City of Others
- Author Jared Poon
- Narrator David Lee Huynh
- Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
- Publish Date 20 January 2026
- Run Time 9 hours and 23 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Contemporary fantasy, Urban fantasy.
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What to expect
Rivers of London meets A Master of Djinn in this warm-hearted, action-packed urban fantasy debut full of workplace found family, queer romance and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore.
In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything - even the weird stuff.
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.
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 following in its wake. He may not have the budget or the bandwidth, but he has the best - if highly irregular - 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.
'Heartfelt and laugh out loud, City of Others is urban fantasy as you've never seen it before . . . I smiled my way through this entire book. An absolute breath of fresh air'
Eliza Chan, author of Fathomfolk
'I absolutely loved this book - couldn't tear myself away from it. A delightful and engrossing read, with a knowing wink to best office practices. Loved it'
Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library
'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
'Full of action and heart and wonder, this book is an absolute delight!' Melissa Caruso, author of The Last Hour Between Worlds
'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'
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
Reader reviews:
'Such a fun and heartwarming read! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This book is just unfiltered happiness . . . with likeable characters and some of the most hilarious dialogue I have ever read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A series that I could see myself following for 10+ instalments. Funny and charming in equal measure' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An absolutely delightful read . . . I'm already obsessed with Ben and his motley group of magical bureaucrats and this is only book one in the series' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Gorgeously charming urban fantasy' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The cast felt like family to me . . . be prepared to laugh a lot' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Absolutely brilliant' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything - even the weird stuff.
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.
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 following in its wake. He may not have the budget or the bandwidth, but he has the best - if highly irregular - 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.
'Heartfelt and laugh out loud, City of Others is urban fantasy as you've never seen it before . . . I smiled my way through this entire book. An absolute breath of fresh air'
Eliza Chan, author of Fathomfolk
'I absolutely loved this book - couldn't tear myself away from it. A delightful and engrossing read, with a knowing wink to best office practices. Loved it'
Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library
'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
'Full of action and heart and wonder, this book is an absolute delight!' Melissa Caruso, author of The Last Hour Between Worlds
'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'
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
Reader reviews:
'Such a fun and heartwarming read! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This book is just unfiltered happiness . . . with likeable characters and some of the most hilarious dialogue I have ever read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A series that I could see myself following for 10+ instalments. Funny and charming in equal measure' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An absolutely delightful read . . . I'm already obsessed with Ben and his motley group of magical bureaucrats and this is only book one in the series' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Gorgeously charming urban fantasy' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The cast felt like family to me . . . be prepared to laugh a lot' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Absolutely brilliant' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Critics Review
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
I absolutely loved this book - couldn't tear myself away from it. A delightful and engrossing read, with a knowing wink to best office practices. Loved it.
Full of wonder, tenderness and breathtaking adventure, City of Others is a fresh and captivating fantasy that will grow roots in your heart
City of Others immerses you in a Singapore both completely magical and utterly real, with characters you'll love and office dynamics you can relate to. Full of action and heart and wonder, this book is an absolute delight!
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
A whip-smart urban fantasy humming with the vibrant energy of Singapore and its chaotic magical inhabitants, this found family will welcome you in with open arms (and tentacles)!
City of Others is a wickedly funny take on paranormal government bureaucracy that interlaces world-drowning stakes with incisive social commentary, extremely mandatory corporate team-building, and a ghost cat that refuses to be exorcised. Warm-hearted and delightful
From undead ducklings to prowling wyverns and market-going jiangshi, City of Others is an absolutely delightful mythological smorgasbord bursting with wit, humour 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!
Dazzling, rich, and so lusciously weird - Poon makes bureaucracy downright thrilling in a world richly textured with outcasts, misfits, and the beautiful bonds that tie them
City of Others is a fun, twisty adventure through supernatural Singapore. Poon writes with humour and tenderness, skewering bureaucracy while immersing the reader in the beauty of this world. Absolutely delightful!
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!
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 . . . The supernatural twists are pitch-perfect - think Monsters, Inc. meets Singaporean bureaucracy, with otherworldly creatures lurking just beneath the surface of suburban order. 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
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
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
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 humour - a perfect escape!
In City of Others, Jared Poon combines cosy slice-of-life antics with the cosmic ineffable (my favourite pairing!) to create a wonderfully astonishing story. It's both heart-warming and mind-bending, and I can't count the number of times Ben's clever commentary made me smile!
Themes of grief and responsibility are balanced by keen humour, often poking fun at bureaucracy. A standout debut
An impressive adventure about civil servants working to save the world from threats that most people don't notice . . . Poon's sharp wit, charming ensemble cast, and astute sense of Ben's interior struggles make this a tense delight. Readers will be eager for more
Folklore and fantastic elements blend seamlessly with ridiculous government bureaucracy and moving character arcs . . . A humorous yet emotional urban fantasy with excellent worldbuilding
This mix of action and adventure, magical metaphysics, and deep emotional journeys has excitement and grit to spare, plus a strong element of swoonworthy romance . . . a loving sendup of life in civil service and a fascinating interdimensional adventure in one
A sweet love story . . . Poon can whip up gorgeously evocative prose, with his descriptions of supernatural or internal worlds and the feelings they inspire, almost bursting from the page . . . there's a warmth to this unloved government department that means you end up rooting for them all
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