A review by a_reader_obsessed
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

If you’re a fan of RJB or enjoyed the first installment of this series, The Tainted Cup, then I want to reassure you that this second endeavor in this wholly original world will be well worth your time.

Once again, a dead body starts an investigation revealing some scary truths, resulting in another race against time to stop a mad genius hell bent on taking the entire Empire down.  Thankfully, there’s always the beleaguered Dinios Kol and his superior, the eccentric and unsettling investigator Ana Dolabra, who are at the  ready to do what’s necessary to find the answers needed.

 

As a reminder, this is a world whose very existence and advancements rely on harvesting giant sea monsters (think football stadium size) whose wondrous but volatile, and often deadly, essence fuels a multitude of products that keep said cogs of life turning.  These leviathans also contribute to humanity in the forms of grafts/suffusions/augmentations that can amplify all 5 senses, enable cognitive function to unimaginable heights, or give a person the ability to remember everything they experience to the most minute detail.  In a cruel twist of fate, it's these very creatures, these destructive behemoths that are also the greatest physical threat to the Empire, becoming larger and more aggressive every season they attack the shoreline.

What stands out to me the most here are the copious details that this book contains which enrich the reader experience rather than suffocate or drown it. RJB truly immerses one in the sights, the sounds, and the smells, pointing out the unique races and classes, the civil servants who are distinctly delineated by physical attributes and mannerisms, as well as giving weight and presence not only in where this story takes place but also an anxiety driven urgency to solve the convoluted crimes taking place.   Add to that the tenuous political balance that the Empire must maintain for its safety and survival, he deftly weaves in the cultural stakes, the extensive social hierarchy of the people who fall both within and outside the Empire’s jurisdiction, and all the non-leviathan threats (both internal and external) that constantly push at the seams holding this society together.

Overall, if you want another truly complexly layered, locked door murder mystery with twisty reveals against a fascinating science formed fantasy backdrop, just know that this delivers.  Reassuredly, RJB brings further insight to our hero Din, his struggles with wanting to make a significant difference and feeling stuck in what he views as a thankless job but ever steadfast in what is expected of him. More light is also shed on the cryptic Ana, her uncanny powers of extrapolation and deduction lending an otherworldly aura to her as she faces her smartest foe yet. I continued to enjoy their banter and seeing that their dynamic has deepened since last we saw them, the new revelations lending a more meaningful weight to Din and Ana’s shared convictions towards their loyalty and duty.

So, this is my long winded way of saying that this is far from an idealistic world, the truths and revelations often mirroring our own past and present where there’s a multitude collaborating to take the system down with whatever means necessary.  However, like in real life, I assume that there are a lot of unseen heroes fighting the good fight, those we’ll never know of but should be grateful to for their valiant efforts to keep us safe, or at the very least from further harm.  I feel that this is an ode to them in the form of such great characters as Din and Ana, and I look forward to their next insurmountable challenge and ultimately, their triumphant win.

Thank you to the author and Del Rey of Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley for an ecopy to review honestly