The X-Men meets Parks and Recreation? City of Others is a brand new, Queer, Urban Fantasy by Jared Poon – and it’s out now!
Title: City of Others
Book Series: The DEUS Files, #1
Author: Jared Poon
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy, LGBTQIA+
Release Date: January 13, 2026
Publisher: Orbit
About The Book:
In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything – even the weird stuff. Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Department for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), tasked with taking care of the supernatural occurrences and people no one else wants to deal with, from restless ghosts to immortal gods to conniving jinn. Overworked and under-resourced, he has to juggle the demands of senior management, an elderly father, and a new boyfriend, all while trying to keep his team out of trouble.
When an entire block of flats goes missing in the town of Clementi, drowned in an otherworldly wave, the information he needs to prevent another catastrophe lies in the pasar bayang – the shadow markets. But the demigod protector of the markets has neither forgotten nor forgiven their humiliation by the Singapore authorities decades ago. Ben will need to wrestle with the legacy of his government and the whispers of his own insecurities, navigating landscapes both urban and fantastical, both inside the soul and outside the real world, all so he can just do his goddamn job.
About The Author:
Hi! I’m Jared. I write urban fantasy about secret places, families chosen and unchosen, and workplace shenanigans, all set in Southeast Asia.
I’m the author of City of Others, out now. It stars Benjamin Toh, a civil servant who has to deal with an elderly father, a new boyfriend, and a team of bickering misfits, all while trying to manage the supernatural inhabitants of Singapore. Totally not a real thing, I promise.
By training, I’m a philosopher—my Ph.D. focused on moral psychology and how ethical norms are shaped and transmitted. In my day job, I work with governments across the world on foresight, strategy, and public engagement. That part of my life is called Counter-Fictional, because sometimes the stories we don’t tell are the most powerful.
I also work with Team Project Lunch, a small indie game development studio. We have a demo of our new game out—wishlist us on Steam! You can usually find me running workshops, playing games (not with your heart—never that), and chasing my two cats around.
Connect With Jared: Website | Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | Twitter
Like what you see? Follow Drunk On Pop on bloglovin’!
Drunk On Pop 