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Robert Jackson Bennett

ロバート・ジャクソン・ベネット

Robert Jackson Bennett

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1984 （Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana → Residence: Austin, Texas

Career

Occupations
author, novelist, writer
Active Years
2010-

Education

University of Texas at Austin
Special honors in English
Degree: BA
Period: 2001-2005
Year of Graduation: 2005
Country: United States
Graduated with special honors in English

Awards

Shirley Jackson Award
2010
Work: Mr. Shivers
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Shirley Jackson Awards
Result: Won
British Fantasy Award
2011
Category: The Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer
Organization: British Fantasy Society
Result: Won
Philip K. Dick Award
2012
Work: The Company Man
Organization: Philip K. Dick Award
Result: Special Citation
Edgar Award
2012
Work: The Company Man
Category: Best Paperback Original
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: Won
Goodreads Choice Awards
2013
Work: American Elsewhere
Category: Horror (Finalist)
Organization: Goodreads
Result: Finalist
Shirley Jackson Award
2013
Work: American Elsewhere
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Shirley Jackson Awards
Result: Won
Goodreads Choice Awards
2014
Work: City of Stairs
Category: Fantasy
Organization: Goodreads
Result: Finalist
British Fantasy Award
2015
Category: Best Fantasy Novel (Robert Holdstock Award)
Organization: British Fantasy Society
Result: Finalist
Locus Award
2015
Category: Best Fantasy Novel
Organization: Locus
Result: Finalist
World Fantasy Award
2015
Category: Best Novel
Organization: World Fantasy Award
Result: Finalist
Goodreads Choice Awards
2016
Work: City of Blades
Category: Fantasy
Organization: Goodreads
Result: Finalist
Locus Award
2017
Work: City of Miracles
Category: Best Fantasy Novel
Organization: Locus
Result: Finalist
Locus Award
2018
Category: Best Fantasy Novel
Organization: Locus
Result: Finalist
Hugo Award
2018
Work: The Divine Cities (series)
Category: Best Series
Organization: Worldcon (Hugo Awards)
Result: Finalist
Goodreads Choice Awards
2018
Work: Foundryside
Category: Fantasy
Organization: Goodreads
Result: Finalist
British Fantasy Award
2019
Category: Best Fantasy Novel (Robert Holdstock Award)
Organization: British Fantasy Society
Result: Shortlisted
Dragon Award
2019
Category: Best Fantasy Novel
Organization: Dragon Awards
Result: Finalist
Locus Award
2019
Category: Best Fantasy Novel
Organization: Locus
Result: Finalist
Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire
2022
Work: Shorefall
Category: Foreign Novel
Organization: Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire
Result: Finalist
Hugo Award
2023
Work: The Founders Trilogy (series)
Category: Best Series
Organization: Worldcon (Hugo Awards)
Result: Finalist
Goodreads Choice Awards
2024
Work: The Tainted Cup
Category: Fantasy
Organization: Goodreads
Result: Finalist
Hugo Award
2025
Work: The Tainted Cup
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Worldcon (Hugo Awards)
Result: Pending

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Mr. Shivers

2010 Horror / Speculative fiction

A horror novel following characters affected by a mysterious, predatory figure known as Mr. Shivers. It explores trauma, survival, and the consequences of violence.

traumarevengeAmerican gothic / suburban horror

The Company Man

2011 Mystery / Speculative fiction

A novel blending mystery and speculative elements, dealing with corporate secrets, loyalty, and moral compromise.

corporationsethicsconspiracy

The Troupe

2012 Thriller / Speculative fiction

A novel about a young musician's initiation into a mysterious troupe, exploring identity, storytelling, and the costs of ambition.

identityart and sacrifice

American Elsewhere

2013 Speculative fiction / Horror

A woman returns to her hometown and uncovers strange, supernatural occurrences tied to the town's history and her family's past.

nostalgia and uneasecommunal secrets

City of Stairs

2014 Fantasy / Speculative fiction

Set in a world where gods once ruled, the novel is a political and investigative fantasy centered on the aftermath of divine rule and imperial power.

religion and powerimperialismhistory and memory

City of Blades

2016 Fantasy

The second book in The Divine Cities trilogy, dealing with war, occupation, and the costs of rebuilding, with character-driven exploration.

aftermath of warreconstruction and responsibility

City of Miracles

2017 Fantasy

The concluding volume of the trilogy, resolving themes of divinity, power, and the long-term consequences of empire.

divinity's consequencesfate and choice

Foundryside

2018 Fantasy / Techno-fantasy

A heist-oriented fantasy set in a city where encoded magic drives technology; follows a thief caught in a conflict between power and invention.

magic-technology fusioncorporate power

Shorefall

2020 Fantasy

Sequel to Foundryside, continuing the story of encoded magic and the political-technical struggles shaping the city.

sacrifice and transformation

Locklands

2022 Fantasy

The conclusion of The Founders trilogy, addressing the broader implications of binding magic and its societal effects.

technology diffusionethical dilemmas

The Tainted Cup

2024 Speculative fiction / Fantasy

First book of The Shadow of the Leviathan series, a sprawling speculative tale of conspiracy and powerful institutions; finalist for the 2025 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

conspiracycorruption of power

A Drop of Corruption

2025 Speculative fiction / Fantasy

Second book in The Shadow of the Leviathan series (2025), continuing the arc established in The Tainted Cup and expanding the series' stakes.

corruption and renewal

Bibliography

  • Mr. Shivers (2010)
  • The Company Man (2011)
  • The Troupe (2012)
  • American Elsewhere (2013)
  • City of Stairs (2014)
  • City of Blades (2016)
  • City of Miracles (2017)
  • Foundryside (2018)
  • Shorefall (2020)
  • Locklands (2022)
  • The Tainted Cup (2024)
  • A Drop of Corruption (2025)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
genre-blending (speculative fiction, fantasy, horror)rich worldbuilding with plot-driven narrativedetailed prose that often engages social and political themes
Recurring Motifs
power and divinityurban history and memoryintersection of technology and magic

Legacy

Robert Jackson Bennett is a highly regarded 21st-century speculative fiction author known for complex worldbuilding and genre-blending narratives. He has won multiple awards and received numerous nominations, achieving both critical and commercial recognition.

Trivia

  • Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2005 with special honors in English.
  • Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award (multiple times) and recipient of other genre awards and nominations.