Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett (born June 22, 1984) is an American writer of speculative fiction. His fantasy novel The Tainted Cup won the 2025 Hugo Award for Best Novel

Early life and education Robert Jackson Bennett was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Texas with special honors in English in 2005, and moved to Austin, Texas.

Career Bennett's debut as an author was the novel Mr. Shivers (2010). He went on to write The Company Man (2011), The Troupe (2012), and American Elsewhere (2013).

Bennett's fifth novel, City of Stairs (2014), was the first of a fantasy trilogy, The Divine Cities, followed by City of Blades (2016) and City of Miracles (2017). The Divine Cities trilogy was a finalist for Best Series for the 2018 Hugo Awards.

In August 2018, Crown published Bennett's Foundryside, the first installment of his The Founders Trilogy. That book was followed by Shorefall in 2020 and Locklands in 2022.

In February 2024, Del Rey published Bennett's The Tainted Cup, the first book in his The Shadow of the Leviathan series, which won the 2025 Hugo Award for Best Novel. The book was followed by A Drop of Corruption in 2025; the third book, A Trade of Blood was released in August 2026.

Awards and nominations + Awards for Robert Jackson Bennett Year Work Award Category Result Ref. 2010 Mr. Shivers Shirley Jackson Award Best Novel 2011 British Fantasy Award The Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer 2012 The Company Man Philip K. Dick Award — Edgar Award Best Paperback Original 2013 American Elsewhere Goodreads Choice Awards Horror Shirley Jackson Award Best Novel 2014 City of Stairs Goodreads Choice Awards Fantasy 2015 British Fantasy Award Best Fantasy Novel(the Robert Holdstock Award) Locus Award Best Fantasy Novel World Fantasy Award Best Novel 2016 City of Blades Goodreads Choice Awards Fantasy 2017 Locus Award Best Fantasy Novel City of Miracles Goodreads Choice Awards Fantasy 2018 Locus Award Best Fantasy Novel The Divine Cities Hugo Award Best Series Foundryside Goodreads Choice Awards Fantasy 2019 British Fantasy Award Best Fantasy Novel(the Robert Holdstock Award) Dragon Award Best Fantasy Novel Locus Award Best Fantasy Novel 2022 Foreign Novel Shorefall 2024 The Tainted Cup Goodreads Choice Awards Fantasy 2025 Hugo Award Best Novel Hugo Award Best Novel