City of Others

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 show more 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 on 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! show less

The City of Others is an urban fantasy set in Singapore. Ben, his co-workers in the civil service, and his boyfriend Adam have to find a way to keep a city block from sinking into “The Other.”
This is a really fun and funny adventure as the solutions lead to more problems, and the team is forced to go to secret shadow bazaars, dive into otherness, survive the flame throwing skills of the jinn, and work effectively with the bureaucracy to fight various monsters.
The characters are all interesting and have some depth to them. The story is ultimately more about building community, learning to trust, and dealing with grief, with bits of politics and governmental drudgery thrown in. As Ben begins to rely more on his team, their traits and show more special skills are revealed and valued.
The magic system is wild and inventive, and I particularly liked the idea of gardeners who tend their inner souls.
This was engaging and really enjoyable. I’ll pick up the expected 2nd book when it comes out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC. show less

** spoiler alert ** Points for a really original magical system and characters who care about each other. Love that this is set in Singapore, can relate to the tired team working within a labyrinthine bureaucracy. I'm not sure if I'm just kind of over urban fantasy or if it was just too similar to all the middle grade books I read for work -- the overarching message of needing to let others make their own mistakes and the best way to love and support other people is to let them contribute hits you over the head like a hammer. Love the Gardener super powers of strength and awareness within. Love the other varied powers, and the way the ultimate solutions are based in letting other people make their own choices. Totally love the ghost show more cat. Ben and Adam's relationship is a thing of wonder and an inspiration -- I love that they don't give up on each other. Anyway, it was fun.

Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss. show less

This is a quirky urban fantasy with a bit of romance and a lot of found friendship. I was mostly drawn in by the setting and was excited to spend time in this fictionalized Singapore. The writing felt a bit repetitive, but mostly it just wasn’t my sense of humour. It also dragged more than I expected, mostly because of how much time was spent explaining thoughts and feelings in ways that didn’t feel natural or necessary. I liked most of the characters, or at least didn’t mind them. My frustration was really more with the main narrator than anyone else. Maybe this is just me, but I’m a little tired of the “power of friendship and learning to ask for help” lesson. We got it. The setting was interesting, and I liked the show more concept.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for access to this one. show less

City of Others by Jared Poon
The DUES Files series #1. Science fiction, mythology. Diverse M-M romance.
Benjamin Toh is a government middle manager in Singapore. He deals with aliens, ghosts, gods and other visiting species. During an investigation he’s attacked by wyverns and finds out his boyfriend is other. Together Ben, Adam, and coworkers try to find out why a block of the city is missing to prevent another taking all the innocents with it.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this book narrated by David Lee Huynh who created a wonderful performance of the characters. Picture southeast mythology and a bit of science fiction and you’ll be listening to a humorous adventure in action. Anxiety and worry and exhaustion come show more through clearly in the audiobook.

Zombie ducks and advice to “floss more” and “I’ve never seen anyone eat so much dairy and not be mooing” made this story a romp of entertainment.

I received a copy of this from Hachette Audio. show less