City of Others (The DEUS Files #1), by Jared Poon
The Book
Synopsis:
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.
My Review
City of Others is the first book in the urban fantasy series The DEUS Files, written by Jared Poon, published by Orbit Books. A delightful proposal that feels really fresh, especially as we have Singapore as the setting for this urban fantasy, but also a deep story, full of heart, with a rather humorous take on bureaucracy and the challenges of having to deal with the supernatural elements in a modern city.
Benjamin Toh works as middle manager of the DEUS (Department for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders), a government force tasked with taking care of all supernatural occurrences and other inhabitants nobody wants to deal with, from immortal gods to mischievous jinns. Overworked and understaffed, he's trying to juggle the senior management demands, his elder father's care and a new boyfriend, all while taking care of his team.
A city block phasing out in Clementi marks the start of a perilous quest, with Toh and his team having to deep dive into Singapore's supernatural world, dealing with open wounds from the past, all just to do his job.
Ben's voice is excellent for narrating the story, while at the same time breaking the fourth wall and explaining many concepts to the reader, helping them understand the situation DEUS is facing. As a character, I certainly loved Ben; not only because he's a mess, trying to deal with more than he can, but also because the found-family feeling that you get towards the team is delightful. He's overworked, but will still try to do the best with the few resources he has.
The rest of the cast is not as shiny as Benjamin (probably as a consequence of the chosen narrator), but still you spend enough time with the rest of the DEUS' team to eventually develop a bond towards them.
The setting is another aspect I found refreshing, especially as Poon puts attention to the detail, transmitting that Singapore that blends together modernity and tradition; how South Asian folklore is threaded in the story while also showing the clash that colonization was is well rounded.
The pacing is great, never too slow, but giving more introspective scenes as a way to balance the action and the tension Ben is experiencing.
City of Others is an excellent starting novel to a series with much potential, so if you are looking for an urban fantasy proposal with a different setting and a strong found family feeling, I totally recommend you to give a try to The DEUS Files.
The Author/s
Jared Poon
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.
Maddy Belton, from the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, is my literary agent and partner-in-crime. Please reach out to her with any questions I’m not smart enough to answer.