City of Others

by Jared Poon

In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything – even the weird stuff. Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Department for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), tasked with taking care of the supernatural occurrences and people no one else wants to deal with, from restless ghosts to immortal gods to conniving jinn. Overworked and under-resourced, he has to juggle the demands of senior management, an elderly father, and a new boyfriend, all while trying to keep his team out of trouble.

When an entire block of flats goes missing in the town of Clementi, drowned in an otherworldly wave, the information he needs to prevent another catastrophe lies in the pasar bayang – the shadow markets. But the demigod protector of the markets has neither forgotten nor forgiven their humiliation by the Singapore authorities decades ago. Ben will need to wrestle with the legacy of his government and the whispers of his own insecurities, navigating landscapes both urban and fantastical, both inside the soul and outside the real world, all so he can just do his goddamn job.

Genres: Fantasy, Adult, Queer, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, LGBT, Romance

Unknown Binding

Expected publication January 13, 2026

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got two words for you: undead ducklings. If that's not a selling point for a book, I don't know what is. City of Others is an absolutely delightful read, kind of The Rivers of London series meets Singaporean folklore. There are wyverns and golems and jinn and diviners and magical markets and alternate dimension piranhas and, yes, undead ducklings, and it's all really quite entertaining and fun.

This novel is humorous in parts yet still surprisingly deep. It explores the themes of grief and loss and and self-sacrifice and friendship, and the worldbuilding is absolutely brilliant. The magic system is unique and the characters likeable. It's obvious that the author is well-versed in the subject of Singaporean folklore and there are a huge variety of magical creatures to be found within the pages of this book.

Honestly, I'm already obsessed with Ben and his motley group of magical bureaucrats and this is only book one in the series.

If you enjoy the Rivers of London novels, this book is an absolute must-read. DEUS is basically Singapore's version of the Folly, and Ben Toh and Peter Grant have very similar job duties (that is, they're both responsible for handling the weird supernatural shenanigans that occur in their respective countries). This book, however, does feel a lot more metaphysical than anything Ben Aaronovitch has written and the magic system is wholly original.

So, yeah. This novel is tremendously fun and magically-fueled and full of amazing creatures and characters and THERE ARE UNDEAD DUCKLINGS, YOU GUYS. Seriously, I could have just ended this review after the first sentence because nothing else I've written is going to convince you to read this book if that hasn't.

4.75 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 13, 2026.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw Jamie's review and got curious!

A story of an overworked Singaporean government worker? That sounds like some of my friends...

Jokes aside, I would like to appreciate the author and everyone else who helped in publishing a fantasy book about Southeast Asian folklore! I used to dream about days like this.

I’m glad we have more representation in books nowadays, from Jesse Q. Sutanto's Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man , and now this upcoming fantasy book to be released in 2026!

As a Southeast Asian, I grew up listening to stories about a lot of creatures/supernatural entities mentioned in this book. It is so entertaining to see the author build a whole story based on them and create a fictional government organization that monitors them. (Although if I am being honest, I did not know toyols are supposed to be in the form of ducklings?)

The book has a perfect balance of humor and danger, and the characters are absolutely delightful. Aside from all the hilarious and flirty banter between Ben and Adam, and how protective Ben is of his whole team, the book also talks about grief, although in a fantasy way, where this grief turns into something that could literally consume the whole country.

I loved the adventure and the enchanting magic sprinkled throughout the plot, and I'm excited to hear that there will be a second book. I can't wait to see more readers, especially those unfamiliar with Southeast Asian folklore, get sucked into this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the e-ARC!

[T Davidovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a blast with this one. What starts out as a funny romp turns out to carry a refreshing amount of depth in this urban fantasy novel full of monsters and mysteries. Set in an alternate version of Singapore, City of Others follows a government bureaucrat named Ben as he investigates a strange occurence. Along the way, he collects absurd companions and enemies. There's an undead time traveling cat. There's a plucky half djinn intern. There's an invisible wyvern. There's a demigod prophet who sleeps with a plush anthropomorphic egg. Most importantly, there's Ben himself, who has his own set of uncanny abilities. On one or two occasions, he wields powers that feel a little convenient, but it mostly happens in more minor moments. All his biggest victories feel earned.

The setting is unapologetically imaginative, wild, hilarious, immersive, and fun, but there are dark undercurrents to it. This alternative version of Singapore has plenty of Lovecraftian horrors to go around. It has some very human horrors too: bigotry, a history of occupation and colonialism, and plain old office drudgery. Ben also has his own personal issues to deal with, especially with his unprocessed grief for his mother and his stunted relationship with his aging father. The narrative deftly weaves in philisophical and political ideas in order to tackle these tough themes with the care, nuance, and sophistication they deserve. Jared Poon's writing approaches everything with a precision that is almost academic without forgetting the power of spectical when it comes to fantasy stories. There's some bloat and repetition at times, but the plot is entertaining and propulsive enough that you can just rush right past it without getting bogged down.

City of Others is pitched to fans of The Rivers of London and A Master of Djinn. I'd additionally recommend it if you liked The Witness for the Dead, The Last Sun, White Trash Warlock, The City We Became, and Black Water Sister. While it's not quite as innovative as The Saint of Bright Doors, I also think there are some surprising similarities there too. Poon basically takes the best of a whole lot of modern urban fantasy books, and gives you an experience that is both familiar and wholly unique. I'm thrilled to see there are plans for a sequel. This book stands alone, but there are absolutely loose threads can still be explored, and I can't wait to do so.

~Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a Digital ARC. All opinions are my own.~

[alyssa✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

another mid book 🥲

[Cori Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me at (from a blurb):

Benjamin Toh is an overworked and underpaid middle manager in a government department tasked with keeping the supernatural population of Singapore happy and out of sight.

So yes, fantasy Government minions are my jam, apparently ... I love the two main comparisons for this book, A Master of Djinn and Rivers of London, and this book does vibe well with those, but also brings its own magic system, folklore and character relationships. The office politics was rather close to home for me, LOL, but luckily the fantasy parts of the book drew me right in and avoided this feeling like a busman's holiday. I did feel the pace wobbled a bit in places, and I'd like more depth from the side characters -- but hopefully this will turn into a longer series and bring all of that out.

Current release date is mid-January, definitely consider popping it on your Want To Read for then!


This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.

[Siavahda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5. Tw for on-page animal death in chapter 2

*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*

Highlights

~tend your Garden
~relationship barracuda are a thing now
~undead ducklings are surprisingly badass

Well, this turned out to be extremely not-for-me.

In so many ways, City of Others feels like a breath of fresh air: the Singaporean setting is completely new to me, there’s no werewolves or vampires in sight, and the main character Ben and his love interest are already dating when the book starts. Bonus: Ben’s magical power is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. (And that’s saying something, when you’ve read as much fantasy as I have!)

Ben – Benjamin – is the core of the tiny DEUS, the government department responsible for managing the supernatural community and their concerns. When he’s not drowning in paperwork, he’s helping a family of goblins find a school that will accept their child as a student, or a goddess deal with a racist landlord who keeps hiking the rent. He’s fairly cynical about the DEUS as a body – they’d need so much more funding, and bosses who aren’t idiots, to really start fulfilling their mission – but he’s a genuinely good person who is always trying to help. He reminded me very strongly of the best kind of social worker – which is arguably what he is, really. He and his team get caught up in a deeply weird case of strange and dangerous happenings centred on a block of flats; they’ve never seen anything like it before and have no idea what’s going on, but if they don’t figure it out, a lot of people are going to die.

The stakes, they are plenty high!

I have never been to Singapore, but I loved it as a setting here. Poon draws on Singapore’s long history as a cultural melting pot for inspiration for the fantastical elements of the book, especially Singapore’s immigrant communities. The way in which those communities have been treated by the real government is mirrored in DEUS’ history with the country’s ‘Others’ (the catch-all term for everyone who’s not a magicless human), a bloody legacy that Ben and his team have to wrestle with when trying to do outreach or gain cooperation. The enormous VARIETY of Others and their abilities was so much fun: the vast majority of them were drawn from folklore and mythology I barely know at all, and that was so much more interesting than the same handful of vampires/werewolves/witches we usually see in Urban Fantasy. MORE OF THIS, PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

On that note, Ben’s magic was fascinating. He’s a Gardener, which means he can manipulate the ‘garden’ of his soul – an inner landscape that manifests as a garden, where memories can be trees and emotions are flowers or weeds depending on whether he wants to cultivate them or not. We repeatedly see him uproot things like petty jealousies, or irrational anger, things he doesn’t want to let shape him, become him. Initially, this seemed like a very low-key kind of magic – though I loved how he could keep himself calm in a fight by weeding away fear, things like that – but quickly we discover that it’s not so: Ben is more like the mythological kind of martial artist, able to make himself very fast and strong. (I admit, this made no sense to me – I didn’t understand how his Gardening affected his body – but I got the impression I wasn’t supposed to think about it too hard.)

Over the course of the book, Ben discovers more and more applications for his Gardening…and to be honest, I got bored very quickly. It was happening so fast, and it felt like there were no limitations on this power at all, and that’s not the kind of superpower I enjoy. Almost every time a new obstacle arose, there was some way to Garden a solution – and not through awesome outside-the-box thinking, but through a previously unknown aspect of this power. Now and then there’s an assist from someone else, but generally, the only times Ben can’t do something is because he runs out of strength, not because Gardening can’t solve the problem alone.

My enjoyment went down in direct proportion to the Gardening becoming more and more powerful. The first third or so of City of Others is great; after that, events started to feel rushed, even as the book became more and more of a slog. At one point, Ben and co are ready to Attempt A Solution – and they do three big, major ritual-things back-to-back in the same scene. Instead of trying, failing, and having to regroup, recover, and figure something else out – gather allies or spell components or whatever – they just immediately try something else. That means each of these three Huge Big Things have no emotional impact, the reader has no time to process them and feel the impact of them, because we’re already rushing right into the next thing. (And please don’t get me started on how Ben out of nowhere has the idea to teleport to the moon – with no spacesuit or oxygen tank – so he can move the shadow of the earth to make it a full moon for a few minutes. NO.)

Most of the book is like this: even when genuinely terrible things happen, and people are horrifically injured, solutions (usually magical fixes) are found quickly and easily, so there are no consequences for anything – which strips everything of meaning, of impact. And of tension: I stopped being even mildly worried for anybody, because long before the climax it was clear that no named characters were in actual danger of anything permanent. I was very upset when a dog died on-page, but even the unnamed humanoid characters were all fine – no civilian cost either, to anybody. (Some bad guys died, I think, but in this kind of story that hardly counts, does it?) There’s even a last-second deus ex machina towards the end of the final fight that had me rolling my eyes so hard I nearly strained something – I like a magic cat as much as the next person, but really?

The prose is very typical of Urban Fantasy, which is to say it’s not very descriptive, and it’s very blunt and simple. I’d put it a step or two below the Kate Daniels books, but not big steps. I don’t think most fans of Urban Fantasy will have a problem with the writing. For me, it was too simple – I wanted much more sensory detail, especially because there was so much in City of Others that was new to me; the setting, most of the magic, basically all of the magical beings. I wanted to know what everything looked and felt like, what the smells and tastes were, and there was none of that. Ben gave us quick rundowns on things, but they were pretty dry and info-dumpy, and minimal (canonically, DEUS doesn’t have a lot of info on the supernatural community they’re supposed to be dealing with). I wanted a LOT more, and it wasn’t delivered.

Ben’s arc is meant to be that he has to stop trying to do everything himself – he has to be able to ask for help, and to allow others to risk their safety when that’s their decision to make. This is a subversion of the Badass Protagonist that I usually really enjoy, but none of the secondary characters who are helping had much personality – and besides, everyone had plot armour, which made the stakes re asking for and accepting help toothless.

The romance was…fine. I was baffled that after eleven dates Ben and Adam weren’t calling each other boyfriends – surely by that point you’ve decided what the relationship status is? – but it was fine. Adam was perfectly nice. I did think his magical power was very whatever-the-plot-needed too, like Ben’s Gardening – somehow he was always able to do something that was super helpful with whatever the current problem was, even when there’d been no hint he could do anything of the kind before. I didn’t really care about the romance one way or the other; I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t into it, either. It was perfectly okay.

All together, I had to really force myself to finish the last third – I wanted to DNF so badly, and I probably should have; it was such a slog, I had to curl up for a nap after finishing it. But as much as I disliked it, I’m not sure it’s much worse than your standard Urban Fantasy – it’s definitely not up there with the greats, but if you’re a UF fan in the mood for something fast and breezy that you don’t have to think about too hard, you might have fun with this, especially if you like the sound of a setting that isn’t the US or UK.

I just think it says a lot that an hour after finishing this book, I couldn’t remember Ben’s name when I was explaining the plot to my partner. I don’t think this is going to be anyone’s newest favourite, and I definitely won’t be picking up the sequel. No thank you!

[Crystal Staley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve ever wondered what an overworked, understaffed government agency in charge of supernatural beings looks like, then City of Others is for you. We follow Ben through his day to day of going to work to investigate odd occurrences, find help for a goblin to attend school, take in the new intern—all while trying to find time for dinner with father and for his budding relationship with Adam. Unfortunately this latest occurrence has the team stooped as we follow them in their investigation which leads us to many interesting folks and places.

I had so much fun with this story! I loved exploring the world that Jared Poon has created from hidden markets to construction sites then ‘diving’ into the other side. It was so interesting to see how this agency was set up and their role in assisting the Others. I thought Ben was such an endearing character. He felt so relatable and I was very much rooting for him. The relationship between him and his coworkers was great. I love a quirky rag-tag team and these folks are certainly that. They have a great dynamic between them. I also enjoyed the mystery of what was threatening the city. It all felt very unique and I had to keep turning pages so could see what was going to happen next!

I highly recommend this if you are looking for a whimsical story with wonderful characters and world-building. I was so invested in this team and loved taking this journey with them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an early copy of this book.

[Rachel Drenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

when this is released in January,everyone needs to go and get it. What a fun supernatural urban take. This did remind me of Rivers of London a bit too. The main characters, I just loved. I honestly didn't want to set this one down.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit books for early copy for review*

This was so delightful. This is set in Singapore in a world of people labeled others for having powers or being different than human. Ben works in civil service in a department of others ends up om an adventure. Ben is someone that wants to do everything himself and him being a "gardener" is so detailed and interesting how he stores all the rules of the others while being able to change his bodies capabilities.

I loved the humor in this and found it a great example of having a book with office lingo without making it seem overdone. I think that I could love this even more on a reread, but right now it is 4 star due to pacing and mostly knowing that I was never obsessed about this like my 5 star books.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

The world is in trouble and our only hope lies in a ragtag bunch of underfunded and overworked civil servants, hahaha.

How would I describe CITY OF OTHERS? Imagine if Ilona Andrews wrote an urban fantasy set in contemporary Singapore. Add in found family vibes, a sweet queer romance, and some lovely reflections on self-responsibility and collaboration. Perhaps because it is a debut novel, it has some issues with worldbuilding, character and story development, but overall I still enjoyed it!

Benjamin Toh works for DEUS, a secret section of the Singaporean government that manages the hidden existence of Others: humans and other creatures with magical abilities or characteristics. Work is already difficult enough for Ben and his under-resourced and overworked team, but they are tasked to the next level when a disappearing floor in an apartment building is the first indication of a dangerous supernatural threat that is getting ever closer to the oblivious citizens of Singapore…

I love that this book doesn’t take itself too seriously. Ben and his friends/colleagues are always ready with a quip or two, even in the most dire of circumstances. In fact, sometimes I wish that the book would take itself a bit more seriously, especially when it comes to worldbuilding and story development. I wanted some more definitive setup near the beginning of the book. Is there any historical precedent to the presence of Others in Singapore? How was DEUS set up, and how are its relations with other governmental ministries? I wish I had gotten more information about the magic system, what’s at stake, what the rules are. New, increasingly more random and absurd magical elements kept on popping up as the story went along, and I wanted it to be like, STOP. BREATHE. Take a step back. Start again. Debut novel issues, perhaps?

CITY OF OTHERS has an utterly charming “found family” vibe, and themes of community care and self-responsibility. Ben learns the important lesson that you don’t–in fact, you shouldn’t–try to save the world alone. I did want more character development across the board, because I had trouble picturing key secondary characters like Jimmy, Mei, and Adam, beyond one-dimensional personalities.

CITY OF OTHERS isn’t perfect, but I still ended up enjoying my time with it. I’d be keen to follow Poon’s writing career further!

[16 November 2025]

Super fun, despite some inconsistencies and underdeveloped bits! Reminds me a bit of Ilona Andrews.

Full review to come.

[Ariel (ariel_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. This was a light queer urban fantasy set in Singapore, and I had a great time with it! I liked the quirky group of civil servants trying to keep magical forces at bay, and overall the humorous and snarky tone was a lot of fun. some magical elements I would've loved to get more explanation about, but otherwise this is a solid debut.

A big thank you to Orbit for the free copy of the book in exchange for my own honest opinion!

[Chrys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant, this was one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a while. Set in Singapore, our MC is working for a department of the government dealing with supernatural phenomena and people.
This is equal parts darkly disturbing, ridiculously funny and heartbreaking. There’s dark energy and corruption, reanimated dead ducklings and a found family like no other. It’s so hard to review without spoilers, so I’m going to keep this brief, but it’s a definite recommendation.

[Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up.
City of Others was such a fun and heartwarming read! It was the perfect antidote to the cold and dark winter I’m currently experiencing.

City of Others follows Ben who works in an obscure government department in Singapore. But it’s not quite the Singapore we all know: ghost cats, Jinn, Naga and packs of necromantically reanimated ducklings all roam the city or hide in underground communities. It’s Ben’s job to watch over these ‘others’ and make sure that the supernatural and real worlds don’t come into conflict but his job becomes unexpectedly difficult when a city block begins to phase out of reality. There’s a whole lot to love in this book from found family to supernatural shenanigans and a really sweet, queer romance.

I really liked the writing style in this book. It was really fast paced and engaging and also really lyrical and beautiful in places, though this did contrast a little with the very ‘modern’ dialogue which might throw a few people off. The writing was also really humorous in places and I caught myself snorting in laughter a few times!

The characters were also really lovely. Because of the somewhat short page count, they weren’t massively developed but the relationships and interactions between them felt really real and so I was really invested in the group throughout, they were all so loveable! The relationships were the centre of the book and I really liked how Adam and Ben’s relationship was written. I liked how messy and flawed it was yet so wholesome. All of the other relationships were fun as well, the characters all really felt like proper friends!

The plot was quite simple, though there were lots of small details that were really fun to find. I did really liked how messy that the challenge felt truly difficult to overcome: there were so many plans and attempts that it truly felt earned when the characters succeeded. I think the book did run the risk of feeling a bit repetitive but the characters and colourful setting saved it for me.

I just had so much fun with this! There were some dark moments and social commentary about how the government oppresses marginalised groups, but I really think that added to rather than took away from the cost and heartwarming tone. The world is an often dark place but friends and found family make it home.

To conclude, City of Others is a really lovely read and I’d really recommend it to any fans of cosy urban fantasy looking for a quick and well written read. I can’t wait for more books in the series!

[fridge_brilliance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I screamed with delight when I read the blurb for City of Others: not only a magical burocracy, but a queer one set in Singapore? Venn diagram of things that could draw me to check out a book even in isolation, so I read it as soon as I received the e-ARC.

It is compulsively readable, steeped in the affectionate sarcasm (or sarcastic affection) which I recognized instantly as very same tone in which my Singaporean friends talk about their own government, lots of themes and imagery from Southeast Asian mythology mixed into a cocktail with corporate grind comedy. It’s not cynical at all - if anything, it gets too earnest and corny in places - and on a language level, some passages were incisive to the point of essay-like sharpness.

The book isn’t without weak points, largely the pacing: it leaves minimal negative space/downtime to process consequences of events before we are rushed to experience the next ones, which, coupled with the tendency to suddenly raise stakes and then immediately find a way to reverse the damage, decreases their impact and importance. On a worldbuilding level, I’d have loved to simply soak more in the lovecraftian Sg and its mundane details, or explore - not unrelated to the earlier point about stakes - the weight of some decisions made by protagonist’s actions (that damage to past Divers and Gardeners, anyone?!), but the narrative rushed me from one scene to another, and with pop culture jokes and memes sprinkled throughout, it was too Looney Tunes where I wanted it to be a bit more Miyazaki. Giving space for the impact to land, the implications to sink in and broaden the experience beyond what’s just happened, on the page. I have some questions to internal logic of Ben’s powers and also why does Ben have more charged tension with his necromantic childhood bestie or the witch girl than his Perfect Boyfriend, but you know what? I vastly prefer this book to anything Ben Aaronovitch, so keep them coming.

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for an early copy, excited to see this out in the world

[Aurora deTag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was So. Freaking. Good! In all honesty, from the description alone I thought it would be a book I enjoyed but most likely not exactly my thing, and I was so very wrong.

This book was amazing, from the fantasy aspects to the commentary on bureaucracies to the relatability of the characters. My favorite element was the author’s unique exploration of the concept of internal magic vs external magic, something I really enjoyed and personally haven’t seen before in fantasy. Additionally, there are elements of romance which were done nicely, intertwining with the plot instead of overshadowing or feeling out of place. There is a bit of a humorous tone throughout as well which made this a quick and easy read, and with the added suspense of how the central conflict would resolve I ended up reading this book in 3 days (very fast for me).

A key aspect of the worldbuilding in this book is Singaporean folklore, something I knew nothing about going into this. It was delightful to learn of all the magical/mythical/fantastical creatures from another culture. The fantasy species and various dynamics and cultures were well explored, building a clear world of others. There was also a ghost cat along with undead ducklings, and even some otherworldly piranhas!

Despite all of the fantasy elements and humorous tone at times, this book covered some hard-hitting topics as well. The exploration of grief and loss and of self-esteem and letting others in was powerful. I really found myself thinking alongside the main character sometimes about how I would feel in his place, and how maybe I should learn from his character growth.

If I had to compare the vibes of this book to another I’ve read I would say it is vaguely similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea, in the best way. Would highly recommend for fans of that book, but also just for general fantasy fans!

Make sure to get this book on January 13, 2026!

[Cherie Lim-Tseng · Rating 5 out of 5]

City of Others is an imaginative re-envisioning of Singapore, one that feels deeply rooted in place while daring to see the city differently. The world-building clearly draws from the author’s time in the civil service, lending the story a lived-in authenticity where institutions, power, and bureaucracy feel as real as the magic layered over them.

One of the book’s great strengths is its use of local and Asian lore. Myths and legends are woven naturally into the narrative, adding texture and depth rather than serving as mere embellishment. I was especially impressed by how everyday life metaphors are transformed into magical talents—powers feel personal, symbolic, and meaningfully tied to character, which strengthens both the magic system and character development.

I remain slightly undecided about the introduction of a shadowy organisation. While it adds intrigue and hints at a larger arc, it also shifts the focus in ways that invite questions. That said, I’m genuinely curious to see how this thread develops in future books, as it feels like deliberate groundwork rather than a misstep.

Overall, City of Others earns high marks for imagination, storytelling, and character work. It is a confident, locally grounded fantasy with a strong sense of identity, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where this world goes next.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books set in places I’m familiar with always give me a special kind of comfort. City of Others by Jared Poon is a queer fantasy set in Singapore, and even though I’m not Singaporean, living in Malaysia means the city, the language, the colloquialisms, the culture… all of it feels close enough to home that I instantly connected with it. The references landed, the atmosphere felt real, and that familiarity made the reading experience extra fun.

What really makes this book stand out is the way it weaves in Singaporean and regional folklore. We get jinns, pontianaks, magical markets, wyverns, and even undead ducklings. It’s such a playful, imaginative mix, and because I grew up hearing about many of these creatures, seeing them pop up in a fantasy setting felt both nostalgic and exciting.

The book is also surprisingly deep and somber at times. We see Ben, our main character, grappling with the grief of losing his mom and navigating a strained relationship with his ageing father. I really like how the author blends all these magical elements with emotional depth, handling the themes of grief and family with care and tenderness.

And the worldbuilding? Incredibly creative. Yes, it’s Singapore, but it’s also a warped, eldritch, almost Lovecraftian version of it. Familiar landmarks and vibes are twisted into something darker, stranger, and way more magical.

Such a refreshing take on urban fantasy, and honestly, I'm just happy to read something from my culture.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Jared Poon, and Orbit for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was such a good book. It felt refreshing to read a book that is queer, cozy, and in an urban fantasy setting. I will say that I am not always a fan of certain cozy fantasies. But I didn't find this book slow or that nothing was happening. There was actually a lot happening in this shorter book. The writing was addicting. The characters were interesting and complex. I enjoyed that the characters had more complexity to them. That is something that I have found difficult to find in the cozy fantasy genre. I will say that there were a few parts that I struggled with. But it might have been me, not the book. I look forward to re-reading this book again. I'm excited that we are getting more books in this world. I can't wait to read book 2. I highly recommend this book!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining urban fantasy. I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

There were a few things about this book that made it feel really fresh and unique. The setting is really cool. It’s a Singapore set urban fantasy and this is such an entertaining part of the story. There’s a real cinematic, visual quality to the storytelling here. The magic system is also impressive. There was a good tension between the characters embracing their powers to do their jobs but also dealing with the bureaucracy in place to protect people from those with powers. There was a good intertwining of different powers as characters learned to work together. The use of mythical creatures here was also really entertaining.

I really liked the personal growth the main character had throughout this story. He has a bit of a protector complex and won’t ask for help even where he needs it because he feels responsible for other people. Throughout the story as he’s faced with increasingly impossible challenges he starts to reassess this and be more willing to trust the people around him. I’m not always a fan of romance in books, but here it was really wholesome and the main character is made a better person through his relationship.

This book managed to be action packed and simultaneously quite witty and charming. It was an enjoyable read!

[Jessica Beebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

City of Others



Rating: 4





This is another story of fantasy realism done right, an urban romp where the monsters are real but sometimes the monsters are just the bureaucracy inside Government.



On one hand, this is a tale of an overworked civil servant called Ben who is trying his best to complete his never ending to do list in the hope that he can go and make a difference to the community he serves.


On another, Ben works for DEUS (Division of Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders) the department who deals with ‘Others’ those that society chooses to ignore. Overworked and Understaffed, Ben and his team deal with the most folks most magical in an attempt to keep society safe.



Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this ARC!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely Want the Next Book

If I had not been reading City of Others while prepping for Christmas, I would have finished this book within 24 hours. It was great. I was fascinated by the world. I liked the main character and the team he worked with. The world and characters were well-developed, but there is more to learn, and I am hoping it will be in the next book.

I almost never give books 5 stars, and infrequently give 4 stars, but this one gets a solid 4 stars.

[Anju]

I think this quote from Megan Bannen (The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy) sums up this book very well: “Urban fantasy that vibes like The X-Men meets Parks and Recreation? A send-up of government bureaucracy that is also a magnificent homage to public service? Sign me up! I love it when a book makes me think, ‘I have never read anything like this before.’ City of Others is that book—such a unique and refreshing read!”

[Rach A.]

so have we all been sold by Jamie’s review about the undead ducklings?

[Katherine]

What a fever dream! An amusing jaunt through Eastern lore and the sublayer of reality all woven together in a fast-paced, fun, little read. Great for fans of Tomihiko Morimi’s ‘The Tatami Galaxy’ and Kevin Hearne’s ‘Ink & Sigil’ series. A good summer read with short chapters, a small cast of characters, and an “all’s well that ends well” ending leaving you with warm fuzzies and the sneaking suspicion that you just witnessed someone’s dream.

[Venneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really well done urban fantasy novel that takes place in a modern Singapore where the government has acknowledged the existence of supernatural creatures, and focuses in on a young gay bureaucrat trying to balance his job, his boyfriend, and his father, and what happens when an entire block of flats supernaturally drowns. The cast is really well done, we get the beleaguered bureaucrat as a main character, and the ultimate solution to what happens here is really rooted in community. Comes out in January; pick it up when it does.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Orbit Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Release date January 13th, 2026.

I requested this book based on the intriguing Singapore-based urban fantasy premise. In City of Others, Benjamin Toh is an overworked employee in Singapore’s secret, critically understaffed department for supernatural affairs. When their staff psychic detects something amiss at a local apartment block, Ben is dragged into an affair encompassing Lovecraftian horrors, minor local deities, and the sinister history of his own department.

City of Others is structured like a classic urban fantasy, with its city setting, hidden supernatural factions, and a plot that centers around investigation and fighting monsters. But the atmosphere is very different from the romance subgenre in vogue some fifteen years back. The plot is stodgily governmental, the romance elements minimal, and the supernatural community is based on the mythology of Singapore with not a werewolf to be seen. The main character’s power is effectively a unique take on cultivation. He’s a Gardener who prunes his soul into shape to cultivate virtues, which enables him to perform feats of healing and athletic prowess. And no doubt more things that will be revealed in the inevitable sequel.

While I found the worldbuilding appealing, the character relationships felt distanced and flat. The attempted romance in particular solidly whiffs it: Benjamin has zero chemistry with his putative love interest, Adam. It felt like Benjamin was talking himself into the relationship because he thought he should be honored that handsome and kind Adam would date him. Not much grounds for a romance. Benjamin himself is more flawed than you’d expect for a guy whose magic power is cultivating virtue. He insists on handling everything himself to a pathologic degree, and consistently fails to communicate with either his father or Adam. While the emotional concept seems juicy, the story relied on a more tell than show style that made Benjamin’s problems feel distant and abstract.

Great setting, solid execution, but not a particular standout for me. Pair with The Formidable Miss Cassidy or Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review: Jared Poon City of Others.
Orbit Books, thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

City of Others is the kind of urban fantasy that doesn’t shout for attention but quietly earns it, page by page, until you suddenly realize you’re deeply invested in the fate of an overworked civil servant and his extremely irregular coworkers. Set in a magically layered version of Singapore, this novel follows Ben Toh, a middle manager in a government department tasked with keeping the supernatural population calm, compliant, and most importantly out of sight. It’s Men in Black energy filtered through office politics, Southeast Asian folklore, and the slow ache of unresolved grief.

What immediately worked for me was the tone. This book is cozy without being soft, funny without being flippant, and emotional without tipping into melodrama. Ben is exhausted, cynical, and deeply kind, the sort of protagonist who keeps going not because he thinks he’s a hero, but because no one else is going to do the work properly. His narration is dry, observant, and often very funny, especially when skewering bureaucracy and the quiet absurdities of government work. As someone who loves fantasy that treats paperwork as a legitimate obstacle, I felt very at home here.

The worldbuilding is a huge highlight. Singapore feels lived-in and specific, and the magic is rooted in Southeast Asian mythology rather than the usual urban fantasy staples. Jinn, pontianaks, minor gods, shadow markets, and undead ducklings coexist with high-rise buildings and government forms, and somehow it all works. The supernatural elements aren’t just there to look cool; they reflect themes of marginalization, colonial history, and who gets protected by systems that claim to serve everyone.

Ben’s magic as a Gardener, someone who tends the inner landscape of his soul, is one of the more original concepts I’ve read in a while. Memories, emotions, and personal flaws take physical shape, and caring for them becomes both power and burden. It’s a beautiful metaphor for grief, self-control, and the danger of trying to prune yourself into something perfectly functional. As the story escalates and the city itself is threatened, that internal work becomes just as important as the external action.

The supporting cast adds warmth and texture, from Ben’s fiercely loyal coworkers to his aging father and his tentative, quietly sweet romance with Adam. This is very much a found family story, one that emphasizes community and shared responsibility over lone heroics. One line in particular stuck with me: “You can’t save a city by yourself. All you can do is decide who you’re willing to stand with while it’s burning.” That sentiment sits at the heart of the book.

If I had one small critique, it’s that the pacing occasionally moves a little too quickly through moments I wanted to linger in emotionally. Still, the heart of the story never gets lost, and the balance between humor, danger, and introspection remains strong throughout.

City of Others is a thoughtful, charming urban fantasy debut that feels fresh without reinventing the genre. It’s about monsters and magic, yes, but it’s also about burnout, care, and learning when to ask for help. I finished it feeling comforted, impressed, and very ready to return to this world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars

#CityOfOthers #JaredPoon #UrbanFantasy #QueerFantasy #SoutheastAsianFantasy #OrbitBooks #NetGalleyARC #BookReview #FoundFamily #CozyFantasy

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

City of Others by Jared Poon is absolutely full of heart. This urban fantasy centers a governmental department whose role is to look after the Others of Singapore—from minor gods to creatures from folklore; from people with magical powers to the occasional undead duckling. At the center of it all is Ben, the department’s middle manager and only field officer. The book is quite charming; and I have to say that I really love the depiction of a civil servant working hard to navigate governmental systems (and quietly breaking the rules) in order to take care of the supernatural people under and do genuine good in the world. While I didn’t always enjoy the pacing of this book, I did appreciate all that the book accomplished and hope to see more in this series in the future.

This book is a paradoxically fast-paced and, at times, kind of slow story of a group of supernatural office workers trying to untangle the ocean of magic that’s threatening in apartment block and its residents while navigating the limitations imposed as a result of being government employees. Overall, I thought the worldbuilding was neat: I enjoyed the mix of mythologies that were utilized, and the way different magics and peoples were described was really fun. It’s decidedly a soft magic system—I’d be hard pressed to name one magical thing in the book that couldn’t be twisted later with some other, different, outside-the-box-thinking magic. If you like your magic to follow strict rules, this probably isn’t the book for you. If you’re okay with problems being solved by DEUS ex machina (pun very much intended) and are happy to go with the flow, this book’s magic and worldbuilding will probably be really fun and refreshing. I appreciate that it’s used well to explore important themes while never taking itself too seriously.

I will say that I did not always enjoy the pacing of the book. There were a lot of times where the plot moved so fast or left so little room to feel the impacts of a challenging moment or a loss, that I found myself a tad bored even when there was so much happening on the page. I often wanted to linger a bit longer, to feel the emotion rather than rushing on to the next scene or idea. Similarly, creative solutions to problems are not always built up, resulting in that same distance from the action in the book. The end result was that, even when a lot was happening, I sometimes struggled to get invested in the story and ended up not really wanting to sit down and read it. Like I said, I did end up enjoying it overall, but I do hope that future installments give a bit more time to feel the impacts of moments, learn about relationships, and linger in the aftermath of a scene.

Overall, this was a 3.5-star read for me, rounded up because I genuinely had a good time even if the pacing didn’t always work for me.

Thank you to Orbit books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Asher · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one really didn't do it for me. There's a lot of fun ideas, and as a significant fan of the "Rivers of London" series, I was looking forwards to a similar vibe in a new city, a new part of the world. However, those fun ideas were hamstrung by immature writing and inconsistency in basically everything. This is a real shame, as I was especially hoping to enjoy the queer romance elements.

Some of what I perceive to be immature writing would have been improved with a tighter editing pass, like when within the first few pages, there's reference to Some Big Events that happened when the narrator was thirteen. Oh, I wonder if that Chekhov's gun will ever come up again? Subtlety, who is she? There's a bad case of Capitalised Noun Syndrome, too, where it holds great significance to be a Gardener or a Diver or an Other, and coming up with some other names would have made me feel less like I was reading a 2010s YA series.

But some of the things were more fundamental issues. The power levels of the DEUS characters were wildly inconsistent, the threat of consequences disproportional to the reactions they engendered. The supernatural elements of Singapore are clearly capable of presenting world-ending threats (and have been for forever) and yet the team that deals with them is three half-forgotten Others and a couple interns? The Singaporean civil service is simultaneously too slow and cumbersome to be able to be relied on and yet was able to perpetuate some ethnic cleansing not too long ago? It felt to me like Poon wanted to apply the aesthetics of the world without actually thinking through the consequences or working to build a self-consistent system.

And Benjamin, our narrator, is maybe the worst for the inconsistency, and not in a way where it feels like it's intentionally being analysed or deconstructed. He's sometimes incredibly overpowered, healing significant injuries in minutes, and sometimes deeply bloody incompetent. It's not clear how or why he has ended up the team lead when he doesn't seem to be a particularly capable administrator, and he's definitely not the oldest one there. His relationship with Adam seemed to lack any real spark: Adam is beautiful and charming, and Ben doesn't ever really seem to make him laugh or have fun with him, yet Adam continues to be very interested in him for some unspecified reasons.

It's a frustrating experience, because on paper this ticks a lot of boxes for me. I love the concept of a queer urban fantasy, but I was extremely let down by the execution.

[Syndrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those stories that ended up being deeper than it originally seemed like it would be. Starting off it feels more like it could be a potential mystery of the week kind of deal where we’ll be following along as DEUS — a government agency that helps keeps supernatural beings & events out of the public eye — tries to uncover the mystery behind a disappearing neighborhood. But as the story progresses, it really digs deeper into bigger themes of ethics, society, and community.

The good:
- Satisfying character development.
- A good mix of humorous antics as well as serious moments and concepts.
- The idea of humans simply being too blind to notice gods and mythological beings living amongst in secret is definitely entertaining.
- Lots of diversity amongst the Others - we get to see jinns, wyverns, necromancers, and more alongside some concepts that I believe are unique to this novel. (I found the idea behind the Gardeners especially interesting!)
- I loved how the top secret government agency tasked with helping manage the Others is forced to deal with the same bureaucratic bs that the average human employee experiences.

The less good:
- At times, it seemed like the prose started to ramble a bit and it did lose my attention here and there. Other times it felt like too much information too fast and I had to reread portions to fully take a new concept in.
- It feels like the first half of the story was more plot focused, but towards the end the plot felt like it really took a backseat to the message that the book was trying to portray. So by the end, when the stakes should’ve been at the highest for our characters, it felt somewhat predictable and did not hold the same tension that the middle portions had.

Overall this was a nice read and, as a starting point for a new series, it did give us the foundations of the world and its rules while giving a good introduction to our main cast of characters. So even though I had a couple of problems with it, I’ll probably be keeping an eye out for the second book in the future to see how it plays out!

(I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher, Orbit Books, via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.)