Man oh man do I feel lucky about my January ARC lineup.

It’s been a minute since I’ve really indulged in fantasy stories, but by fair my favorite sub-genre is hard fantasy. If the book has complex political intrigue and (ideally) a good dose of economic speculation, I will munch it right up. And perhaps my favorite author in this space is Robert Jackson Bennett. I’ve been a huge fan since I first read The Divine Cities trilogy and have loved everything he’s written since. It helps that many hard fantasy novels have that same puzzle element that I love in my mystery stories…

…And so when I found out that Bennett had written a murder mystery, I could not wait to get my hands on it. And one set in a fantasy world – blending some of my favorite genres! (I am so, so grateful for the gift copy from NetGalley and Del Rey Books!) The Tainted Cup follows Din, an assistant investigator, as he helps his boss Ana investigate a suspicious murder. Din is an Engraver, who’s been physically altered to perfectly memorize his surroundings with a scent trigger. He’s the perfect assistant to the reclusive Ana, who rarely leaves her house. As Ana and Din investigate, they realize that the single murder may have deeper roots than they expected. Specifically, the murder may implicate the safety of the entire Empire from the giant sea beasts that attack it annually.

One reading binge later, and here we are: how well can Bennett go from political fantasy to murder mystery?

Genre-blending with the best

It can be tough to evaluate genre-blending books. Do you evaluate them on the merits of the stronger genre? Of both genres? What makes a fantasy mystery tick?

I’m happy to report that The Tainted Cup eliminates that dilemma by excelling at both its genres. Bennett establishes an intriguing fantasy world and delivers on the political intrigue while also writing a satisfying mystery. On the hard fantasy front, Bennett effectively establishes a world and an Empire set up to optimize for protection from these massive sea creatures. His society centers around factions of government officials: Engineers who build the walls, Legionnaires who fight the beasts, Apoths who manage science and alterations, and the Iudex, who govern and investigate. And on the mystery front, Bennett avoids (IMO) the most common trap for these types of stories – relying on a fantastical insight to solve the story. Instead, the puzzle feels perfectly fair-play, and based on human motives (though the fantasy bits help too!)

If there’s one element that could have been expanded a bit, it’s the characters. Ana and Din must explore a vast conspiracy, and there’s little room for truly spending time with the suspects or the victims. This is very much a plot-driven adventure, following our protagonists as they bounce from clue to clue. In my perfect world, we would have spent a little more time with each of our protagonists, learning about each of them as personalities. This is more Sherlock and Watson than Marple and Dolly, if you take my meaning. But Sherlock and Watson are wonderful to read, and so is this pair – I’d certainly enjoy reading more of them.

Leviathans that spur progress

It wouldn’t be a Robert Jackson Bennett story without a creative fantasy world, and we’ve got another intriguing one. This story centers on an Empire built to face Leviathans, giant sea creatures that surface annually and wreck everything they hit. (It’s not clear they intend to do this, they’re just massive.) The Leviathans shape the Empire, both literally and figuratively – given enough time, their bodies become giant landmasses. And responding to them effectively requires massive levels of coordination and bureaucracy – thus was the Empire born.

The other major fantasy element of this world is the physical alterations that characters can use to enhance their abilities. Our protagonist, Din, is an Engraver – he can perfectly inscribe memories. Other alterations include night vision, super-strength, and physical immunity to parasites. In Bennett’s world, these are tools of the trade rather than magical gifts. Their mundanity allows them to blend into the background, sometimes adding a level of intrigue to the puzzle-solving and suspense to the action. The world and the powers feel lived-in, rational, almost like science. And yet, because they require a choice, these skills allow Bennett to explore questions of identity and self-actualization.

Bennett’s bureaucrats

I would have been impressed enough if that were all Bennett had delivered… But he takes the hard fantasy a step further to interrogate questions of government efficacy. Because Din and Ana work for the government, they get a view into its inner workings. As the story progresses, they experience multiple levels of government bureaucracy, from efficient dictatorial responses to frustrating red tape. Bennett makes sure to highlight both the good and the bad, describing the trade-offs inherent in a large government like the Empire. And he interrogates both the role of individual actors and the system that surrounds them. To my delight, The Tainted Cup has no easy answers to the challenges of governing.

To be clear, this is not an overweight, expository screed on the challenges of government. Bennett shows, as his characters balance the immediate challenges of their investigation with the broader challenges of ruling in a time of national crisis. Unlike in prior novels, the characters in The Tainted Cup really are bureaucrats – there are brief bursts of action but the main focus is on the investigation and the challenges of governance. It somehow gives me “Tamora Pierce, but with more politics” vibes – which I, personally, love.

Reader’s notes and rating (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Oh man, I loved loved loved The Tainted Cup. And I wish I could say everyone would as well, but that’s probably not true. If you’re not into hard fantasy that explores government and political machinations, I might give this one a pass. But if that kind of complexity and layering appeals to you, there’s no better author than Bennett. Four stars.

The Tainted Cup will be published on February 6, 2024.

*This will meet “hybrid genre” for my 52 Book Club challenge this year!