A promising urban fantasy debut: a review of City of Others

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 magical anomaly. 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 meanwhile 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 philosophical 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 spectacle 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 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.