A Trade of Blood
core novel 2026 Shadow of the Leviathan
Record
| First published | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.58 (15,126 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781399725507 |
| Internal chronology | 3 |
Synopsis
A Trade of Blood is the third novel in Robert Jackson Bennett's Shadow of the Leviathan series, again set in the Empire of Khanum, a realm defined by the seasonal rise of towering leviathans and the engineered defenses built to withstand them. Blindfolded investigator Ana Dolabra and her meticulous assistant Dinios Kol are drawn into the unsettling case of a condemned nobleman's heir, discovered with a victim's blood on his hands yet seemingly unable to either explain or deny his own guilt. As Ana and Din probe the circumstances of the killing, they find inconsistencies suggesting the case is stranger than a simple confession implies, touching figures connected to the empire's ruling elite. Navigating a justice system eager for a quick resolution, the pair must determine what actually happened before a life is condemned for a crime that may not be what it appears.
Where it sits
- Universe: Shadow of the Leviathan
- Series: Shadow of the Leviathan core; position 3 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Notes
- From the series record (Shadow of the Leviathan): An ongoing fantasy-mystery series (Del Rey / Hodderscape) set in the Empire of Khanum, protected by sea walls against leviathan attacks, whose leviathan-derived technology grants investigators enhanced senses. Per this project's standing in-progress-eligibility rule (in-progress series remain eligible for ranking and are not penalised), this universe is admitted despite being unfinished. Internal chronology equals publication order; no dispute found. A Trade of Blood's release date (August 4, 2026) has passed (2026-08-06), confirmed via multiple contemporaneous review posts.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series Shadow of the Leviathan: position 3 of 3: previous A Drop of Corruption (2025)
Sources
- The Tainted Cup (Wikipedia)
- The 2025 Hugo Awards: The Tainted Cup Wins Best Novel (Penguin Random House)
- 2025 WFC Nominations and Winners (World Fantasy Convention)
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