A Drop of Corruption (SF) - Robert Jackson Bennett *****

The first in this series, The Tainted Cup, was superb - and Robert Jackson Bennett has come up with an equal in its sequel. Though labelled fantasy, for me this is definitely science fiction (there is no magic involved), crossed with a complex murder mystery involving a heady mix of political intrigue.

As with its predecessor, the narrator, Din is a young assistant investigator, relatively recently started in his first position in the legal arm of their empire. His enhancements as an engraver are slightly reminiscent of a mentat in Dune, giving him perfect recall and leading to surprising sword fighting abilities. His boss, Ana, is more complex - a combination of Mycroft Holmes from the modern-day set Sherlock TV show and Judge Dee from van Gulik's remarkable books. Except she wears a blindfold most of the time and swears a lot more.

We learn more about Ana's abilities and why she is so strange in a story that takes the central characters to a location on the edge of the empire, currently a separate kingdom that is more traditionally medieval without the biological enhancements of Din's world. The pair face up to a brilliant terrorist whose abilities rival those of Ana.

As with the first book, Bennett gives us a complex and original society (in fact, two in this case) and an intriguing mystery to solve, putting Din in significant danger with a possible outcome of pretty much destroying the empire. It was a book I was desperate to get back to... and now have to wait impatiently until later in the year to plunge into volume three.

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