, but with a unique twist that sets them apart.

The character development, especially of Ana, is well-executed. Her blend of Nero Wolfe’s methodical nature and Hannibal Lecter’s unsettling brilliance makes her a memorable and intriguing character. Din’s growth from a mere assistant to a crucial part of the investigation showcases Bennett’s skill in character progression. The novel also features a diverse cast, including queer characters and individuals with disabilities, adding depth and representation to the story.

The world of "The Tainted Cup" is richly detailed, with layers of political intrigue, magical alterations, and environmental hazards like the Leviathans and the Dappleglass contagion. The setting, reminiscent of "Attack on Titan" and "The Last of Us," adds a unique flavor to the murder mystery genre. The Empire’s structure, with its rings and walls to keep out Leviathans, creates a vivid and immersive backdrop for the narrative.

Bennett’s world-building is not just about creating a fantasy realm but also about addressing themes of classism and social injustice. The rich live in safety while the poor work in dangerous conditions, a reflection of real-world disparities. This socio-political commentary enhances the story, making it more than just a fantasy novel.

Bennett’s writing is engaging and immersive, blending intricate details with a fast-paced plot. His ability to craft a mystery that keeps readers guessing while building a complex fantasy world is commendable. The narrative is filled with vivid descriptions, sharp dialogues, and moments of humor that balance the darker themes.

The novel’s structure, with its focus on the murder mystery and the larger implications for the Empire, is well-balanced. The revelations towards the end are satisfying, tying up loose ends and providing a sense of closure while leaving room for future installments in the series.

"The Tainted Cup" is a masterful blend of high fantasy and murder mystery, offering readers a unique and thought-provoking experience. Bennett’s ability to create compelling characters, a richly detailed world, and a gripping plot makes this novel a must-read for fans of both genres. The themes of systemic power, societal norms, and the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals add depth and relevance to the story, making it resonate with contemporary issues. "The Tainted Cup" is not just a book but a journey into a world where magic, mystery, and social commentary intertwine seamlessly.

Robert Jackson Bennett is 2 for 2! This is the 2nd RJB book I’ve read and it’s another 5 stars from me!

This was such a fun read. I never read crime/whodunnits/mysteries but add it into fantasy and I’ll be there! I’ve not read a book like this and it was just so good!

To start, I loved the Watson-Holmes like relationship between Din and Ana. The book is told from Din’s POV being a relatively new apprentice assistant to the enigmatic and eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra. Their dynamic brings a lot of laughs to the book, as well as being quite a sweet relationship, especially by the end of the novel. We also had a lot of other secondary characters who also made the book and enjoyable read too.

The plot is jam-packed with constant little discoveries that build up to a great reveal of the mystery by the end. The original mystery is an army general who dies after a plant spontaneously erupts from his body, killing him pretty gruesomely - which in itself made me want to read on. It also has one of my favourite things ever - a Sherlock like monologue explaining how all the evidence fits together and solves the mystery. It’s just so satisfying!!

One of my favourite parts of this book was the worldbuilding (I’m a sucker for good worldbuilding!). This novel is set on the outer edges of the empire, on the coast where there’s the threat of Leviathans - giant creatures that attack from the sea. Not much is known about the leviathans but I’m excited to learn more in future instalments! There’s also the concept of super-abled people who are augmented by grafts to do certain things, such as Din our main character who can remember everything. Plants play a big part in this book which I found so original - they’re grafts, building materials, murder weapons and so much more!

I really hope a second installment doesn’t take too long as I’m desperately waiting to get back to Ana and Din’s shenanigans and see more of this empire!

The Tainted Cup was an incredibly unique and addictive murder-mystery set in a fantasy world.

The story follows our main character Din, who is the assistant to an eccentric but renowned government detective, Ana Dolabra. When you read the synopsis, it implies that the main character is going to be Ana, but it’s actually Din who is the highlight of the story.

<b>CHARACTERS</b>

Due to the said certain eccentric habits of the detective Ana, it is Din who goes out and conducts the investigation, observes the crime scenes, etc. He is her eyes and ears.

Din is witty, earnest and kind. He’s an easy character to relate to. Underneath his clean-cut demeanour though is a touch of recklessness and curiosity, as well as strength and determination. His relaxed banter and witty back-and-forth with Ana will remind you of Sherlock and Watson.

You’ll also find certain distinct habits of the characters in the writing style, such as Din’s habit of comparing everyone he meets to birds. It’s hilarious!

On the other hand, Ana is a genius who devours books at the speed of light. She connects threads that you would not think are in the same universe as each other. A random fact will be mentioned in a seemingly insignificant conversation and turn out to be pivotal later. She’s an enigmatic character who will amuse you and keep you hooked in equal measure.

There’s incredible representation of dyslexia and autism in the story, though I don’t want to reveal where, to avoid spoilers.

<b> MAGIC SYSTEM </b>

The magic system is related to making modifications to human beings that give them unusual abilities like super strength, a flawless memory, a heightened sense of smell or sight- but at a cost.

Din has been magically altered to have a perfect memory. Anything he observes or makes note of is stored in his memory forever. The most interesting part is how he uses specific scents while memorising things so that the scent is associated with that particular memory and he can then use that scent later to induce that memory and recall it quicker.

As for themes, topics like corruption, privilege and the exploitation of the backbone of society- the common people- is the focus of the story.

<b> WORLDBUILDING </b>

At first I assumed that due to the magic system and the world being so exceptional and complex, the writing would be bogged down with long descriptions and info-dumps. But that was not the case AT ALL.

Robert Jackson Bennet flawlessly weaves the information about the world and magic in little bits and pieces throughout the narrative, quite subtly so the reader isn’t overwhelmed. It makes it very easy to visualise the world, as it is described in simple words; I think this skill of his has only improved with the number of works he’s written. (I’ve read Book 1 and 2 of the Foundryside trilogy).

Two of the concepts were quite reminiscent of the anime, Attack on Titan. Firstly, the concept of the Leviathans- giants that rise out of the sea and cause destruction- as well as the Empire being structured like a series of concentric circles, with the most elite being in the innermost circles, thus being the safest. It is certainly not the exact same thing but Bennet puts his own spin on things.

</b> PACING </b>

Apart from the worldbuilding, the author turned the book into an addictive page-turner through the innumerable little clues and revelations expertly placed throughout the story. The narrative maintains a strong, steady pace that is constantly moving. No chapter or event is boring or irrelevant to the plot. As the reader, you are constantly made to wonder what significance this little detail is going to have, or how that person is going to change the plot.

Despite being around 400 pages long, it took me just 2 days to finish the book because I couldn’t put it down.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this one!

I am so very annoyed at myself for leaving it so long for finishing this book, the amount of times I picked it up got to around 2/3 through...then put it down and repeated was UNRIVALLED (I blame me planning a wedding at the time of reading!!) because when I finally did finish the entire book I think it's up there being one of my absolute favourites of this year

If you love detective stories, mystery & intrigue, wonderful characters (Ana and Din are everything) and a sprinkling of creepy last of us imagery - this is the one for you!

RJB has created such a wonderful murder mystery in a fantasy setting and it works so well!! His writing style is exactly what I love and the world he has imaged and created is so vivid. My favourite elements of the entire story is Ana and Dins relationship (and banter!! I laughed a lot) as it seems so believable and natural.

Honestly I cannot recommend this book enough! The one good thing about me taking so long to getting round to finishing it - less time to wait foe book 2!!!

The Tainted Cup intrigued me right away thanks to the very interesting premises, especially regarding the setting. Also, I trust Bennett, who did a great job with "Foundryside".

I must say that I did a really good job reading this book because it is undoubtedly among my favorites of this year, ranking in my top ten.

"The Tainted Cup" is the first book of this new high fantasy series, "Shadow of the Leviathan" by Bennett, already author of series known as "Founders Trilogy" and "The Divine Cities"

However, there is one thing that I feel like saying right away: this may not be a book suitable for everyone, because it is extremely focused on the mysterious and investigative part, therefore on the search for evidence, on the suspects and so on. It's an extremely plot-driven book, with everything else, like the characters or the world itself, being incidental.

So don't expect battles or epic scenes, because there aren't any. There are clashes, but of a much smaller nature. Overall, there isn't as much action as you might expect from a fantasy, because that's not its focus. It is a much more intimate narrative that focuses on a few characters precisely because something is being investigated.

While I was reading, I was reminded of a phrase that Sapkowski, author of "The Witcher", said at Lucca Comics 2013: "history is queen". In my opinion the same rule applies here, everything is sacrificed to the plot, characters and everything else included. This doesn't mean that the book features isolated male characters or confusing worldbuilding or anything, but simply that the focus is on the story, the rest is secondary.

The pace is quite slow; Bennett takes his time to carefully build the story, the characters and the setting, which is very particular and has a nod to Attack on Titans due, in this case, to the leviathans that replace the giants of the Isayama's work.

The characters intrigued me a lot, Din and Ana are two wonderful characters whose development and interactions I loved, I'm really curious to know what will happen to these characters in the next book!
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I didn't think that a fantasy so focused on the investigative part could fascinate me like this, but Bennett succeeded! A very solid volume from all points of view that manages to combine beautiful characters, decidedly appetizing worldbuilding and a mystery that turns out to be bigger (and dangerous than expected)... for me it's an unmissable read!

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the e-ARC!

"The Tainted Cup", Shadow of the Leviathan volume 1, Robert Jackson Bennett 🔎🫗

When an officer is found dead, a tree having mysteriously grown from inside his body, Ana Dolabra, brilliant investigator is hired to uncover the secrets behind this peculiar death. Aided by her new assistant, Dinios Lol, whose first investigation this is, our two heroes will have their work cut out to uncover the truth. But luckily Dinios an "augmented", possesses the power to Engrave his memory with every detail of a crime scene and every witness statement received. 🤩 What if this investigation turns out to be more dangerous than expected? What if our two investigators, by dint of their digging, uncover a conspiracy endangering the entire Empire?

A new Jackson Bennett is always a cause for celebration 🤩🤣. In a short space of time, the author has managed to establish himself as one of my favourite authors, never hesitating to revisit the depths of fantasy with originality, while retaining a traditional edge in certain respects. For me, that's a guarantee of quality 🥰.
I was looking forward to discovering The Tainted Cup and I think I waited too long. I knew this book was a Murder Mystery, I knew that was the primary focus of the story, I knew it and.... I forgot it. When I opened the pages of this story, three months after receiving it, I thought I'd come across a fantasy with a touch of mystery. I shouldn't have delayed reading this story, my expectations wouldn't have been the same. That said, it's still a superb read, I just didn't fall in love with it as much as I'd hoped. Despite this, I did find one downside to my reading, and that was that the plot was so focused on the Murder Mystery side of things that I felt the worldbuilding took a back seat... And given the worldbuilding, I found that infuriating!
This is just my point of view, and maybe I'm just too frustrated not to have had more regarding the incredible universe written by Bennett.🤗
Either way, it's still a lively read that I'd totally recommend.

Bennett fans here?🥰

Right out of the gate, The Tainted Cup is one of my favourite reads of this year—10/10.

It has it all: unique worldbuilding, a gripping storyline, and great pacing. The Tainted Cup is a whodunit murder mystery set in an outlandish fantasy setting of a world plagued by gigantian leviathans. The story is atmospheric and the setting is almost claustrophobic—the reader feels as trapped within the walls of a canton as much as the characters do; titans laying siege to the walls on one end, a deadly plant contagion wreaking havoc and killing off government officials on the other. I am very excited to read more about Kol and Ana in the next instalment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

This was such a fun murder mystery, but in a fantasy setting which you don’t often see. I saw someone on goodreads say it’s like Knives Out if Daniel Craig wore a blindfold, and it’s all I could think through the entire book. It was serious but fun, and kept me reading. I will definitely read more of Din and Ana.

This book begins with the death of a high official, killed when a tree mysteriously erupts from his body. Called to investigate this mystery is an eccentric investigator called Ana, and her new assistant Din. Most of the legwork is done by Din, who you follow for this story. Ana is very much in the background, sending Din out to investigate and conduct interviews and bring her back the reports, which is does very effectively as he is an engraver, which means he has been altered to possess a perfect memory. Ana has a piercing intellect but has many quirks, such as her insistence on being blindfolded at all times and her refusal to leave her home.
This is plugged as a Holmes and Watson style pairing in a fantasy setting, and I was totally there for it, and actually really excited to get stuck in.
I found the mystery intriguing and I always looked forward to picking this book back up to get back into the world. The fantasy setting felt very much to be in the background of the murder mystery, so I think this would appeal to people that would maybe like to dip a toe into fantasy but may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of many fantasy novels or series where the world building can get quite complicated. I did feel though that there was enough world building that the setting was interesting, and you could see how the society has developed the way that it has when faced with regular disaster., and I would love to see more of this world in the future.
The Holmes and Watson style pairing of Ana and Din I wasn’t completely enamoured with from the start (although I do love a bit of Holmes), but they grew on me as the book wore on, and I think that if it were to become a series it would be interesting to see how the characters develop.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy in return for an honest review.

I may revisit this one in the future. But I’m wondering if this author is actually for me- I’ve read one other of their books and I liked it, but didn’t end up continuing the series. This seems like another book which will take a lot of brain power to understand the intricacies of.

Robert Jackson Bennett’s books are always a lot of fun, and The Tainted Cup was no exception. It’s a fantasy world, though the relationship between Ana and Din smacks very much of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (albeit with an additional superior/subordinate component, especially given that Din is only in training). The setting is a fascinating world that as yet has a lot sketched in around the edges — we see life on what is basically the frontier, the walls which repel gigantic attacking Titans from the sea, but there’s more to the Empire than that… and one suspects we’ll see more of that, in future books.

Though the exact shape, size and composition of the Empire might be sketchy, there is a lot of detail about the world to wonder over: the different ways people have been altered to suit others’ needs, the reagent keys, the poisons and medicines. There’s some serious body horror in all that — not just the trees sprouting from people’s bodies, but also the more subtle horror of the cracklers that doesn’t always get noted by the narration as being horrifying, and even Din’s own skills.

Once I settled into it, it was a surprisingly fast read for how chunky it looked, sweeping me along to the conclusion. I’d love to see more of the world, and get deeper into Ana’s investigation: in true Sherlock Holmes style, I didn’t always understand where her conclusions came from, and I don’t think it was an entirely fair play mystery (in part because it’s not our world), but I hope the next book is also a mystery: it’s always fun when my favourite genres cross.

This is my first book from the author and i really liked this book very much.

You can say that this book is a mystery and who done it story happening on a fantasy world for a better description. The book is about an investigator and her assistant trying to solve a murder mystery in the outermost part of the empire. Eventhough the mystery is kind of bland and so does the story, i really liked the worldbuilding and attack on the titan vibe i got from this book.

There are still so many things we need to find out and understand in this story and i hope the book 2 will be better than this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy.

I am probably in the minority of readers who didn’t enjoy this book when I started reading it. I found that I had to push to get through the first part and when I got to around 35% the story became interesting.

I found some of the dialogue clunky and weird to read but enjoyed the main characters.

I did like the representation of Din’s dyslexia within the world and story found it interesting and well done.

This was a really cool mystery book where I liked the central mystery and thought it was added to by the imaginative worldbuilding and interesting characters. The central relationship between the MC and his mentor was well done, obviously inspired by Holmes/Watson but different enough to be doing its own thing. Tainted Cup isn't a new favorite, but I enjoyed the entire journey and I will definitely read the next one.

This was an unexpected adventure for me. I do not know what I checked out before wanting to read it, but whatever it was stood me in good stead.

This fantasy world that we visit in this book is similar to a medieval version of ours, except with a form of magic (in scientific versions) or two. It is a circular world with sea walls that keep certain creatures out (or others in as we start to question as we go further in). Each ring of cities has a cost to live in and a certain function, making it purposeful for the greater good.

In this world, one of the enhancements one can get is complete memory recall. This serves a purpose as well, as we were soon to see. Dinios Kol is an engraver. He is to report back everything he sees in a particular strange crime scene to the actual investigator who may be stranger than anything anyone might come across otherwise.

One crime scene leads to a larger and more potent issue. We delve into the morals of the world itself and how it functions. I wish there was not as much swearing (Something the author himself acknowledged in the acknowledgements). I always find it strange when the world is a fantasy one, but the swearing mirrors our own just for the effect!

It is a fantasy world with its own convoluted politics and histories, but the mystery at the heart worked well on its own as well. This was a promising first book in a series. I cannot wait to try what might happen next.

I would recommend this to readers of the fantasy (and or mystery) genre.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This book truthfully knocked my socks off. I went in expecting RJB's signature quirky worldbuilding and interesting concepts and I got all that and more. Not only do we see a fascinating murder mystery set in a world powered by fungus - cottagecore influences I jokingly suggest - but also at any moment enormous beasts could crawl out of the ocean and destroy everything and we don't really know why? Amazing! Innovative! And so much fun to read.
The detective duo in this book harkens back to classic detective pairings, need I say Holmes and Watson, but the balances and secrets kept between these two felt particularly intriguing to see develop as the book went on. I'm hoping they will be the central figures of the whole series but I will have to wait and see in the sequel.
The mushroom-world and how that tied into the murder mystery was both wonderful and horrifying in a way that almost felt like a T Kingfisher horror plot (a very high compliment from me).
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it alongside all of RJB's other books whenever anyone is looking for something to read!
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Right this read like a YA and it's only all that swearing that makes it adult. F-word count: 74 (could be more). The swearing did annoy me only because almost every character swore. I can understand one or two characters that swear as part of their vocab but it was just a bit too much for me. A talented author can think of other ways (and words) to express emotion.

The story didn't really grab my attention and I really wanted to enjoy this book more. Unfortunately with the world-building I felt like I was being thrown in at the deep end and I WISH there was a glossary to refer to.

On top of that character names kept changing with no consistency: one character called 'Ana' other times teh same character called 'Dolabra' or 'Immunis' just easy to confuse myself in a fantasy world filled with already confusing concepts to wrap my head around.

Overall it didn't grab my attention as much as I thought it would, I really wanted to enjoy this more but found myself feeling like it was hard work reading this. It was such a slog and at times I really didn't want to pick it up.

Not sure if I'd read a sequel..
3.5 stars

After loving the Founders trilogy decided to read this one and it did not disappoint. This was very entertaining and unique! I'm excited for the sequel.

Thank you to publishers and Netgalley for this arc.

I think reading this so closely after finishing The Founders Trilogy tainted my enjoyment.
Let me get started that saying that overall I can say this was enjoyable to read, and I can divide my reading experience with the two halves of the book. The second part was significantly more enjoyable and fast paced and increased the rating for me.
It’s an unique work of murder mystery set up in a fantasy setting which I have not read many of.
The main reason for my love for The Founders Trilogy is the character work which I though it was …..tepid here. I much enjoyed the secondary characters than the main character. Din’s personality was quite, well, dim, for the most part of the book but I did end up loving his attitude and demeanor toward the end of the book. I would have also enjoyed more if there was more of the ins and outs of characters relationships. Anna felt a bit like Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock Holmes which I loved, definitively my favorite character.
The author continues to show excellent skills in world building, layering all the bricks of a good setting: politics, the empire, the stakes, the intricate surroundings.
The murder mystery was a bit lukewarm for me but I can’t pinpoint why. Some of it felt quite predictable as loads of evidence was sprinkled through the book, I think.
Overall, I did enjoy this experience and am keen to dive in to the next book.