In City of Others, dive into a world where magic lies hidden just below the surface in this charming urban fantasy full of workplace found family, queer romance, and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore.
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In This Spotlight On City of Others
About City of Others
In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything—even the weird stuff.
Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Division for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), and his job is straightforward: keep the supernatural inhabitants of Singapore happy and keep them out of sight. That is, don’t bother the good, normal citizens, and certainly don’t bother the bosses. Sure, he’s overworked and understaffed, but usually, people (and senior management) don’t see what they don’t want to see.
But when an entire housing estate glitches out of existence on what was meant to be a routine check-in, Ben has to scramble to keep things under control and stop the rest of the city from disappearing. He may not have the budget or the bandwidth, but he has the best—if highly irregular and supernaturally inclined—team to help him. Together, they’ll traverse secret shadow markets, scale skyscrapers, and maybe even go to the stars, all so they can just do their goddamn job.
Praise for City of Others
“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!”—Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
“City of Others delights and charms with a ragtag group of magical bureaucrats doing their best to save an entire city from being dragged out of reality. Poon seamlessly blends action, magic, romance, and the tight bonds of an understaffed workplace that truly believes in the good they’re doing. I absolutely adored this!”—Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
“Heartfelt and laugh out loud, City of Others is urban fantasy as you’ve never seen it before. Filled with Southeast Asian folklore, an eclectic cast of outsiders and a thoroughly satisfying takedown of bureaucracy, I smiled my way through this entire book. An absolute breath of fresh air.”—Eliza Chan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Fathomfolk
“From undead ducklings to prowling wyverns and market-going jiangshi, City of Others is an absolutely delightful mythological smorgasbord bursting with wit, humor, and a cast of vibrant characters that warmed my heart. It would be no exaggeration to say that my dream job is now a position at DEUS!”—Sophie Kim, Sunday Times bestselling author of The God and the Gumiho
“City of Others is such a wildly fun ride—equal parts supernatural mystery and heartfelt workplace comedy. The overworked government crew steals the show: zany, chaotic, full of quirks and charm—they prove that colleagues aren’t just people you bicker with over the AC setting….And the writing is so compulsively readable I couldn’t stop flipping the pages, desperate to see how the chaos would untangle. Full of twists, wit, and heart, this is one utterly unputdownable story.”—Kyla Zhao, author of The Fraud Squad and Valley Verified
“Full of wonder, tenderness, and breathtaking adventure, City of Others is a fresh and captivating fantasy that will grow roots in your heart.”—Kylie Lee Baker, Sunday Times bestselling author of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
“City of Others is a delightfully fun and zany adventure that breathes magic into the city that I call home. It’s a fascinating blend of Southeast Asian folklore and all-too-familiar government bureaucracy that is so uniquely and unmistakably Singaporean!”—Amber Chen, author of Of Jade and Dragons
“City of Others is clever, exciting, and a much-needed breath of fresh air in urban fantasy. Singapore’s mix of cultures is the perfect setting for Poon’s brilliant blending of magic and myth, supernatural and mundane. Within the hilarious unbalancing of Benjamin Toh’s work and personal lives is a deep story of grief and guilt and the burden of carrying them unceasing, without the grace of forgiveness. This is vividly told and a love letter to Singapore and her citizens in all their incarnations.”—Mia Tsai, author of Bitter Medicine & The Memory Hunters
“Served with a healthy portion of delight and whimsy, and a side of dramatic action, Poon crafts a gorgeous fantasy that leaves you compelled from start to finish.”—Amy Leow, author of The Scarlet Throne
“Inventive and immersive, City of Others will take readers on a delightfully wild adventure! Blending rich Southeast Asian mythology with humorous jabs at Singaporean bureaucracy, this enchanting tale is full of heart and humor—a perfect escape!”—June C. L. Tan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Darker by Four
“This is one of those books that expands the boundaries of what speculative fiction can be and do. By turns funny, philosophical, and delightfully bizarre, City of Others had me hooked all the way from the undead ducklings to the final poignant chapter.”—M. Stevenson, author of Behooved
About Jared Poon, Author of City of Others
Jared Poon is a philosopher, facilitator, and game designer, working with governments in Southeast Asia and around the world to improve policy-making through storytelling, imagination, and co-creation. He’s a recovering public servant, and lives in Singapore with his husband and two very silly cats.
You can connect with Jared Poon on their website, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Orbit | Hachette Book Group
ISBN Paperback: 9780316585477
Pub Date: Jan 13, 2026
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