The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)
Robert Jackson Bennett
In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect. Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.
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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.
0**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**
Robert Jackson Bennett presents the first book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, The Tainted Cup. Marketed as a Holmes-and-Watson style murder mystery in a fantasy world, The Tainted Cup follows apprentice engraver Dinios Kol on his first assignment. Din has been modified so that he can remember things precisely by associating them with a scent. As such, he begins his journey with Iudex Investigator Ana Dolabra and is quickly assigned to the death investigation of an Engineering Commander. Each interview reveals more and more of the web of corruption at the heart of the Empire with Din and Ana leading the way through the unraveling.
My only previous experience with Robert Jackson Bennett is through his Locklands trilogy, which I loved. I am admittedly rather stingy with 5 star ratings, but both Foundryside and Shorefall achieved it for me. And, now, so has The Tainted Cup.
Bennett successfully modeled Ana, our Holmes, in such a way that made her all the things we love about Sherlock while keeping her entirely her own person. Likewise is true for our Watson in Din. As has been my experience, Bennett never shirks the side characters, ensuring to build them out enough to leave the reader secure that they are far more than just a furtherance of the plot. Part of what I loved about Locklands was the intricacy and the uniqueness of the magic system and the world building. Bennett has created something new once more with our world in The Tainted Cup. Couple that with implied neurodivergence in Ana, casual queerness in Din, and the hint of a blossoming romance (that did NOT take over the plot in any way) and I was sold.
The mystery, which was a new addition from Bennett for me, was wonderfully paced and evidence planted strategically in a way that a reader can see what's happening (with help from Holmsian Ana). Strings were neatly tied while plot lines opened up to allow a continuation of the series.
I promptly purchased the book in time to make the preorder campaign and I will happily recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the Locklands Trilogy or who recently enjoyed The Will and the Many by James Islington.
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