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New World City
Blood will be spilled. Spells will be broken. When the last bullet is spent, who will be left standing?
New World City is a gritty fusion of cyberpunk and fantasy, praised for its sharp prose, immersive world-building, and punchy, cinematic pace.
SHUWEN LI—the NWPD's top cop. When a sniper takes a shot at the mayor, she becomes obsessed. But the case is a dead end—unless she's willing to cross the line and face horrors beyond the streets.
TY REESE—celebrity boxer turned crime lord. Running against the mayor. Showboating at the crime scene. A prime suspect who won't let anyone, or anything, stand in his way.
ZIJIAN SUN—ruthless queen of the Assassins Guild. She knows the truth but keeps it close, working on her own deadly agenda. The unfolding chaos is a weapon. She plans to use it.
ELI STRAUSS JR.—the man-child mayor. He wanted power, pleasure, and no consequences. A deal with an ancient fae wizard granted his wish—but the cost is coming due.
UZIEL SILVERMAN—infamous synth vigilante. He knows the mystery runs deeper than bullets and politics. He teams up with Shuwen to dig for the truth in a city built on lies.
INOLA MONTAG—Stasi Secret Agent 626. Her mission: Clean up the mess, erase the evidence, and keep The State’s secrets buried.
New World City is a gritty fusion of cyberpunk and fantasy, praised for its sharp prose, immersive world-building, and punchy, cinematic pace.
SHUWEN LI—the NWPD's top cop. When a sniper takes a shot at the mayor, she becomes obsessed. But the case is a dead end—unless she's willing to cross the line and face horrors beyond the streets.
TY REESE—celebrity boxer turned crime lord. Running against the mayor. Showboating at the crime scene. A prime suspect who won't let anyone, or anything, stand in his way.
ZIJIAN SUN—ruthless queen of the Assassins Guild. She knows the truth but keeps it close, working on her own deadly agenda. The unfolding chaos is a weapon. She plans to use it.
ELI STRAUSS JR.—the man-child mayor. He wanted power, pleasure, and no consequences. A deal with an ancient fae wizard granted his wish—but the cost is coming due.
UZIEL SILVERMAN—infamous synth vigilante. He knows the mystery runs deeper than bullets and politics. He teams up with Shuwen to dig for the truth in a city built on lies.
INOLA MONTAG—Stasi Secret Agent 626. Her mission: Clean up the mess, erase the evidence, and keep The State’s secrets buried.
- GenresScience FictionFantasy
356 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
6 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Spencer Hey
2 books5 followersSpencer Hey lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his lovely and brilliant wife and their lovely and brilliant dog. He has a PhD in philosophy and worked as an academic for about 10 years, exploring questions of ethics, science, and technology. A life-long lover of fantasy and sci-fi—whether in books, games, or movies—fantastic world-building has always been a passion of his. For 35 years or so, this passion has been limited to sketches and documents and small game demos that few people ever saw. New World City is his first effort to share the passion and bring one of these worlds to readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 14, 2025
’New World City’ throws you straight into this intense city mashup: magic, tech, and a killer cyberpunk aesthetic are all bumping heads. The book is definitely fast-paced, and the writing is sharp—it keeps that energy up, especially during the action scenes, which are seriously engaging and well done.
But here’s the thing: while the book has raw energy, it gets tripped up by how the story is structured. One of the ‘problems’ is the flashbacks. Instead of dropping them in at a good spot, the author jams them right in the middle of a tense scene. It just yanked me right out of the moment every single time. It interrupted the story instead of enriching it.
The second ‘problem’ is the multiple POVs and characters which made it worse for me. I usually love seeing events from different angles—it can totally deepen the characters and plot—but here, there were just too many characters fighting for attention. The result was a disjointed read. I couldn't just sit down and power through; I had to read this thing in multiple sessions because the constant shifting made it so hard to get into a rhythm.
Because of all that jumping around, I couldn't really connect with anyone. The action was intense, but I felt kind of indifferent toward the characters, which is never a good sign. I couldn't invest in them or their goals.
On the bright side, the book isn't just about chaos and fighting. It gets deep into bigger themes of justice and what it takes to keep trying when the system is totally broken. That part was definitely interesting.
The world-building is ambitious— mixing Fantasy, SciFi, and cyberpunk—but it didn't quite work for me. It felt a little exaggerated and out of place, honestly. I know blending genres can make something awesome, but this felt more like a messy amalgamation than a seamless new vision. It was hard to buy into the pieces fitting together.
Truth be told, it is a good book with a strong writing style and killer action, but the frame is weak (that structure and POV setup). If you have the patience to handle all those shifting perspectives and don't mind putting in some extra effort to piece the world together, you might just love it.
Many, many thanks to Spencer Hey and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
But here’s the thing: while the book has raw energy, it gets tripped up by how the story is structured. One of the ‘problems’ is the flashbacks. Instead of dropping them in at a good spot, the author jams them right in the middle of a tense scene. It just yanked me right out of the moment every single time. It interrupted the story instead of enriching it.
The second ‘problem’ is the multiple POVs and characters which made it worse for me. I usually love seeing events from different angles—it can totally deepen the characters and plot—but here, there were just too many characters fighting for attention. The result was a disjointed read. I couldn't just sit down and power through; I had to read this thing in multiple sessions because the constant shifting made it so hard to get into a rhythm.
Because of all that jumping around, I couldn't really connect with anyone. The action was intense, but I felt kind of indifferent toward the characters, which is never a good sign. I couldn't invest in them or their goals.
On the bright side, the book isn't just about chaos and fighting. It gets deep into bigger themes of justice and what it takes to keep trying when the system is totally broken. That part was definitely interesting.
The world-building is ambitious— mixing Fantasy, SciFi, and cyberpunk—but it didn't quite work for me. It felt a little exaggerated and out of place, honestly. I know blending genres can make something awesome, but this felt more like a messy amalgamation than a seamless new vision. It was hard to buy into the pieces fitting together.
Truth be told, it is a good book with a strong writing style and killer action, but the frame is weak (that structure and POV setup). If you have the patience to handle all those shifting perspectives and don't mind putting in some extra effort to piece the world together, you might just love it.
Many, many thanks to Spencer Hey and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
July 12, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It gave me the feel of a Shadowrun type magic/technology world, although a slightly lower tech level. The world and characters are interesting and well thought out.
After a failed assassination attempt on the mayor of New World City, several forces work to discover who the assassin was and if the attempt was real at all or just a publicity stunt. The deeper the characters search, the more arcane and complicated the conspiracy becomes. At the very center of the conspiracy, an ancient and dark force pulls the strings. It’s a race against time to put the pieces of the puzzle together before it’s too late.
This book wasn’t exactly the cyberpunk/fantasy I was expecting when I read the introduction, but it actually surpassed my hopes. Everything is so well put together and thought out that the pieces a fit together, forming a truly exciting plot. I would highly recommend this to fans of Sci-fantasy and cyberpunk style novels.
After a failed assassination attempt on the mayor of New World City, several forces work to discover who the assassin was and if the attempt was real at all or just a publicity stunt. The deeper the characters search, the more arcane and complicated the conspiracy becomes. At the very center of the conspiracy, an ancient and dark force pulls the strings. It’s a race against time to put the pieces of the puzzle together before it’s too late.
This book wasn’t exactly the cyberpunk/fantasy I was expecting when I read the introduction, but it actually surpassed my hopes. Everything is so well put together and thought out that the pieces a fit together, forming a truly exciting plot. I would highly recommend this to fans of Sci-fantasy and cyberpunk style novels.
July 7, 2025
4/5 stars
Read via NetGalley
Plot – 3.5/5, the plot jumps you right in and then unspooled gradually, like a long subway ride where the scenery keeps shifting just when you think you’ve figured out the neighborhood. Slow and fast at the same time? Magic, science, tech, you name it.
Characters – 4/5, a wide cast of characters and shifting POVs, which could have easily felt chaotic. It did, sometimes. I ended up really enjoying how it was handled. At first, the emotional distance made it hard to connect. The writing style made that feel like an intentional part of the world’s design. Everyone had adapted to life in this strange, mega-city society. Over time, the characters unfolded in quiet, compelling ways. And the synths? They have my whole heart (one in particular).
World-Building/Concept – 4/5, this is where the book really shines. The city is futuristic without being flashy—surveillance, gangs, and corruption taken to its satisfying conclusion. Hey doesn't dump a big explanation of the world at reader's feet. You have to figure it out as you go.
Tone/Vibes – 4/5, minimalist. There’s a bluntness to the prose that fits the sterile world of New City. Hey balances that with moments of raw, human (or mutant) emotion. At times, I felt like I was reading a comic book dressed as a novel. I liked that.
Enjoyability – 4/5, it won’t be for everyone. It’s not loud or particularly warm. But if you like stories that feel like a genre bend anime-esque read, New World City is worth the journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!
Read via NetGalley
Plot – 3.5/5, the plot jumps you right in and then unspooled gradually, like a long subway ride where the scenery keeps shifting just when you think you’ve figured out the neighborhood. Slow and fast at the same time? Magic, science, tech, you name it.
Characters – 4/5, a wide cast of characters and shifting POVs, which could have easily felt chaotic. It did, sometimes. I ended up really enjoying how it was handled. At first, the emotional distance made it hard to connect. The writing style made that feel like an intentional part of the world’s design. Everyone had adapted to life in this strange, mega-city society. Over time, the characters unfolded in quiet, compelling ways. And the synths? They have my whole heart (one in particular).
World-Building/Concept – 4/5, this is where the book really shines. The city is futuristic without being flashy—surveillance, gangs, and corruption taken to its satisfying conclusion. Hey doesn't dump a big explanation of the world at reader's feet. You have to figure it out as you go.
Tone/Vibes – 4/5, minimalist. There’s a bluntness to the prose that fits the sterile world of New City. Hey balances that with moments of raw, human (or mutant) emotion. At times, I felt like I was reading a comic book dressed as a novel. I liked that.
Enjoyability – 4/5, it won’t be for everyone. It’s not loud or particularly warm. But if you like stories that feel like a genre bend anime-esque read, New World City is worth the journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!
June 22, 2025
3 ✰
We're plunged into an urban world where magic, futuristic technology, and a touch of cyberpunk all collide. The setting is quite effective, even if it sometimes lacks depth.
The book is short, engaging, and pretty fast-paced! There are plenty of action scenes, which makes the story quick to read and keeps the reader hooked.
The main issue lies in the way the story is structured. The author frequently uses flashbacks, but not always at the right time. They’re inserted right in the middle of ongoing action, cutting it up several times. Sometimes I felt like we had switched to a different scene or location—but actually, we were just being taken into a character’s past, since the story would return to the original action a few pages later! These flashbacks should have been placed separately to avoid interrupting the flow and pacing of the main narrative.
The story also shifts between multiple points of view, but this device isn’t fully mastered here. I usually enjoy seeing events from different angles, but in this case, there were perhaps a few too many characters.
──⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── • Investigation • Conspiracies • Multi POV • Corruption
જ⁀➴ Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a honest review <3
We're plunged into an urban world where magic, futuristic technology, and a touch of cyberpunk all collide. The setting is quite effective, even if it sometimes lacks depth.
The book is short, engaging, and pretty fast-paced! There are plenty of action scenes, which makes the story quick to read and keeps the reader hooked.
The main issue lies in the way the story is structured. The author frequently uses flashbacks, but not always at the right time. They’re inserted right in the middle of ongoing action, cutting it up several times. Sometimes I felt like we had switched to a different scene or location—but actually, we were just being taken into a character’s past, since the story would return to the original action a few pages later! These flashbacks should have been placed separately to avoid interrupting the flow and pacing of the main narrative.
The story also shifts between multiple points of view, but this device isn’t fully mastered here. I usually enjoy seeing events from different angles, but in this case, there were perhaps a few too many characters.
──⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── • Investigation • Conspiracies • Multi POV • Corruption
જ⁀➴ Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a honest review <3
August 19, 2025
My daughter turned me on to this book, and as someone who's never ventured beyond mystery/thrillers, I was skeptical about diving into sci-fi/fantasy. But New World City won me over! Storytelling flows beautifully, with a fun and interesting cast of characters. The book doesn't shy away from dark moments—some scenes made me never want to be alone in a dark room with the author!—but that edge kept me turning pages. I'm already looking forward to my next visit to this imaginative world.
October 2, 2025
3.5 stars.
I had so much fun reading this book. It's not perfect by any means, but the little details that knocked off my rating didn't take away from the reading experience or the ejoyment from it.
It's short and fast paced, and my favourite parts were the characters, which they are quite a few with their different povs, but they are very different and well written. They make you feel for them and root for them. Another aspect I loved is the futuristic world building, it is atmospheric, so easy to immerse yourself in the streets of the city.
I appreciate the book is easy to read, simple and fluid. But I think it would benefit from it with a little more develpment in the strecture, and the flow of the story to not drag. The actions sequences where really well written as well. And I'm certainly excited for the second installment, the conclusion keesp you hooked.
Thank you booksirens for the ARC copy of this book.
I had so much fun reading this book. It's not perfect by any means, but the little details that knocked off my rating didn't take away from the reading experience or the ejoyment from it.
It's short and fast paced, and my favourite parts were the characters, which they are quite a few with their different povs, but they are very different and well written. They make you feel for them and root for them. Another aspect I loved is the futuristic world building, it is atmospheric, so easy to immerse yourself in the streets of the city.
I appreciate the book is easy to read, simple and fluid. But I think it would benefit from it with a little more develpment in the strecture, and the flow of the story to not drag. The actions sequences where really well written as well. And I'm certainly excited for the second installment, the conclusion keesp you hooked.
Thank you booksirens for the ARC copy of this book.
August 27, 2025
New World City pulled me in right away with its gritty atmosphere and nonstop tension. Going into it, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a refreshing surprise. The writing is sharp and immersive—the kind of prose that makes you feel like you’re right there in the middle of the chaos.
What stood out most to me was how well the story balanced action, mystery, and deeper themes about corruption, duty, and survival. The main character is compelling, flawed in just the right ways, and her perspective keeps you engaged from start to finish. Even in the most intense moments, there’s a clarity to the writing that keeps the scenes moving at just the right pace.
This book is not just about battles and mayhem—it also digs into bigger questions of justice and what it means to keep fighting in a broken system. I found myself turning the pages quickly, eager to see where it would lead, and now I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What stood out most to me was how well the story balanced action, mystery, and deeper themes about corruption, duty, and survival. The main character is compelling, flawed in just the right ways, and her perspective keeps you engaged from start to finish. Even in the most intense moments, there’s a clarity to the writing that keeps the scenes moving at just the right pace.
This book is not just about battles and mayhem—it also digs into bigger questions of justice and what it means to keep fighting in a broken system. I found myself turning the pages quickly, eager to see where it would lead, and now I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 19, 2025
This insanely fun book combines propulsive storytelling and outrageous genre mashing. The dominant strain is cyberpunk, but fantasy, dystopia, police procedural, and superhero also join the party. Hey weaves these various strains elegantly, in the service of a riveting, twisty story of political assassination, divided loyalties, and violent confrontations. The worldbuilding will leave you eager for more time in New World City and its environs.
September 4, 2025
I really enjoyed New World City.
The characters are interesting with their past history masterfully incorporated into the story.
I look forward to reading more stories from Spencer Hey.
Rita Reineke
The characters are interesting with their past history masterfully incorporated into the story.
I look forward to reading more stories from Spencer Hey.
Rita Reineke
August 22, 2025
This was a truly tremendous read! From the very first page, the action pulls you in and never lets go. I especially enjoyed how the story wastes no time getting started, because it immediately captures your attention and keeps you invested. The way it shifts between different characters’ viewpoints adds so much depth, giving you a richer understanding of what is happening and why it matters. The pacing is excellent, the writing is vivid, and it holds your attention right through to the final page. I highly recommend picking this up. You won’t be disappointed!!
July 25, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. It's punchy and fast paced with loads of interesting and fun elements of science fiction, fantasy and hard boiled detective fiction. The narrative shifts between the perspectives of different characters each of them fully formed and unique and in each case the feel of the chapters they narrate feels like its own texture and style without being jarring.
I loved the short sentences as it conjured a sense of urgency. I also appreciated the use of titles for organisations and places that helped me as a reader to quickly conjure things.. New World City, Populist Party, etc... sometimes with these kinds of genres I spend half of my time referencing the index and the map in the front cover and it kind of takes you out of the moment and away from the action.
The directness of Hey's style and these choices definitely don't detract from the complexity of the world he has built or the quality of the ideas. There are moments of sweet poignancy and even poetic lyricism in his writing. This is good, intelligent fiction and I really look forward to diving into future installments. I'm hooked.
I loved the short sentences as it conjured a sense of urgency. I also appreciated the use of titles for organisations and places that helped me as a reader to quickly conjure things.. New World City, Populist Party, etc... sometimes with these kinds of genres I spend half of my time referencing the index and the map in the front cover and it kind of takes you out of the moment and away from the action.
The directness of Hey's style and these choices definitely don't detract from the complexity of the world he has built or the quality of the ideas. There are moments of sweet poignancy and even poetic lyricism in his writing. This is good, intelligent fiction and I really look forward to diving into future installments. I'm hooked.
July 26, 2025
3.8. This one is truly for fans of scifi/fantasy. it is written in a rather dry fashion that doesn't detract from the story but enhances it. The voice over quality quickly puts you deep into the story and then pulls you back just a bit at a time to let you in on what happened first. The characters are as complicated as the story. I really enjoyed this book. it's one of those stories your mind wanders back to when you are thinking of nothing. I received this ARC from Booksirens and am happy to leave this reveiw
November 21, 2025
Thank you to the author and to BookSirens for the ARC.
There is so much happening in this story. So so much. In the space of a handful of chapters, we are introduced to a sci-fi Asian inspired city setup with magic artefacts, a gang of clowns, the mafia, the Statsi, a guild of assassins, werewolves and other animal-human hybrids, mutants, cyborgs, synthetic humans, and superhero’s. It is, frankly, too much and the story suffers from it overall as the focus is split too many ways.
By the time the plot circles back around to a POV, the reader has forgotten what was happening and is unmoored in a series of events with no timeline cohesion. Similarly, the only concrete age were given in the entire story is that of an adult (potentially thirty eight year old) woman’s seventeen year old teenage lover. They are established as meeting when the teenager was thirteen, and becoming intimate at fifteen. This is notably the only queer relationship in the entire story. The third non-straight character is another villain who sexually assaults a female police officer. Make of that what you will, intentional or hopefully not, but the metrics are not great.
It’s unclear when this story is set. There’s an assassination in ‘95 and a company is established in ‘98, but there’s no grounding past that. There’s a thin layer of connectivity between the plot lines but none truly get the focus they need. The mayoral election, the corruption investigation, the magical plot, the assassins clearing house, the vigilantes struggle in the city, none of these stand out as important when they should be and would’ve been better suited to tackle One. And I will address the POVs below:
Shuwen (police)- I have a suspicion she’s meant to be a heroic POV which is a wild stance to make amongst the acts of police brutality that she deals out without a second thought. Her devotion to a corrupt job is broken, seemingly, by an attraction to a vigilante that she’s known for all of five hours. The bracers and her family background are intended to follow Chinese martial arts films? No other major influence of the culture has made its way through
Ty (mayoral candidate/gangster) - by far the most under-utilised character given that for the majority of the time, he was on a magical shopping trip. Having gangsters so overtly linked to fashion is such a fun concept and not used to the full potential (much like Ty). The man bites someone’s finger off to get to a magic ring and that was my favourite bit of the entire book.
Zijian (assassin) - she’s a honeypot in every sense and the aforementioned adult. She’s a stereotype of the seductive woman trying to maintain power and just not a great character to read.
Eli (mayoral candidate) - similarly underused given his cycle of unknowing duplication, again really cool concept that is lost amongst everything else
Uziel (synthetic superhero) - he’s there to be vaguely Batman and then be fridged (minor kudos for having the male LI die). There’s a mention of if humanity continues past the replacement of the body in a ship of Theseus way but it goes no further than that.
Inola (Statsi) - why this name for your secret police and then portray them to be vaguely neutral. She doesn’t feature heavily, a scattering of chapters here and there, and is mostly lost amongst the overarching plot
There is so much happening in this story. So so much. In the space of a handful of chapters, we are introduced to a sci-fi Asian inspired city setup with magic artefacts, a gang of clowns, the mafia, the Statsi, a guild of assassins, werewolves and other animal-human hybrids, mutants, cyborgs, synthetic humans, and superhero’s. It is, frankly, too much and the story suffers from it overall as the focus is split too many ways.
By the time the plot circles back around to a POV, the reader has forgotten what was happening and is unmoored in a series of events with no timeline cohesion. Similarly, the only concrete age were given in the entire story is that of an adult (potentially thirty eight year old) woman’s seventeen year old teenage lover. They are established as meeting when the teenager was thirteen, and becoming intimate at fifteen. This is notably the only queer relationship in the entire story. The third non-straight character is another villain who sexually assaults a female police officer. Make of that what you will, intentional or hopefully not, but the metrics are not great.
It’s unclear when this story is set. There’s an assassination in ‘95 and a company is established in ‘98, but there’s no grounding past that. There’s a thin layer of connectivity between the plot lines but none truly get the focus they need. The mayoral election, the corruption investigation, the magical plot, the assassins clearing house, the vigilantes struggle in the city, none of these stand out as important when they should be and would’ve been better suited to tackle One. And I will address the POVs below:
Shuwen (police)- I have a suspicion she’s meant to be a heroic POV which is a wild stance to make amongst the acts of police brutality that she deals out without a second thought. Her devotion to a corrupt job is broken, seemingly, by an attraction to a vigilante that she’s known for all of five hours. The bracers and her family background are intended to follow Chinese martial arts films? No other major influence of the culture has made its way through
Ty (mayoral candidate/gangster) - by far the most under-utilised character given that for the majority of the time, he was on a magical shopping trip. Having gangsters so overtly linked to fashion is such a fun concept and not used to the full potential (much like Ty). The man bites someone’s finger off to get to a magic ring and that was my favourite bit of the entire book.
Zijian (assassin) - she’s a honeypot in every sense and the aforementioned adult. She’s a stereotype of the seductive woman trying to maintain power and just not a great character to read.
Eli (mayoral candidate) - similarly underused given his cycle of unknowing duplication, again really cool concept that is lost amongst everything else
Uziel (synthetic superhero) - he’s there to be vaguely Batman and then be fridged (minor kudos for having the male LI die). There’s a mention of if humanity continues past the replacement of the body in a ship of Theseus way but it goes no further than that.
Inola (Statsi) - why this name for your secret police and then portray them to be vaguely neutral. She doesn’t feature heavily, a scattering of chapters here and there, and is mostly lost amongst the overarching plot
Read
June 6, 2025It is a great honor to be the first to publicly review this novel. My thanks go to BookSirens for the ARC copy.
I always read unpublished novels with great excitement and dedication, hoping to be among the first to discover a potential new global bestseller. However, this also comes with a certain level of responsibility: while personal tastes are inherently subjective, a recommendation—or a lack of it—can have serious consequences for a new author. With this in mind, I try to stay as positive as possible without compromising my honest opinion.
The world and story presented in this novel are intriguing. In terms of its imagery and atmosphere, it gave me a déjà vu feeling reminiscent of the 2017 film Bright, with a strong dose of the 2018 series Altered Carbon.
The plot unfolds in a steampunk, magical, and high-tech city of the not-so-distant future, following an investigation around a complex event. The premise and introduction are captivating; however, given that the story is built around a mystery, I personally expected more detailed and clever “CSI-style” investigative work. That said, the case is eventually solved in a more or less satisfying way.
The author’s style is pleasant and fluid, though I felt the world-building left something to be desired. What we do get is fine—it’s more about what’s missing that I had an issue with. With every chapter or point-of-view change, I felt as though the world of the novel ceased to exist; it was as if each chapter played out in its own isolated bubble, completely disconnected from the rest. I missed a coherent world that tied the different narrative threads together in a spatial sense, so I could better imagine the characters' positions within it.
As a short story or a supplement to an already established, multi-part series, I would consider this first-rate writing. But as a standalone novel, I was left with a sense of incompleteness. What also left a slightly bitter aftertaste was the lack of humor. In my opinion, a fictional novel needs at least one humorous character or some occasional witty remarks—not just for entertainment, but to provide contrast in the construction of a darker, more serious world. Perhaps there were attempts at this, but they didn’t quite reach my threshold.
Overall, the tone is more melancholic with bursts of action, rather than fast-paced, humorous, or gripping. There is plenty of potential in the author’s creativity and style, so I do believe many will enjoy this book—as well as any possible sequels in the future.
I always read unpublished novels with great excitement and dedication, hoping to be among the first to discover a potential new global bestseller. However, this also comes with a certain level of responsibility: while personal tastes are inherently subjective, a recommendation—or a lack of it—can have serious consequences for a new author. With this in mind, I try to stay as positive as possible without compromising my honest opinion.
The world and story presented in this novel are intriguing. In terms of its imagery and atmosphere, it gave me a déjà vu feeling reminiscent of the 2017 film Bright, with a strong dose of the 2018 series Altered Carbon.
The plot unfolds in a steampunk, magical, and high-tech city of the not-so-distant future, following an investigation around a complex event. The premise and introduction are captivating; however, given that the story is built around a mystery, I personally expected more detailed and clever “CSI-style” investigative work. That said, the case is eventually solved in a more or less satisfying way.
The author’s style is pleasant and fluid, though I felt the world-building left something to be desired. What we do get is fine—it’s more about what’s missing that I had an issue with. With every chapter or point-of-view change, I felt as though the world of the novel ceased to exist; it was as if each chapter played out in its own isolated bubble, completely disconnected from the rest. I missed a coherent world that tied the different narrative threads together in a spatial sense, so I could better imagine the characters' positions within it.
As a short story or a supplement to an already established, multi-part series, I would consider this first-rate writing. But as a standalone novel, I was left with a sense of incompleteness. What also left a slightly bitter aftertaste was the lack of humor. In my opinion, a fictional novel needs at least one humorous character or some occasional witty remarks—not just for entertainment, but to provide contrast in the construction of a darker, more serious world. Perhaps there were attempts at this, but they didn’t quite reach my threshold.
Overall, the tone is more melancholic with bursts of action, rather than fast-paced, humorous, or gripping. There is plenty of potential in the author’s creativity and style, so I do believe many will enjoy this book—as well as any possible sequels in the future.
June 11, 2025
This was a really interesting sci-fi, with some noir vibes. I did expect it to be a bit more sci-fi, so the fantasy elements surprised me a bit, but I did think it worked well in this story.
There are quite a few POV's, which was really interesting because you got to see the different perspectives, motives, backgrounds and collect all those puzzle pieces. There were, however, too many characters to really form a connection to anyone. So I felt a bit indifferent to the things that happened to them.
I was also a bit disoriented during some of the chapters. We often get a flashback, but it's not really clear it's a flashback or a memory until we return to the scene at hand. So halfway through a scene I find myself in a wildly different scenario (which, yes, I can usually figure out is an event that happened in the past) to find myself a page later transported back to the first scene. I think a different structure of the story or choosing to 'announce' the flashbacks (or put them in italics or something) would've been a better choice for this story, because those scenes often do add more depth to the story and/or character.
The worldbuilding was an interesting premise, and I would've loved to see it be expanded on more. The only thing I struggled with, are the words for time. They still use days, but also chime, turn, stretch, span, and it's not always clear out of the context what exactly it meant. Eventually (I think) I figured out that turn means year, but I'm not too sure about the others. This influence the impact certain sentences had. For example "she could've been here for a stretch!" (parafrased) just doesn't do much if I don't know how long a stretch is.
I am a little dissatisfied about certain endings, but happy with other endings that were tied up neatly. So overall a solid 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
There are quite a few POV's, which was really interesting because you got to see the different perspectives, motives, backgrounds and collect all those puzzle pieces. There were, however, too many characters to really form a connection to anyone. So I felt a bit indifferent to the things that happened to them.
I was also a bit disoriented during some of the chapters. We often get a flashback, but it's not really clear it's a flashback or a memory until we return to the scene at hand. So halfway through a scene I find myself in a wildly different scenario (which, yes, I can usually figure out is an event that happened in the past) to find myself a page later transported back to the first scene. I think a different structure of the story or choosing to 'announce' the flashbacks (or put them in italics or something) would've been a better choice for this story, because those scenes often do add more depth to the story and/or character.
The worldbuilding was an interesting premise, and I would've loved to see it be expanded on more. The only thing I struggled with, are the words for time. They still use days, but also chime, turn, stretch, span, and it's not always clear out of the context what exactly it meant. Eventually (I think) I figured out that turn means year, but I'm not too sure about the others. This influence the impact certain sentences had. For example "she could've been here for a stretch!" (parafrased) just doesn't do much if I don't know how long a stretch is.
I am a little dissatisfied about certain endings, but happy with other endings that were tied up neatly. So overall a solid 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
September 23, 2025
Note: I received advance review copy of New World City.
New World City is a world that feels familiar if you have ever played a Shadowrun game, and the world in this book is really a fun concept that offers a lot of promise for future installments.
There is a good story buried in here is well, however, it is fractured among to many players each telling their own part of the story. This made to book feel like several short stories chopped up and layered together. Once again the underlining story here is good, but everything around it makes the central story feel overshadowed and confused among all the characters as you jump between six plus characters. If this story had been streamlined and perhaps focused on perspective Shuwen and LiJian or Ty then the story would have felt much more cohesive. New World City blends cyberpunk and fantasy in a great way.
Finally I am a big fan of character writing, and I really like the Shuwen story we got. I only wish we had got more, because of overwhelming number of perspectives there is no time for character development and even that better parts of the story end up being greatly abbreviated leaving me feeling like I missed something. I went back and reread several times, I didn't miss anything.
Overall New World City would be a two star though I am giving it three because there is so much going on here that I did like that I hope to see more from this author, hopefully with a much more focused approach.
New World City is a world that feels familiar if you have ever played a Shadowrun game, and the world in this book is really a fun concept that offers a lot of promise for future installments.
There is a good story buried in here is well, however, it is fractured among to many players each telling their own part of the story. This made to book feel like several short stories chopped up and layered together. Once again the underlining story here is good, but everything around it makes the central story feel overshadowed and confused among all the characters as you jump between six plus characters. If this story had been streamlined and perhaps focused on perspective Shuwen and LiJian or Ty then the story would have felt much more cohesive. New World City blends cyberpunk and fantasy in a great way.
Finally I am a big fan of character writing, and I really like the Shuwen story we got. I only wish we had got more, because of overwhelming number of perspectives there is no time for character development and even that better parts of the story end up being greatly abbreviated leaving me feeling like I missed something. I went back and reread several times, I didn't miss anything.
Overall New World City would be a two star though I am giving it three because there is so much going on here that I did like that I hope to see more from this author, hopefully with a much more focused approach.
June 20, 2025
New World City drew me in from the start! The diverse cast of characters feels like a fun fighting game roster, and I loved how the author seamlessly wove the city's rich culture and history into their personal stories. The narrative structure jumps between multiple perspectives while weaving together past and present to reveal both individual character arcs and the evolving story of the city itself.
The combat sequences are well choreographed and thrilling to read. The author's sharp, dynamic writing style brings every scene to life while letting your imagination have room to play. The setting is undeniably gritty and strikes a balance of feeling grounded yet brimming with unique details and thought-provoking concepts that kept me engaged throughout.
This turned out to be an ideal book for reading in short bursts—the energetic pacing made it easy to jump in whenever I had a few minutes, and I found myself mulling over the story between reading sessions. The author has clearly established a rich foundation here, introducing characters and a world with untapped potential that I'm eager to see where the story goes next.
Anyone who enjoys fast-paced narratives paired with a detailed world and multiple perspectives should definitely check this out.
I received an advance review copy through NetGalley, for which I'm thankful.
The combat sequences are well choreographed and thrilling to read. The author's sharp, dynamic writing style brings every scene to life while letting your imagination have room to play. The setting is undeniably gritty and strikes a balance of feeling grounded yet brimming with unique details and thought-provoking concepts that kept me engaged throughout.
This turned out to be an ideal book for reading in short bursts—the energetic pacing made it easy to jump in whenever I had a few minutes, and I found myself mulling over the story between reading sessions. The author has clearly established a rich foundation here, introducing characters and a world with untapped potential that I'm eager to see where the story goes next.
Anyone who enjoys fast-paced narratives paired with a detailed world and multiple perspectives should definitely check this out.
I received an advance review copy through NetGalley, for which I'm thankful.
August 11, 2025
7/10
An interesting mix of magic, sci-fi, and film noir – something that theoretically shouldn't fit so well, yet it melded into entertaining whole. Throwing in an "android, batman-like vigilante" into already packed plot, seemed extravagant at first, but ultimately, as the whole thing has that tangled comic book vibe it matched perfectly (ended as probably my favourite character). Personally, I would have preferred the storylines to be a bit more organized, perhaps split into two parts to allow them to fully blossom, but I see the method in this "madness."
The jumps between characters (and, within their chapters, between current events and flashbacks) were a bit jarring at first, but the more we get to know them, the more natural the read becomes, although the jerky narrative, often resorting to verbless sentences, took some getting used to. The plot, packed with conspiracies, conflicting interests, and bloody action, leaves a surprising amount of room for world-building. The world created by the author is simultaneously familiar, rooted in cyberpunk standards (gang warfare, corruption, big corporations), and refreshingly fresh. It was easy to immerse yourself, follow the leads, and keep up with surprising revelations (some more, some less so), while also simply enjoying the read.
An interesting mix of magic, sci-fi, and film noir – something that theoretically shouldn't fit so well, yet it melded into entertaining whole. Throwing in an "android, batman-like vigilante" into already packed plot, seemed extravagant at first, but ultimately, as the whole thing has that tangled comic book vibe it matched perfectly (ended as probably my favourite character). Personally, I would have preferred the storylines to be a bit more organized, perhaps split into two parts to allow them to fully blossom, but I see the method in this "madness."
The jumps between characters (and, within their chapters, between current events and flashbacks) were a bit jarring at first, but the more we get to know them, the more natural the read becomes, although the jerky narrative, often resorting to verbless sentences, took some getting used to. The plot, packed with conspiracies, conflicting interests, and bloody action, leaves a surprising amount of room for world-building. The world created by the author is simultaneously familiar, rooted in cyberpunk standards (gang warfare, corruption, big corporations), and refreshingly fresh. It was easy to immerse yourself, follow the leads, and keep up with surprising revelations (some more, some less so), while also simply enjoying the read.
August 24, 2025
New World City introduces an imaginative setting that hints at a much larger world to come. The author’s prose is punchy and straightforward, making it an easy read, and the story clearly positions itself as the opening volume of a series. The ending lays groundwork for future installments in a promising way.
That said, the execution often got in the way of my enjoyment. Nearly every chapter includes a flashback, and when combined with the close third-person present tense, the constant shifts made the plot feel choppy and disorienting. The multiple character perspectives only added to this confusion. The climax, while serviceable, felt underwhelming and lacked the punch I’d hoped for.
Finally, I struggled to connect with the cast. None of the characters were particularly likeable, and I never found myself rooting for them. By the end, I was more ready for the book to be over than excited to see what happened next.
Overall, an intriguing world and accessible writing style, but the structural choices and unlikeable characters kept this from being more than an average read for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
That said, the execution often got in the way of my enjoyment. Nearly every chapter includes a flashback, and when combined with the close third-person present tense, the constant shifts made the plot feel choppy and disorienting. The multiple character perspectives only added to this confusion. The climax, while serviceable, felt underwhelming and lacked the punch I’d hoped for.
Finally, I struggled to connect with the cast. None of the characters were particularly likeable, and I never found myself rooting for them. By the end, I was more ready for the book to be over than excited to see what happened next.
Overall, an intriguing world and accessible writing style, but the structural choices and unlikeable characters kept this from being more than an average read for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 20, 2025
This is a very interesting futuristic sci-fi detective novel. The author does a fantastic job of building a world of characters into which the reader becomes engrossed. Shuwen Li is considered to be one of New World City's police officer. A sniper attempts to kill Eli Strauss Jr., the mayor, while he's giving a speech at a rally. Shuwen becomes obsessed with the case, especially since it appears that it's impossible to end the mayor's life. What she doesn't realize is that Eli made a deal with an ancient fae wizard that allows him to be powerful and experience all of lives pleasures-without any consequences. As she delves deeper into the case and the political intrigue, she realizes that the things are more complicated that she imagines. Will Shuwen find out who arranged the attempted assassination? How does Strauss appear to be indestructible? Will anyone involved in the political intrigue suffer consequences for their actions? Such an interesting mix of genres put together in a satisfying read!
I received an ARC and this review is my personal opinion.
I received an ARC and this review is my personal opinion.
August 7, 2025
New World City throws you into a world that’s part sci-fi, part urban fantasy, part gritty crime drama—and it works. The setting feels alive, chaotic, and just a little dangerous, in the best way.
The book has a big, bold cast of characters, and while it takes a minute to get your footing with all the shifting perspectives, it ends up adding depth and complexity. Everyone feels like they’re hiding something, and the tension builds as their stories start to overlap.
The writing is sharp and atmospheric—nothing too flowery, but it hits hard and keeps things moving. There’s a nice balance of action, mystery, and just enough weirdness to keep you intrigued without getting confusing.
Overall, if you like stories with a little magic, a little tech, and a lot of morally gray characters navigating a city on the edge, this one’s definitely worth checking out. Can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
The book has a big, bold cast of characters, and while it takes a minute to get your footing with all the shifting perspectives, it ends up adding depth and complexity. Everyone feels like they’re hiding something, and the tension builds as their stories start to overlap.
The writing is sharp and atmospheric—nothing too flowery, but it hits hard and keeps things moving. There’s a nice balance of action, mystery, and just enough weirdness to keep you intrigued without getting confusing.
Overall, if you like stories with a little magic, a little tech, and a lot of morally gray characters navigating a city on the edge, this one’s definitely worth checking out. Can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
August 22, 2025
As someone who finds very little time to read and is very picky on the contents, I was very pleased with the overall reading experience that Spencer provides in New World City. As a big fan of high fantasy and science fiction (Brooks, King, Tolkien, Jordan to name a few) Spencer was able to pluck me back into my bed in 1991 completely hooked on what the following page would contain. It was almost as if I was devouring pages from a Piers Anthony "Reincarnation" title. A pleasant experience.
Fantastic characters and deep and emotional and almost philosophical tones add to the critical immersion that science fiction requires.
If you are a gamer or simply an enjoyer of the science fiction genre and are in between titles or want to exercise your brain a bit and jump in the pool that is New World City, I cannot recommend that enough. Great book and am anxious for more titles from this author.
Fantastic characters and deep and emotional and almost philosophical tones add to the critical immersion that science fiction requires.
If you are a gamer or simply an enjoyer of the science fiction genre and are in between titles or want to exercise your brain a bit and jump in the pool that is New World City, I cannot recommend that enough. Great book and am anxious for more titles from this author.
September 29, 2025
New World City by Spencer Hey
To be released October 1st, 2025
Mulan meets Judge Dredd is pretty much how I would describe this book. It has that sort of urban grim dark feel, but with a hint of ancestral magic that pulls it away from being fully dystopian. Personally, while I thought this was an excellent concept, the multiple POVs and the non-linear storytelling sort of made New World City a little too confusing narratively for my liking.
In general, I have never shied away from a multi-perspective novel, but New World City has six of them. Couple that with the fact that those perspectives have very little overlap in terms of events or side characters and it essentially feels like you are reading six different short stories broken up. For me it just felt way too complicated. Beyond that, I also ran into the problem where certain characters just didn’t interest me, so when their parts would pop up, I would feel annoyed and rush past it to get to a narrator I did like.
In addition to the issues I had with the POV, I was also a little baffled by how the chapters themselves were laid out. Frequently the current events of the plot would be interrupted by one or two paragraphs of flashback in order to provide context for some small remark one of the characters made. This almost always came off as intrusive to the pace, and felt a little too much like expositional info dumping—which is a pet peeve of mine.
Overall, I probably wouldn’t recommend this. If you’re looking for an urban fantasy that pulls from Asian folklore I’d recommend The Ebony Gate by Julia Vee and Ken Bebbelle. For something a little more Sci-fi or futuristic I would say Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
To be released October 1st, 2025
Mulan meets Judge Dredd is pretty much how I would describe this book. It has that sort of urban grim dark feel, but with a hint of ancestral magic that pulls it away from being fully dystopian. Personally, while I thought this was an excellent concept, the multiple POVs and the non-linear storytelling sort of made New World City a little too confusing narratively for my liking.
In general, I have never shied away from a multi-perspective novel, but New World City has six of them. Couple that with the fact that those perspectives have very little overlap in terms of events or side characters and it essentially feels like you are reading six different short stories broken up. For me it just felt way too complicated. Beyond that, I also ran into the problem where certain characters just didn’t interest me, so when their parts would pop up, I would feel annoyed and rush past it to get to a narrator I did like.
In addition to the issues I had with the POV, I was also a little baffled by how the chapters themselves were laid out. Frequently the current events of the plot would be interrupted by one or two paragraphs of flashback in order to provide context for some small remark one of the characters made. This almost always came off as intrusive to the pace, and felt a little too much like expositional info dumping—which is a pet peeve of mine.
Overall, I probably wouldn’t recommend this. If you’re looking for an urban fantasy that pulls from Asian folklore I’d recommend The Ebony Gate by Julia Vee and Ken Bebbelle. For something a little more Sci-fi or futuristic I would say Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
September 29, 2025
Thank you BookSirens for the ARC.
The best part about this book is the world building, I feel it has the possibility of being truly epic. That being said I felt it left a lot on the table. I love the idea of the undercity but it felt rarely used, the magic elements also seemed like they could have been flushed out better. No spoilers but at one time we learn something really interesting / groundbreaking about the artifacts but other than a sentence or two it's never touched on ever again.
The same goes for the ending, I felt like they really "Stephen King'd" it. That's the term I use when there's a big buildup and suddenly it's like "eh anyway, the end."
I found many of the supporting characters to be way more entertaining and personable that the main character, honestly she kind of annoyed me - maybe I'd just rather root for the bad guy.
I'll definitely look out for any more books set in this world, I just hope they do more than scratch the surface of the world.
The best part about this book is the world building, I feel it has the possibility of being truly epic. That being said I felt it left a lot on the table. I love the idea of the undercity but it felt rarely used, the magic elements also seemed like they could have been flushed out better. No spoilers but at one time we learn something really interesting / groundbreaking about the artifacts but other than a sentence or two it's never touched on ever again.
The same goes for the ending, I felt like they really "Stephen King'd" it. That's the term I use when there's a big buildup and suddenly it's like "eh anyway, the end."
I found many of the supporting characters to be way more entertaining and personable that the main character, honestly she kind of annoyed me - maybe I'd just rather root for the bad guy.
I'll definitely look out for any more books set in this world, I just hope they do more than scratch the surface of the world.
September 10, 2025
I loved spending time in this world. The pace of the narrative was quick, the characters (flaws and all!) were well developed. Many times I found myself rooting for a character (ahem, Ty) who I know is not really a good guy - a sign, at least for me, of great character building. I really enjoyed some of the more minor figures (Faust! Meg!) and, like another reviewer here, fell pretty hard for one very special synth. No spoilers, but there is a sequence near the end of the book that explores a character's history that is nothing short of spell-binding. While this is certainly not a romantasy, there are moments of it that reminded me of some scenes in Sara J. Maas' stuff. I can't wait for the next book from this author!
September 28, 2025
New World City a phenomenal debut for Spencer Hey. It's a perfect mixture of fantasy noir, crime thriller, and cyberpunk. Hey's prose reads like a story told in real time by a 1930s detective, which elevates the mood of the novel. The reader is pulled into a chaotic dystopian universe where slumbering magic is unexpectedly being reintroduced, creating the conditions for a battle between heroes, villains, and anti-heroes. This book is the perfect setup for what is going to be a thrilling and absorbing hyperArcana series.
September 30, 2025
A classic noir that would be a really cool movie adaption (I kept hearing the narrator in the voice of an old film in my head) with layers of depth to the imagery. The author uses countdowns, elevators, killing off the bad guys a lot- it felt like a nod to Dante’s layers of hell while discussing the underbelly of politics. With a diverse cast of characters, starkly original plot and gripping new elements every chapter, I often felt confused rather than pulled into the story. However, the multi-pov is nicely connected throughout, rather than disjointed, and character development of each character was well done!
June 4, 2025
A solid future-dated title blending science, magic, and species. The author tells a good story, and I'd probably read more he writes. That said, this title lost a star because of the choppy sentence structures. I almost quit at the beginning of the book over the way sentence fragments are handled as complete sentences, but I've never gone DNF on a title yet. The story itself is 4-stars, and pulled my final review up to a 3 as a result.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 12, 2025
I enjoyed New World City (the hyperArcana) quite a bit. I have a quibble or two, overuse of "a girl of thirteen-about-to-be-fourteen," etc. and "repelled" instead of "rappelled," but these are small things in an advance copy. I really liked the characters and found the plot a bit predictable but very satisfying.
I especially commend the author for some excellent world-building. The setting and the back story to the setting entranced me. I highly recommend this book and enjoyed it immensely.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I especially commend the author for some excellent world-building. The setting and the back story to the setting entranced me. I highly recommend this book and enjoyed it immensely.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 1, 2025
Within the first few pages, I was literally dropped into an action packed, sci-fi/fantasy world. The intermittent flashbacks initially caught me off guard but I still found the story relatively easy to follow. Some readers may be put off by the flashbacks, though. There were several major characters in this book, but since each chapter was from the point of view of individual characters, it was nice to see how each one viewed the events that take place. I really enjoyed this book.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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