No sabía ni cómo empezar esta reseña de lo mucho que me ha gustado The Tainted Cup, la nueva novela “detectivesca” de Robert Jackson Bennett. Así que lo mejor creo que será empezar por el principio.


En una suntuosa mansión aparece muerto un capitán de la legión, pero digamos que el cadáver presenta algunas características especiales, como que la causa de la muerte sea el crecimiento espontáneo y extremamente acelerado de un árbol desde su interior. Este comienzo, que tiene mucha fuerza, sin embargo me recordó a The Hexologists, por eso que dicen de que no hay nada nuevo bajo el sol. Y puede que sea verdad, pero Robert Jackson Bennett consigue ofrecernos una novela fantástica con un mundo muy atractivo y un misterio tan enrevesado como atractivo.

Me encanta por ejemplo la “pareja protagonista” aunque el punto de vista del libro solo sea el de Dinios Kol, el asistente de la detective Ana Dolabra. Y aquí, empezamos con los elementos mágicos, si el árbol hipervitaminado nos os había llamado la atención lo suficiente. Kol es un Sublime, una persona modificada para tener unas determinadas características, en su caso una memoria fotográfica que resultará imprescindible para las investigaciones de Dolabra. Y es que en el mundo de Bennett, el Imperio ha volcado todo su conocimiento en la modificación de los humanos para un objetivo común, evitar los ataques de los gigantes marinos que en la temporada húmeda despiertan de su letargo y se lanzan contra las murallas del Imperio. Otras modificaciones permiten tener un físico privilegiado, una capacidad matemática sublime o desprender feromonas que despiertan la líbido de cualquier persona que pase cerca. Lo que más me gusta es lo bien entrelazado que está el misterio con estas capacidades mágicas y a su vez con la estructura del mundo, funcionando como un mecanismo de relojería.

Esta construcción de mundo tan maravillosa lleva aparejada también la creación de unos personajes destinados a perdurar en la memoria. No solo los mencionados anteriormente, es que hasta el secundario más irrelevante está bien descrito y rezuma vida. De verdad que nos encontramos ante un libro que es muy difícil dejar de leer, porque el ritmo es endiablado, acechan misterios y peligros en cada esquina y el reloj va desgajando los minutos que faltan para el ataque del leviatán que puede acabar con todos. Es una novela trepidante, escrita con mucho oficio, un muestrario de la portentosa imaginación de un autor que quizá sea poco conocido por estos lares. Con decir que me he alegrado muchísimo al saber que solo era el primer libro de una serie, os podéis imaginar lo redonda que ha sido esta lectura para mí.

"We do these ugly, dull things for a reason -to make a space where folk can live, celebrate, and know joy and love."✨

🍄Take Sherlock Holmes , combine it with the world building of " Attack of Titan" and you have
“The Tainted Cup"! From the very first page I was enraptured by the evocative and fast paced writing of the author which managed to transport me in a world made of plants, poisons,people who have "modified" themselves to have magical abilities, conspiracies and of course the omnipresent threat of the Leviathans who threaten to overcome the barriers built by the empire and invade it.

🍄 Din is an Engraver , a person who has the ability to remember everything he sees/hears , and he is also Ana's assistant. The story is told from his point of view, and because of this we are introduced in small doses into the world building by a person who sometimes feels like a fish out of water. In any case, page after page,Din grows and begins to feel more comfortable in his role and in having the eccentric Ana by his side.

🍄Ana is very particular and doesn't mince her words , which is why rumors say she was removed from the capital after making herself many enemies. But through the book I soon learned to trust that ,no matter how eccentric she is,her every word and action has a reason that always leads her to be on top.

🍄The plot from the beginning proceeds at a fast pace managing to draw me into the case . Information is given bit by bit ,along with the natural development of the plot thus making me formulate a different theory each time! In the end I couldn't guess everything but something Idid, so I consider myself satisfied!

✨ I found "the Tainted Cup" brilliant ,original ,evocative and I can assure you that I am already looking forward to reading Din and Ana's next adventure!

✨thanks to netgalley and the publisherfor the copy

In creating the investigative pairing of Holmes and Watson, Arthur Conan Doyle set a crime fiction template that is still being widely used. That of the highly gifted savant investigator and their handy, more active offsider. In The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennet takes the Holmes and Watson tropes and translates them to a fascinating and complex fantasy world. Like the best of crime fiction, he then uses the investigation to explore and expose the world that his characters inhabit.
The Tainted Cup begins with a horrific death. At an exclusive estate in a remote part of the Empire, an imperial engineer is killed when a grass life plant explodes from his body. Dinios Kol, assistant to investigator Ana Dolabra is sent to examine the scene and report back. Kol has been enhanced to be an engraver, which means he has perfect recall of everything he sees and hears. Which is handy as Dolabra stays in her book strewn house and mostly wears a blindfold. Solving the case only leads to more questions and soon the pair are off to the local capital of Talagaray where similar murders have occurred. But all is not safe in Talagaray which is close to the walls which protect the Empire from giant kaiju-like monsters called Leviathans that come from the sea. As the threat from the sea grows, Dolabra and Kol find the threads of their investigation reach back into the past and go higher than is safe for them.
The Tainted Cup is a great fantasy novel and a great detective novel. The world that Bennett creates is one that is driven by the use of plants and additives derived from the very monsters that threated its existence. And he uses the investigation to reveal these details rather than relying on exposition. All of this is done sufficiently so that readers can then follow how the rules of this world impact on the resolution of the mystery.
And it is full of great characters. Dolabra follows in the mould of Sherlock Holmes – frighteningly intelligent, dismissive of authority, addicted to danger and subterfuge to prove her theories, and usually at least a few steps ahead of everyone else involved in the investigation. But Kol, as the one who gets into all of the action, is the character around whom the story revolves. And he works effectively as Dolabra’s Watson, he has his own talents and inner strength but also a few skeletons that he carries around.
As with all good mystery stories, Bennett wraps up the action neatly. But the action in this book was set in one small area on the fringes of the Empire. Not only that but there are some connections left dangling. The Tainted Cup feels like the first book in a series with plenty more of this fascinating world to explore. And through Dolabra and Kol a pair of engaging characters to continue to explore it with.

DNF'ed at 31%/start of chapter 12.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Man I can't with this book. From a very dodgy rabbit hole with the cover being potentially ai generated, to the text feeling like it is.

The characters are abysmal, the main character Din (Watson) has as many emotions as a robot and speaks like one too, and Ana (Sherlock) is just an insufferable twat who's trying to be far too edgy and "comedic". Din just constantly infodumps and Ana explains nothing, even 30% in I was still so lost on many of the core concepts like what the fuck are augments exactly???

The plot seems interesting at first, but it's quite literally a copy paste of attack on titan (but at sea) so much so that the things are even called titans, and Sherlock Holmes but take all the worst parts of the latter at least. I've never watched AoT but even from what I know I can see this is way more than just an "inspiration".

I'll post some quotes when the book releases. It's so awful it's even gone past "it's so bad it's good" and looped back around to "it's just bad".

Except the interrogation bit in chapter 1. That somehow felt like I was reading an *entirely* different book for a bit because it actually wasn't that bad? But then Ana got introduced and ruined all that.

The mystery part isn't even all that good. It tries to do the "the solution is so complex!" But it's the most mind numbing simplest explanation presented like it's just so smart.

I normally don't DNF books, I really try my best to fully read them. But I can't finish this, I want to punt Ana into the sun in all honesty. I've never hated a character so much. She literally invited someone to an interrogation she knew was innocent just to ruin their day. Funny concept right? Except she's a right bitch while doing it. I got past the first major turning point when the plot was in full swing, but goddamn I just have no interest in any of it. I understand very little, so much overexplaning and yet so much left under explained.. it's kind of impressive tbh.

Additionally, putting this bit just on netgally, but this is the worst formatted PDF I've ever gotten from this site. Missing spaces, missing punctuation, missing new lines, all sorts. So many spelling errors and it's just a nightmare to read. I know it's an early copy but at least have *some* pride in what you're sending out to reviewers.

This was the perfect mystery, it had brilliant twist and turns that kept me on my toes. The Tainted Cup had a perfect mix of a Sherlock Holmes and Watson-esque duo with corruption and sea monsters.

As the first book in a series, this book had a lot of world building (the cantons, the hierarchies, the races, the titans, ….) which in some cases felt like a bit too much. But this makes me all the more excited for the next books where I will know the world better and be able to focus on the mystery Ana and Din are solving.

Summary: In a lavish Empire mansion, an Imperial officer is mysteriously killed by a tree growing from his body. When trying to solve his murder investigator Ana Dolabra and her assistant uncover a perilous conspiracy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Tainted Cup" is the first installment of "Shadow of the Leviathan," a fantasy series written by Robert Jackson Bennett and currently in progress.

Take a quirky detective duo in Holmes & Watson style, put it in a world building that winks at "Attack of Titan," add an intriguing and intricate story, a captivating and powerful writing, a labyrinthine and well-conceived mystery, mix it all together and you get just a vague idea of what "The Tainted Cup" is! An exciting, thrilling and surprising novel, capable of interweaving, in an original and skillful way, fantasy and mystery elements.  What can I say?! I loved everything about this book! Everything! It truly fascinated, captivated and absorbed me, making it hard for me to tear myself away from the pages. Seriously, the more I think about it, the more I cannot express anything but compliments!

The story takes place in the Empire of Khanum, a setting that, as mentioned above, recalls "Attack of Titan." The Empire is organized in a structure similar to a sequence of spoked wheels, placed one inside the other, of greater amplitude as one proceeds outward. The outer part of each wheel represents the curvilinear walls of the Empire, while the spokes serve as roads. There are three rings of main walls, plus sea walls bordering the sea. The wealthiest citizens live in the most inner rings, in wealthy conditions, while moving outward the poverty increases and the situation worsens. The reason for this arrangement? The huge and monstrous Leviathans, who during every wet season surface from the depths of the abyss to try to break down the walls and make their way into the Empire, destroying everything in their path. The Empire is divided into various military branches, with specific degrees of command, having different roles: defending walls, rebuilding collapsed barriers or reinforcing them, creating weapons, providing medical care, maintaining general order, and much more. Some servants of the Empire receive special grafts and suffusions, which alter their physical and mental abilities, giving them specific and different enhancements, with different side effects and risks. More specifically, the novel takes place in the Outer Rim, poorer and harsher, always at risk of breach during the wet season. It is a decidedly elaborate, extensive and complex world building, which intrigued me greatly! I found it original, well described, and full of potential. Of course, there is still a lot to be discovered, many nebulous aspects, but everything cannot be revealed right away. And I can't wait to read the sequels to learn more!

The story is strongly plot driven and revolves around the murder investigation. The narration proceeds slowly and quietly, with little action. Although the Leviathan are not the main focus of the book, playing a marginal role for now, their ominous shadow looms over everything. The inhabitants of the Empire live in anticipation of the wet season, fearing the possible collapse of the sea walls and the consequent entry of the Leviathans. And the situation is obviously even more critical in the Outer Rim, protected only by the sea walls. In my opinion, the author did a really good job of rendering the tense, anxious and uneasy atmosphere in this setting, making the presence of the Leviathans perceived, though without actually showing them. In addition, the book is full of political intrigues, subterfuges, deceptions, secrets, betrayals, rebellions, contrasts, rivalries, and much more, which completely gripped me. The unfolding of the investigation was sublime! I was amazed at the way the author managed to create a perfect puzzle, providing the pieces bit by bit, until the final explosive resolution! The interlocks are nothing short of exceptional, the attention to detail is magnificent, so much so that even though I guessed some plot twists, others escaped me and had me freaking out with their brilliance!

Ana and Din, the two main characters, charmed me! Din, protagonist with his only first person pov, is an engraver, a person magically altered to have a perfect memory. This talent makes him a living library of information, a sort of walking video camera, as well as the perfect new assistant to Ana, an investigator who is as brilliant as she is eccentric. Ana, who wears a blindfold much of the time. Ana, who rarely leaves the walls of her home. Their relationship clearly winks at the famous duo formed by Holmes and Watson, and I loved it a lot! Between irreverent banter, playful provocations and various jokes, they had me rolling with laughter! As mentioned above, the book is plot driven, reason for which the characters do not have much in-depth study. Or rather yes, they are well delineated, but in fact we know little about them, about their past. Okay, a little more information is given on Din, but in general they are two nebulous characters full of secrets. In my opinion, it fits, I found it in line with the narration and we will surely know more in the next books!

All in all, "The Tainted Cup" is a fantastic start to the series and I can't wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful experience, high fantasy but written in a really accessible way. I got swept up with the story and the murder mystery element had me hooked.
A fantastic pairing of lead protagonists, with all the elements of Sherlock and Watson, set against a backdrop of killer sea monsters and corruption in high society.
It’s truly a unique combination and it works beautifully. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

The Tainted Cup is my first encounter with this author’s work, and I found it fantastic. The murder our main characters are trying to solve in the beginning of the story is the top of an iceberg that hides a much larger and complicated conspiracy.

I really liked the eccentric and yet brilliant investigator Ana while she was solving a mystery with the help of her younger assistant Dinios, who has the capacity to remember everything he sees. The murder is the catalyst that will lead them right into a web of secrets that none of them was able to even imagine.

The worldbuilding was simply breathtaking and I dived right into a world full of enhancements, exploding plants, poison, secrets, and corruption while I was trying to figure out a murder. It was a murder mystery embodied in a fantasy world. The bits of romantic moments in this story left me longing for more.

I recommend it for everyone who is looking for a murder mystery set in a fantasy world with a unique perspective and such well-developed characters. This was such a fun read and a great and I look forward to the next Shadow of the Leviathan book.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the free electronic ARC of "The Tainted Cup" by Robert Jackson Bennett.
This is my first five star read of 2024 and my first encounter with this author's work. It was brilliant!
Join the eccentric senior investigator Ana Dolabra and her young assistant Dinios Kol in solving a mystery crime set in a high fantasy setting inspired by "Attack on Titan".
The murder Din and Ana are investigating at the beginning of the story is but a drop in the ocean of a larger conspiracy, one that brings them to the dangerous edges of the Empire, where they are in close proximity to the sea wall, the only thing keeping invading titans, here called Leviathans, from invading the land and wreaking havoc.
This entire world was extremely fascinating. From the beginning, we are introduced to the magical and flora that the people of this world utilize in their everyday life and survival, but which can also cause in some extreme instances a ecological-disaster.
Another interesting aspect of this world was their genetically-obsessed culture where humans are enhanced for different roles, such as engraving, the skill that provides Din with perfect memory, and many other physical and mental abilities that can determine options, profession and positions.
Despite all of this social system or because of it there was a subtle message in this book: "We do not pop out of a mold. We change. We self-assemble."
Not only did I fell in love with this world and the developing mysteries ( that the reader is best to experience on their own without knowing too much), but the main characters and the growth they experience through the course of this book was both captivating and endearing.
My reading experience was such a joy and I am looking forward to the next volume of the "Shadow of the Leviathan". Until then I'll make sure to explore Robert Jackson Bennett's other works.

The Empire has some problems to deal with. Leviathans are coming up from the deep to invade the land. The blood of the leviathans aids magic - good and bad. In an area near the edge of the Empire a high ranking officer is dead apparently killed by a tree growing within him. Ana is the investigator tasked with investigating the death. She has a reputation for brilliance and eccentricity probably in equal measure! Assisting her is Din (Dinios). He is her new assistant and not experienced. He is an Imperial engraver magically enhanced to have a perfect memory. It quickly becomes obvious that the problem is not simply a local one and Ana and Din must travel closer to where the leviathans emerge to seek the truth.

There is a lot to "learn" quite quickly here - dangers and mysteries - small and large - abound. That in its way kept me very engaged initially. There was a fresh feel to this. Ana and Din's relationship develops well in a measured fashion. They also both have secrets that they keep from each other but for how long. We learn far more about the Empire and its troubles in a satisfying - for me - way. The way Sublimes (Din is one) are enhanced is an interesting use of magic for example.

The whole gradual development of scene, people and problems was accomplished by writing of a very decent standard to me. This entertained and satisfied me as a read more than many books I read these days. As time went by, I became more and more engrossed in this story. The story is generally the world as seen through Din's eyes. I found the simplicity of this appealing. Ana and Din's relationship brings a tension and humour into this. Indeed Ana can be very dryly amusing (and annoy people!). She doesn't like the "elite of the Empire" and the feeling is generally mutual.

I tend to take publishers claims about books with a pinch of salt. The claims of a "Homes/Watson" pairing struck me as pretty unlikely. Indeed purists would find it laughable and yet… I do think there is something in this claim. The partnership is unusual/off the wall offering daring and brilliance. There are sharp minds at work here. It is also obviously something that both parties can more than tolerate despite or because of how different possibly they are.

Such well developed characters, a decent slice of magic, a plot to work out, strange creatures and crimes to solve! This ticks plenty of boxes for me. I'd not come across this author before. However I'm certainly aiming to read more of his work based on the writing, storytelling and characters in this book.

Robert Jackson Bennett is among my favourite fantasy writers, and has been since I took a copy of The Troupe out of the library and flipped for it. He’s put out something like eight or nine books now, and they’ve all been highly readable, and what’s more, highly imaginative. The core fantasy ideas here are plant magic and huge leviathans rising out of the seas (which I think we will learning a lot more about in coming books), but the form of the book is more like a crime novel, as it foregrounds a bizarre murder investigation in this world. The world building and characterisation are top notch. Ana Dolabra and Dinias Kol are two highly engaging characters, and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of their cases

Loved it! It has great potential to become one of my favourite series ever.

This book convinced me we need more murder mystery books in the fantasy genre. Din and Ana have a very clear ‘Sherlock and Watson’ dynamic, but with its own take. The world building and the magic system were both wonderful!

I recommend this book whether if you like murder mystery or not, it’s a brilliant read

This was a fantastic start to this series. Never read RJB but have always wanted to and this was the perfect place to start.

I never read anything like it before, and I loved it. It is a very interesting mix of cosy fantasy and cosy mystery, and I loved that cosiness, I needed that. The story is very well-plotted and it was quite complex, which was enjoyable. The universe is intriguing and also convoluted. The characters are colorful and their personalities are distinct from one another. The two main characters, especially, are well-developed: Ana is eccentric and unhinged, although a little bit too vulgar sometimes, and Din is calmer. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series, when I’ll be able to.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Tainted cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Release date February 6th 2024
Rating 4.5
I really enjoyed this book it was a murder mystery using the fantasy world, this book will be great someone looking to get into fantasy without going straight into the epic high stakes fantasy that many people attempt at the beginning. I am not someone who is really into Murder mystery usually but this book intrigued me and held me in the world where I did not get bored or find it predictable at all.
The book had many twists and turns which I did not see coming which had me on the edge of my seat and me getting through this book in a few short hours. I loved the characters and then trying to unpack the turns that they had and some of the situations had me holding my breath for a number of moments. If you like murder mystery and are looking to dip your toes into fantasy or you are in a fantasy slump and you are wanting to dip your toe back into fantasy, then this book will help you.
I know already my friends are going to be very excited to read this and I will be recommending this highly to them. So if you are looking for fun characters wanting to solve a mystery with a sprinkle of fantasy look no further.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for letting me review this advanced readers copy.

I was intrigued with the synopsis for this, but to be honest my expectations were mid. It’s a little outside my usual reading bubble.

This book destroyed those expectations. This was fantastic. I adored the main character; being in his head the entire time gave this story a very unique perspective.
I was worried about the magic system at first, buts integrated flawlessly within the world, so accessible to understand, and incredibly interesting.

If this synopsis sounds even vaguely interesting to you, if you love a good murder mystery, complex characters, and awesome representation; pick up The Tainted Cup!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley.

I adored this book! Can’t recommend it enough. Murder mystery in a fantasy setting with botanical murder weapons, augmented humans and leviathans threatening to breach city walls! Oh my word it was such a wonderful and exciting book!

This felt like Sherlock Holmes in a dark fantasy setting. It was such an exciting and compelling murder mystery and seeing our main characters use their augmentations to solve a very complex mystery was fascinating. Din who is our main character is an engraver, augmented to have perfect memory recall. However he’s hiding a secret difficulty with reading and writing and a fear that he’s lose his post if he’s found out. I loved the way this was told from Din’s perspective and the student and master relationships. It allowed us to learn along with Din as his phenomenal mentor already deduces things and deals them out only when they’re ready. It reminded me of the Justice of Kings and the relationship between Helena and Vonvalt (which I absolutely loved!)

The looming threat of the leviathans added just the perfect tension to the murder mystery, making for such a race against time to uncover a complex web of past hurts, ambition and grudges. This was absolutely brilliant, I just loved the setting and the menace in the seas so much! It just made the book feel like danger was constantly looming.

I loved the human augmentations and the way we see this manifest in different characters throughout the book. Having the main character as an engraver with perfect recall was genius and I loved how this was used to pull the rug out from certain characters when they were caught lying! The added layer of Din having difficulty reading and writing but manifesting rare abilities in other ways made him feel so human and empathetic. It really balanced out his abilities whilst providing sensitive exploration of the experience of people with dyslexia.

I haven’t read anything by this author previously but I’m so excited to go look through their earlier work after reading this! I absolutely loved it!

The Tainted Cup follows Din and Ana as they work on cases together. From the very first page, we are presented by their first murder case and its uniqueness got me hooked right off the bat. A man discovered dead with tree sprouted out from his body, never to be seen before. Din's method of investigating is also one I have never come across that I was curious to know in depth. I love their interaction when they are in the same room, I find it hilarious and I keep craving for more. However, the book fails to keep me engaged and I soon lose my focus due to the pacing. It might be just me though, as I see many others are liking this book fine, I probably will give this book another try because I really want to like it.

Murder mystery and fantasy in one book? YES PLEASE! I enjoyed reading this book so much! The world building was just great and structured very well, which made the whole mystery plot even better. I also loved the few romantic crumbs the author left for us readers and ate them up longing for more! The characters were amazing and quirky.
If the blurb speaks to you or not, pick up this book!

I love when a book has me pestering my friends, telling them about plot devices and tropes I discover I love when reading. This did that! I love a murder mystery. I love fantasy. I ate this up.

I know everyone says attack on titan vibes but I would also say if you like the Roman Empire then this is also for you (I for one have other civilizations I much prefer, but I did immediately recommend this to my friend studying Roman roads). There is something about investigating a murder in a structured empire setting that really gets you hooked. The cogs are misaligned and you want to know how to set it right.

I loved the rep in this book too. Din has dyslexia and Ana is neurodivergent. It is all well handled and I enjoyed their frank discussions and sass.

PS, the romantic subplot is more a subplot of a subplot but I loved every fucking minute of being drip fed the small interactions between Din and the potential person (I don't want to tell you who so you can be like ohhh am I seeing this?? too), Sometimes less can be more and these small scenes have turned it into fullblown ship. I will be looking for and if not writing the fanfic myself if needs must.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.