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Courts of the Feyre #1
Sixty-One Nails
There is a secret war raging beneath the streets of London. A dark magic will be unleashed by the Untainted...Unless a new hero can be found. Neverwhere's faster, smarter brother has arrived.
Sixty-One Nails follows Niall Petersen, from a suspected heart attack on the London Underground, into the hidden world of the Feyre, an uncanny place of legend that lurks just beyond the surface of everyday life. The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, have made their play for power, and unless Niall can recreate the ritual of the Sixty-One Nails, their dark dominion will enslave all of the Feyre, and all of humankind too.
Sixty-One Nails follows Niall Petersen, from a suspected heart attack on the London Underground, into the hidden world of the Feyre, an uncanny place of legend that lurks just beyond the surface of everyday life. The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, have made their play for power, and unless Niall can recreate the ritual of the Sixty-One Nails, their dark dominion will enslave all of the Feyre, and all of humankind too.
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
105 people are currently reading
3,519 people want to read
About the author
Mike Shevdon
11Ìýbooks236ÌýfollowersMike Shevdon lives in South Yorkshire, England, with his wife, where he pursues the various masteries of archery, technology, and cookery. His love of Fantasy & SF started in the 70s with C S Lewis, Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov and continued through Alan Garner, Ursula Le Guin and Barbara Hambly. More recent influences include Mike Carey, Phil Rickman, Neil Gaiman, and Robert Crais, among many others.
He has studied martial arts for many years, mainly aikido and archery. Friends have sometimes remarked that his pastimes always seem to involve something sharp or pointy. The pen should therefore be no surprise, though he’s still trying to figure out how to get an edge on a laptop.
He has studied martial arts for many years, mainly aikido and archery. Friends have sometimes remarked that his pastimes always seem to involve something sharp or pointy. The pen should therefore be no surprise, though he’s still trying to figure out how to get an edge on a laptop.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
May 30, 2011
Boring story, boring and repetitive dialogue, extremely slow action without the poetic pay-off but worst of all entirely lacking in charm and humour with two very unlikable lead characters.
The two main characters conversations don't seem to move past 'new fairy boy interrogating very old fairy lady' about what all this new fairy stuff is about and then debating whether or not to go on the 'quest' at the centre of the plot - at each stage of the plot.
At one stage the two main characters have spent a great deal of time with another character in her office with big reveals and info-dump. As a consequence of some overly convoluted dialogue with an overload of POV stream of consciousness an agreement about a course of action is reached and the chapter ends. The beginning of the next chapter, to my horror, restarts the conversation for another go around of the same information and with the same arrangement being met. Why? Why? Why? Snippity Snip, Mr Editor!
The Ridiculously wordy and boring dialogue goes around in circles, "Should we keep going? Shouldn't we keep going?" Argh! And there is no consistency about which of the two is umming and erring - they seem to have interchangeable characters.
Shevdon also falls into the trap of writing ancient beings (old fairy lady/co-lead character) as if they were teenagers without insight or maturity.
In dire need of a strict editor or perhaps a better writer.
The two main characters conversations don't seem to move past 'new fairy boy interrogating very old fairy lady' about what all this new fairy stuff is about and then debating whether or not to go on the 'quest' at the centre of the plot - at each stage of the plot.
At one stage the two main characters have spent a great deal of time with another character in her office with big reveals and info-dump. As a consequence of some overly convoluted dialogue with an overload of POV stream of consciousness an agreement about a course of action is reached and the chapter ends. The beginning of the next chapter, to my horror, restarts the conversation for another go around of the same information and with the same arrangement being met. Why? Why? Why? Snippity Snip, Mr Editor!
The Ridiculously wordy and boring dialogue goes around in circles, "Should we keep going? Shouldn't we keep going?" Argh! And there is no consistency about which of the two is umming and erring - they seem to have interchangeable characters.
Shevdon also falls into the trap of writing ancient beings (old fairy lady/co-lead character) as if they were teenagers without insight or maturity.
In dire need of a strict editor or perhaps a better writer.
September 24, 2010
Sixty-One Nails is boldly compared to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere on the front cover, a claim that got my attention, but made me suspicious as well Was there any chance that Shevdon's novel could compare?
The answer is . . . not really. To be honest, other than the beginning in which the main character Niall is drawn into an otherworld-London, there is very little to compare to Neverwhere.
So with that out of the way, is the book worth reading? I guess that depends on your reading preference. Technically, this is an urban fantasy, though w/o the ubiquitous vamps and werewolves. London was and is populated by the seven Fairy courts, and it's into this world that Niall has been drawn against his will. Shevdon's skillfully develops Niall and Blackbird, the woman/fairy who is responsible for introducing Niall to this new world.
Shevdon creates a well-wrought fascinating modern world subtly influenced by the older and fading Fairy courts. His use of actual real-life practices in England as proof of this interaction between the worlds is deft and refreshing. No world-weary leather-clad smart-ass detectives here. I enjoyed Niall and Blackbird quite a bit, though I wanted a bit more explanation of Blackbird's background. I suspect Shevdon is saving that for future novels.
But perhaps the greatest difference from typical urban fantasies is the pacing of Sixty-One Nails. Shevdon slowly draws Niall into his world, taking his time to introduce a subtle universe to the reader. He does his job well, but readers expecting a quick paced action novel should look elsewhere. For someone wanting interesting characters and a look at a modern take on the fairy world, this just might be the ticket.
The answer is . . . not really. To be honest, other than the beginning in which the main character Niall is drawn into an otherworld-London, there is very little to compare to Neverwhere.
So with that out of the way, is the book worth reading? I guess that depends on your reading preference. Technically, this is an urban fantasy, though w/o the ubiquitous vamps and werewolves. London was and is populated by the seven Fairy courts, and it's into this world that Niall has been drawn against his will. Shevdon's skillfully develops Niall and Blackbird, the woman/fairy who is responsible for introducing Niall to this new world.
Shevdon creates a well-wrought fascinating modern world subtly influenced by the older and fading Fairy courts. His use of actual real-life practices in England as proof of this interaction between the worlds is deft and refreshing. No world-weary leather-clad smart-ass detectives here. I enjoyed Niall and Blackbird quite a bit, though I wanted a bit more explanation of Blackbird's background. I suspect Shevdon is saving that for future novels.
But perhaps the greatest difference from typical urban fantasies is the pacing of Sixty-One Nails. Shevdon slowly draws Niall into his world, taking his time to introduce a subtle universe to the reader. He does his job well, but readers expecting a quick paced action novel should look elsewhere. For someone wanting interesting characters and a look at a modern take on the fairy world, this just might be the ticket.
January 7, 2011
You can see my review here:
The book opens with Niall Petersen having suspected heart attack by the London Underground, and being saved by a mysterious stranger that calls herself Blackbird. Thus begins Niall's journey into the mystery of Feyre. This book was strange, and by strange I mean that it kept me eagerly turning the pages, even though...not much happens! There is some action, make no mistake, but most of the novel revolves around the developing relationship between Niall (Rabbit) and Blackbird, and Niall's discovery of a vast other world that he never even knew existed. This was so wonderfully written, lyrical even, and the pacing was just about perfect. Not to mention learning all about the Quit Rents ceremony was great fun! It was a charming, magical book, and I am a confirmed Mike Shevdon fan. I'll follow Rabbit and Blackbird anywhere!
The book opens with Niall Petersen having suspected heart attack by the London Underground, and being saved by a mysterious stranger that calls herself Blackbird. Thus begins Niall's journey into the mystery of Feyre. This book was strange, and by strange I mean that it kept me eagerly turning the pages, even though...not much happens! There is some action, make no mistake, but most of the novel revolves around the developing relationship between Niall (Rabbit) and Blackbird, and Niall's discovery of a vast other world that he never even knew existed. This was so wonderfully written, lyrical even, and the pacing was just about perfect. Not to mention learning all about the Quit Rents ceremony was great fun! It was a charming, magical book, and I am a confirmed Mike Shevdon fan. I'll follow Rabbit and Blackbird anywhere!
August 7, 2011
I picked this up as a "filler" while waiting for ; and I loved it! The only problem with it as a "filler" was that I read almost the whole thing in a single day.
The pacing is good (witness how long I wasn't on it); you care about the characters; it's clearly been well researched with regard to aspects of English folklore. Plus, I'm so into the Faeries as bad guys these days, thanks to and (though long since told it how it was in ).
I'll be onto book two, , as soon as I'm done with "Ghost Story". Then I'll have to wait till next year for book three; but at least Angry Robot have signed Mike up to complete the four book cycle.
The pacing is good (witness how long I wasn't on it); you care about the characters; it's clearly been well researched with regard to aspects of English folklore. Plus, I'm so into the Faeries as bad guys these days, thanks to and (though long since told it how it was in ).
I'll be onto book two, , as soon as I'm done with "Ghost Story". Then I'll have to wait till next year for book three; but at least Angry Robot have signed Mike up to complete the four book cycle.
March 17, 2014
This is yet another case in which my rating is probably lower because I was listening to the audiobook than it would have been on reading. (I'll have to figure out a way to split myself and read both ways at once, as the residual scientist in me hates the lack of controlled experiment data!)
This was one of those urban fantasies which didn't do much new on the basic plot: perfectly normal human is suddenly blindsided by the intrusion into his/her life of Fairie, followed by lots of shock, ignorance and danger galore, and finally success on some kind of quest/task/survival action leading to lost old life replaced by new one in world-plus-Fairie. However, the setting (London) was well-used and I really loved the details of historical rituals such as the quit rent, and the Queen's Remembrancer who has to perform this ceremony. I also liked the description of walking the Ways (that has got to be capitalised, though not having seen the text, I'm not sure) and the ancient smithing family Niall and Blackbird go to find.
On the other hand, this was in sore need of a severe, even ruthless, editing. There were far too many repetitive bits of dialogue, and we were told so many times about what would happen "if the barriers fell", and there was even one chapter that ended on a final bit of resolution about what Blackbird and Niall would do next (you know, to prevent the barriers falling? Because IF THE BARRIERS FALL...), and the next chapter started up as if readers could have forgotten what had just been decided, slowly and with much discussion, the page before. There was also a scene in which Niall took a shower! In a bathroom! Very unusual behaviour and it was good to be told things about the shower cubicle and how the door had to be opened and all.
Despite my sarcasm, these were mostly short eye-rolling moments for me, and weren't terribly serious, though highlighted by listening. There was something that seemed downright offensive though, and unfortunately, it's a bit of a spoiler. To put it very generally, there was a reversal of the now generally recognised as repugnant societal rule that men get to choose women, nothing mutual about it, and the women should be GRATEFUL to be chosen. It still seems repugnant even with that role reversal, and it bothered me quite a bit here.
The last section seemed pretty unnecessary to me; it didn't feel as if the Courts would have responded that way at all, and so it was just a rather drawn-out new threat for Niall, and another chance to see Blackbird's agonized ruthlessness. Niall could have been got to his satisfying end-point without it, I felt, as there'd been plenty of climactic tension already.
This was one of those urban fantasies which didn't do much new on the basic plot: perfectly normal human is suddenly blindsided by the intrusion into his/her life of Fairie, followed by lots of shock, ignorance and danger galore, and finally success on some kind of quest/task/survival action leading to lost old life replaced by new one in world-plus-Fairie. However, the setting (London) was well-used and I really loved the details of historical rituals such as the quit rent, and the Queen's Remembrancer who has to perform this ceremony. I also liked the description of walking the Ways (that has got to be capitalised, though not having seen the text, I'm not sure) and the ancient smithing family Niall and Blackbird go to find.
On the other hand, this was in sore need of a severe, even ruthless, editing. There were far too many repetitive bits of dialogue, and we were told so many times about what would happen "if the barriers fell", and there was even one chapter that ended on a final bit of resolution about what Blackbird and Niall would do next (you know, to prevent the barriers falling? Because IF THE BARRIERS FALL...), and the next chapter started up as if readers could have forgotten what had just been decided, slowly and with much discussion, the page before. There was also a scene in which Niall took a shower! In a bathroom! Very unusual behaviour and it was good to be told things about the shower cubicle and how the door had to be opened and all.
Despite my sarcasm, these were mostly short eye-rolling moments for me, and weren't terribly serious, though highlighted by listening. There was something that seemed downright offensive though, and unfortunately, it's a bit of a spoiler. To put it very generally, there was a reversal of the now generally recognised as repugnant societal rule that men get to choose women, nothing mutual about it, and the women should be GRATEFUL to be chosen. It still seems repugnant even with that role reversal, and it bothered me quite a bit here.
The last section seemed pretty unnecessary to me; it didn't feel as if the Courts would have responded that way at all, and so it was just a rather drawn-out new threat for Niall, and another chance to see Blackbird's agonized ruthlessness. Niall could have been got to his satisfying end-point without it, I felt, as there'd been plenty of climactic tension already.
January 7, 2010
I should start by declaring an interest - I am friends with Mike Shevdon, so I suppose this might be considered a biased review. Though once you've read it I doubt you'll think that...!
I really want to give this 4.5 stars. The story is great, the lead character is appealing and heroic without being unrealistic, and the universe Shevdon has created is fascinating (and he's left us a lot to learn, which is always good).
A very basic plot description is: Niall Petersen is an unremarkable middle-aged, divorced workaholic who has a heart attack on a Tube station platform. He is rescued by an older woman, Blackbird, who reveals herself to be not quite human, and tells Niall that he is not quite human either. He has Feyre ancestry, and his life, as well as that of his daughter, is in danger from the Untainted, one of the seven Courts of the Feyre. To add insult to injury, he becomes wanted by the police, and he and Blackbird must fight against time to save humanity from becoming overrun by the Untainted. Entwined within and central to the plot is the (real) Quit Rents ceremony, which has been performed for hundreds of years within the City of London.
The loss of half a star (if I could) is almost entirely due to the production quality of the book. Shevdon has been poorly served by his publisher. There are mis-spellings, poor typesetting (spaces before commas, missing quotation marks, and at one point a hard return in the middle of a sentence) and a general lack of care in copy-editing/proof-reading. None of this is the fault of the author; it's the publisher's job to ensure that a manuscript is seen by a copy-editor and/or proofreader. I've worked in publishing, and there were times when typesetters spotted mistakes that the proofreaders/editors missed. There's no excuse for the errors in this book, and as far as I'm concerned they were a distraction from the quality of Shevdon's story.
The writing is occasionally offputting; some words are misused, and sometimes the dialogue is clunky (few contractions, for example; understandable up to a point in Blackbird's character, but not in Niall's). Some of this is forgivable or, rather, ignorable, since the narration is in the first person.
That being said, I highly recommend this book (and two people who read the first chapter of my copy have either demanded to borrow it or promised to buy it, so it's obviously a story that grabs you right from the start). The pacing is good, and we are pulled forward through the story by Niall's experiences. I had to force myself to put it down so I could get some sleep. The integration of a real, historic ceremony into the plot adds a special element to the story and will probably also add to the audience numbers at the ceremony next year!
I really want to give this 4.5 stars. The story is great, the lead character is appealing and heroic without being unrealistic, and the universe Shevdon has created is fascinating (and he's left us a lot to learn, which is always good).
A very basic plot description is: Niall Petersen is an unremarkable middle-aged, divorced workaholic who has a heart attack on a Tube station platform. He is rescued by an older woman, Blackbird, who reveals herself to be not quite human, and tells Niall that he is not quite human either. He has Feyre ancestry, and his life, as well as that of his daughter, is in danger from the Untainted, one of the seven Courts of the Feyre. To add insult to injury, he becomes wanted by the police, and he and Blackbird must fight against time to save humanity from becoming overrun by the Untainted. Entwined within and central to the plot is the (real) Quit Rents ceremony, which has been performed for hundreds of years within the City of London.
The loss of half a star (if I could) is almost entirely due to the production quality of the book. Shevdon has been poorly served by his publisher. There are mis-spellings, poor typesetting (spaces before commas, missing quotation marks, and at one point a hard return in the middle of a sentence) and a general lack of care in copy-editing/proof-reading. None of this is the fault of the author; it's the publisher's job to ensure that a manuscript is seen by a copy-editor and/or proofreader. I've worked in publishing, and there were times when typesetters spotted mistakes that the proofreaders/editors missed. There's no excuse for the errors in this book, and as far as I'm concerned they were a distraction from the quality of Shevdon's story.
The writing is occasionally offputting; some words are misused, and sometimes the dialogue is clunky (few contractions, for example; understandable up to a point in Blackbird's character, but not in Niall's). Some of this is forgivable or, rather, ignorable, since the narration is in the first person.
That being said, I highly recommend this book (and two people who read the first chapter of my copy have either demanded to borrow it or promised to buy it, so it's obviously a story that grabs you right from the start). The pacing is good, and we are pulled forward through the story by Niall's experiences. I had to force myself to put it down so I could get some sleep. The integration of a real, historic ceremony into the plot adds a special element to the story and will probably also add to the audience numbers at the ceremony next year!
May 22, 2018
One of the blurbs on this book called it a "Neverwhere for the next generation," referring to Neil Gaiman's book. That's what caught my eye. So I gave this one a shot. The story is set in present day London. Niall Petersen suffers a heart attack while in the London Underground and when he recovers finds that his whole world has changed. The woman who helped him is called Blackbird and she's part of the hidden world of the Feyre. And now Niall is too. This story moves along quickly, never gets dull, and is always interesting. Mike Shevdon weaves in century-old history into an involving story of Fey people, ancient rituals, magic, and a hidden world. It's consistently entertaining and interesting. It's also the first of a proposed trilogy called The Courts of the Feyre. The second book, The Road to Bedlam, is currently out in paperback. I already snapped it up.
January 5, 2017
This book has been compared to Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I myself did not see any comparison at all. I did not like Neverwhere, it was a nightmare, totally dis-jointed.
This book, "Sixty-One Nails" was a page turner and totally kept my attention. I really enjoyed this fantasy. It had the perfect mix of description and conversation. Too much description and atmosphere turns me completely off. I found this book perfect in the way it was written.
A regular every day human has a heart attack on the tube in London one day. He wakes up to his whole world turned upside down. Its akin to the Wizard of Oz. Basically it is up to this man, who finds he is part Fae to restore the balance between the Fey and Human world. I thought it was unique in its telling.
There is a part 2 and I shall deff read it.
This book, "Sixty-One Nails" was a page turner and totally kept my attention. I really enjoyed this fantasy. It had the perfect mix of description and conversation. Too much description and atmosphere turns me completely off. I found this book perfect in the way it was written.
A regular every day human has a heart attack on the tube in London one day. He wakes up to his whole world turned upside down. Its akin to the Wizard of Oz. Basically it is up to this man, who finds he is part Fae to restore the balance between the Fey and Human world. I thought it was unique in its telling.
There is a part 2 and I shall deff read it.
May 7, 2014
I’m in the position that I liked this complex book so much I’m not sure how to start my review. It is an urban fantasy that centers around the feyre/fey/faerie. It is constructed for an adult audience and is part of a small portion of urban fantasy that does not fall into being overly focused on romance or young adult themes. I found it through Ben Aaronovitch’s recommends on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. He is the author of the ‘The Rivers of Londonâ€� series if you are unfamiliar with him. Sixty-One Nails is a well crafted novel that I fell in love with.
Niall Peterson is a successful middle-aged business man who recently went through a difficult divorce. His life is a forcibly changed when he has a heart attack in the London Underground on the way to work. He is saved by a reluctant woman named Blackbird, a distinctly odd name, and she is about to introduce him to his new and distinctly unbelievable life. Niall is part Feyre and part human. He doesn’t believe this and who would? His predicament, however, makes it clear she is not lying. She is his only shot at living through the day if the week. He knows he needs and is dependent on her, and she has very little reason to help him. Niall’s story is about surviving. He has to discard his life, quit his job, cut ties with his ex-wife and daughter immediately, and accept he is part human/part Feyre on the run with a new name � “Rabbit.�
The book explores the structure of the Feyre councils. Blackbird as well as Niall are on the. They are considered “tainted.� Having human DNA is not a positive: to have any form of protection Niall must find a way to be accepted by one of the Feyre courts. The 7th court, or “The Untainted� are a select group of Feyre that believe consorting with humans is something to be cleansed and engaged in rampant war with the other courts. They have been sealed off but are gaining access to the world a foothold at a time.
This is a darker book. Mike Shevdon’s version of the Feyre is not kind or forgiving. It, however, is not overly graphic and doesn’t use excessive profanity. In fact I’m not sure there is any. I would recommend this to older or advanced teenagers and adults that have an interest in a suspense novel that is also well crafted urban fantasy. If you enjoy audible books Nigel Carrington narrates a fantastic version. He gives a performance with strong character distinction and use of sarcasm and dark humor that in my opinion is worthy of Shevdon’s work.
Niall Peterson is a successful middle-aged business man who recently went through a difficult divorce. His life is a forcibly changed when he has a heart attack in the London Underground on the way to work. He is saved by a reluctant woman named Blackbird, a distinctly odd name, and she is about to introduce him to his new and distinctly unbelievable life. Niall is part Feyre and part human. He doesn’t believe this and who would? His predicament, however, makes it clear she is not lying. She is his only shot at living through the day if the week. He knows he needs and is dependent on her, and she has very little reason to help him. Niall’s story is about surviving. He has to discard his life, quit his job, cut ties with his ex-wife and daughter immediately, and accept he is part human/part Feyre on the run with a new name � “Rabbit.�
The book explores the structure of the Feyre councils. Blackbird as well as Niall are on the. They are considered “tainted.� Having human DNA is not a positive: to have any form of protection Niall must find a way to be accepted by one of the Feyre courts. The 7th court, or “The Untainted� are a select group of Feyre that believe consorting with humans is something to be cleansed and engaged in rampant war with the other courts. They have been sealed off but are gaining access to the world a foothold at a time.
This is a darker book. Mike Shevdon’s version of the Feyre is not kind or forgiving. It, however, is not overly graphic and doesn’t use excessive profanity. In fact I’m not sure there is any. I would recommend this to older or advanced teenagers and adults that have an interest in a suspense novel that is also well crafted urban fantasy. If you enjoy audible books Nigel Carrington narrates a fantastic version. He gives a performance with strong character distinction and use of sarcasm and dark humor that in my opinion is worthy of Shevdon’s work.
February 16, 2012
Sixty-One Nails is Mike Shevdon’s first book. But it doesn’t feel like it. The characters are well defined, the plot engaging, and the story arc brings a satisfactory conclusion to the first book in a series that I predict will become one of my favorites.
The setting is modern day London. But in this world, magic boils beneath the streets. The Feyre, magical creatures from ancient times, walk among the underground trains and rivers hoping to survive among humanity. One group of the Feyre, the Untainted, have long awaited their return to dominance and if somebody doesn’t stop them, all hell could break loose.
Our hero, Niall Petersen, is an everyday bloke who happens to have a bit of Feyre in him. Niall discovers his life will never be the same after he meets Blackbird, his mentor and guide into the secret life of Feyre that pulses around us. He also finds out that the power he can wield isn’t what any other nice Feyre can accept. In order to survive, Niall must not only get himself under control and allude the Untainted Feyres who do want him dead, but save the world - all before Monday.
This is a fast paced book that, if it grabs you, will leave you sleepless till you finish. I especially loved the descriptions of magic and the magical beings. Mr. Shevdon’s vivid imagination comes through in all aspects of the novel, and his world-building is solid.
If you like fairies, goblins, and other dark creatures mixed with a modern flavor, check out Sixty-One Nails. I enjoyed the book and look forward to continuing the Courts of the Feyres series. Highly recommended.
The setting is modern day London. But in this world, magic boils beneath the streets. The Feyre, magical creatures from ancient times, walk among the underground trains and rivers hoping to survive among humanity. One group of the Feyre, the Untainted, have long awaited their return to dominance and if somebody doesn’t stop them, all hell could break loose.
Our hero, Niall Petersen, is an everyday bloke who happens to have a bit of Feyre in him. Niall discovers his life will never be the same after he meets Blackbird, his mentor and guide into the secret life of Feyre that pulses around us. He also finds out that the power he can wield isn’t what any other nice Feyre can accept. In order to survive, Niall must not only get himself under control and allude the Untainted Feyres who do want him dead, but save the world - all before Monday.
This is a fast paced book that, if it grabs you, will leave you sleepless till you finish. I especially loved the descriptions of magic and the magical beings. Mr. Shevdon’s vivid imagination comes through in all aspects of the novel, and his world-building is solid.
If you like fairies, goblins, and other dark creatures mixed with a modern flavor, check out Sixty-One Nails. I enjoyed the book and look forward to continuing the Courts of the Feyres series. Highly recommended.
April 4, 2019
2.5 stars. "The smarter, faster brother to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere has arrived." ??? LOLOLOL. Sorry, but no. It was an ok urban fantasy. I might read the rest of the series. I might not.
April 27, 2013
Full review over at
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I had read the book blurb which the plot line sounded all-to-familiar. However the book cover and the title nagged at my mind. I then happened onto by Mike Shevdon about urban fantasy which made me very very curious to read this book. In retrospect I've learnt that the title and the front page are very important to the story!
Sixty-One Nails is set in London and features the primary character of Niall Petersen, who leads an ordinary life but with the added weight of being a father and a testy relationship with his ex-wife. Readers are introduced to him in the underground subway where shortly after witnessing an accident, Niall experiences something similar to a heart attack. His rescuer is a woman who goes by the name of Blackbird and mysteriously calls him Rabbit as she comforts his fears of his heart and condition. The story line quickly picks up as Niall learns that he may have a possible Fey background. All the unwanted attention due to this possible link causes him to try and run. Niall tries to learn the ropes of how to adjust and survive in a world in which he has no clue about the rules and day to day living. Blackbird is his only contact to this hidden world, and she is very slow in passing information along to Niall. It appears she is part wary of him and part fascinated by him. Together they learn about who is behind the attack on Niall which leads to them trying to change the world that they are familiar with.
Mike Shevdon takes an interesting twist by linking the plot line with an ancient ceremony that is still taking place in current day London. I found this to be the highlight of Sixty-One Nails, as Shevdon seamlessly mingles the origins and traditional ceremony of the entire event and makes it a focal point of the book. The actual origins and history are nicely explained in the afterword of the book and come complete with proper references and further reading for those readers that were interested in it.
The story line of Sixty -One Nails follows the protagonist as he moves from London to the countryside and back again. I feel a reader more familiar with the London setting and countryside could appreciate how eloquently, Shevdon wrote about it.
There are some negatives of the book for myself. First, the events which occur all happen within a period of less than a week. However the prose is cumbersome in places as the story moves at a very slow pace in some areas. It took me a while to come to grips with this writing style as it seemed to take until around page 80-100 to pick up the pace of events.
The second negative was that of the main character coming across as a bit bland. As Niall is supposed to be the main focus of the story and readers are viewing the whole story through his eyes, he seemed to be a bit subdued or laid back. His reactions to the events that are happening to him and the changes around him came across as indifferent. He understood and came to grips with his power a little too quickly for my liking. This may be a result of the fact that I found Blackbird's character to be more interesting then Niall. Maybe the author intended it to be so, as Blackbird is a bit flamboyant with a mix of mystery and 100% Fey'ree fatale.
In the end I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes for something different in the urban fantasy sub genre. Mike Shevdon might not be the next big thing, but he's the next fresh voice in this genre. I look forward to what he writes about next and especially look forward to see what he brings to the second book in The Courts of the Feyre series.
December 30, 2009
The trouble with fairies is: they're not cool. British folk-lore in general, in fact, can be a bit embarrassing, largely because many of the more powerful, dark or sinister elements got watered down in the Victorian era into the likes of Andrew Lang's fairy books, the Cottingley hoax, and Morris dancing. Any book aiming, therefore, to take on fairyland has a big cringe-factor obstacle to overcome. I struggling with the whole fairy issue during the opening of "Sixty-One Nails" (and spelling it Feyre didn't do anything to lessen my discomfort), but was able to get past that into a rather enjoyable modern fantasy novel. Niall is middle-aged and doesn't have much of a life outside work, since leaving his wife and daughter and moving into a flat on his own. One morning he's on his usual tube journey into work when he realises he is suffering from a heart attack. No-one on the platform seems particularly keen to help, except for an unremarkable middle-aged lady who introduces herself as Blackbird. Over coffee, Blackbird tells Niall that it wasn't just a heart attack from which she has just saved him - as he hovered between life and death a malevolent being (a member of the dangerous Feyre known as the Untainted) was trying to take over his body. This would have been possible because Niall himself is not fully human, and possesses Feyre blood, just like Blackbird. So Niall, now called Rabbit, comes to understand that he will now forever be hunted by the Untainted and will never be able to resturn to his old life. To make matters yet more complicated, the magin toxins left at Niall's flat by an Untainted huntress lead the police to suspect Niall of involvement in biological weapons, and by the end of the night he is the subject of a national manhunt. After a Jason Bourne-style flight across London, Niall is shown a vision of his future, and he and Blackbird are compelled to embark upon a quest to save all of humanity from the hunger of the Untainted.
While not brilliant writing, "Sixty-One Nails" is a real page-turner, and I would be likely to read the sequel (which is trailered in the back of this edition). I found the editing to be sloppy in places, with poor grammar used by the narrator and characters alike, and I also found the blurb and general ethos of the Angry Robot imprint to be off-putting. It's mission "is to produce books that appeal to everyone, from post-Dr Who and Xbox fans to long-time genre enthusiasts" and that's unlikely to succeed. I think the people at Harper Collins are underestimating the degree to which "long-term genre ethusiasts" don't like to be patronised or told what's cool. So ignore the back cover, ignore the annoying suggestions as to what headings you should file the novel under, read it for yourself and you may be pleasantly suprised.
While not brilliant writing, "Sixty-One Nails" is a real page-turner, and I would be likely to read the sequel (which is trailered in the back of this edition). I found the editing to be sloppy in places, with poor grammar used by the narrator and characters alike, and I also found the blurb and general ethos of the Angry Robot imprint to be off-putting. It's mission "is to produce books that appeal to everyone, from post-Dr Who and Xbox fans to long-time genre enthusiasts" and that's unlikely to succeed. I think the people at Harper Collins are underestimating the degree to which "long-term genre ethusiasts" don't like to be patronised or told what's cool. So ignore the back cover, ignore the annoying suggestions as to what headings you should file the novel under, read it for yourself and you may be pleasantly suprised.
April 23, 2014
After reading the Dresden Files last year and finding in them the first urban fantasy I have really ever loved since Neverwhere, I've been on a desperate hunt for really good urban fantasy series. Apparently though, good urban fantasy is as hard to catch as the mythical unicorn (the beast that is famous for being impossible to catch).
A month or so ago I struck gold with Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus novels. They were a great set of books set in London that can easily stand up to the brilliance of the Dresden Files. However, the similarities between the two series are many and there is even a head nod to harry Dresden in the opening chapter of Fated. Therefore my search has continued without much success until finally I found this book...
Sixty-One Nails is a breath of fresh air for this genre. Whilst reliant on a roughly familiar Fairy magic system (or the Feyre as they are called here) the similarities between this series and others that I have read before stop there.
Niall, our protagonist, isn't a lone wolf type with a bad attitude and neither is he a long suffering outcast from some magic society who has a dark enough past to be dangerous but is good enough to work with the good guys from time to time. Whilst new to this world he is not the bumbling hero who relies only on luck and the fact that enemies continually underestimate him and his friends in order to survive, he is instead quite capable and quick to adapt though obviously still a little rough around the edges.
Another problem with the genre is the constant need to include every mythical creature ever created in a single novel and this isn't the case here. Whilst there are creatures that will be familiar from legends, they are so different from what is expected that they only bear familiarity in name alone (and sometimes even that isn't all that close).
There were incredibly likable and well rounded characters who acted (and I really can't stress this enough) how humans would act in any given situation. There was no forced stupidity behind decisions and actions as a way to move the plot forward. When information was hidden from the reader it wasn't hidden for no good reason other than the author not wanting the reader to know that information (another annoying trope in urban fantasy). Even the police element when it arose, was handled really well and had obviously been researched (I can't tell you how many books I have read recently where police are all ignorant idiots who ignore laws and constantly violate human rights in order to satisfy their own idiotic and unfounded theories).
Basically what I am saying is that this is a really solid urban fantasy that is free of the usual pitfalls of the genre and even manages to be quite original.
I finish this book after having ignored all the other things I had to do this evening so that I could read it in one sitting. It is fast paced, has a great story, is filled with wonderful characters you will quickly grow to love and has a sense of scale that is necessary for the start of a long running series.
Overall this is an excellent book that I just can't find a flaw in. It was wonderfully written, absolutely gripping and the only reason why I can even find the time to write this review rather than start reading the next one is because Amazon only offers next day delivery rather than same day (in the world of broadband and instant downloads next day delivery seems frustratingly out of date now) and therefore I have to wait until tomorrow to read the next one.
So, it should come as no shock to anyone that I really can't recommend this book highly enough. If you like urban fantasy but haven't read this yet then I ask what are you waiting for? If you've never read an urban fantasy before then you really can't go wrong with starting with this book.
A month or so ago I struck gold with Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus novels. They were a great set of books set in London that can easily stand up to the brilliance of the Dresden Files. However, the similarities between the two series are many and there is even a head nod to harry Dresden in the opening chapter of Fated. Therefore my search has continued without much success until finally I found this book...
Sixty-One Nails is a breath of fresh air for this genre. Whilst reliant on a roughly familiar Fairy magic system (or the Feyre as they are called here) the similarities between this series and others that I have read before stop there.
Niall, our protagonist, isn't a lone wolf type with a bad attitude and neither is he a long suffering outcast from some magic society who has a dark enough past to be dangerous but is good enough to work with the good guys from time to time. Whilst new to this world he is not the bumbling hero who relies only on luck and the fact that enemies continually underestimate him and his friends in order to survive, he is instead quite capable and quick to adapt though obviously still a little rough around the edges.
Another problem with the genre is the constant need to include every mythical creature ever created in a single novel and this isn't the case here. Whilst there are creatures that will be familiar from legends, they are so different from what is expected that they only bear familiarity in name alone (and sometimes even that isn't all that close).
There were incredibly likable and well rounded characters who acted (and I really can't stress this enough) how humans would act in any given situation. There was no forced stupidity behind decisions and actions as a way to move the plot forward. When information was hidden from the reader it wasn't hidden for no good reason other than the author not wanting the reader to know that information (another annoying trope in urban fantasy). Even the police element when it arose, was handled really well and had obviously been researched (I can't tell you how many books I have read recently where police are all ignorant idiots who ignore laws and constantly violate human rights in order to satisfy their own idiotic and unfounded theories).
Basically what I am saying is that this is a really solid urban fantasy that is free of the usual pitfalls of the genre and even manages to be quite original.
I finish this book after having ignored all the other things I had to do this evening so that I could read it in one sitting. It is fast paced, has a great story, is filled with wonderful characters you will quickly grow to love and has a sense of scale that is necessary for the start of a long running series.
Overall this is an excellent book that I just can't find a flaw in. It was wonderfully written, absolutely gripping and the only reason why I can even find the time to write this review rather than start reading the next one is because Amazon only offers next day delivery rather than same day (in the world of broadband and instant downloads next day delivery seems frustratingly out of date now) and therefore I have to wait until tomorrow to read the next one.
So, it should come as no shock to anyone that I really can't recommend this book highly enough. If you like urban fantasy but haven't read this yet then I ask what are you waiting for? If you've never read an urban fantasy before then you really can't go wrong with starting with this book.
July 28, 2018
There are four books in the Courts of Feyre series; this is the first book in that series. This book started out really cool and reminded me a lot of Gaiman’s “Neverwhere�, unfortunately it never really went anywhere. I was reading this on Kindle and got about 40% of the way through (215 pages) and realized that not much had really happened yet. I finally stopped reading this book at that 40% mark.
Niall basically dies, is brought back to life, and then finds out he is some sort of fae in the first couple chapters of the book. There is discussion that he will need to join one of the Feyre courts in order to survive the awakening of his Feyre powers. From this point on there is a lot of Niall running around as he tries to tie up the loose ends of his old life, this part seemed to go on forever.
Blackbird is an interesting side character that is introduced and I liked her. There are a few other side characters introduced but not much time is spent with them.
I was really disappointed in how slowly this book moved; I really wanted to like it and it feels like the kind of story I would like. However, I finally got fed up with the lack of progress and decided to put this book down and start reading another.
Overall this book has potential if you have the patience for it (which I didn’t). It has a very “Neverwhere� feel to it and if felt like something I would enjoy initially. However, in the first 40% of the book not much actually happens and I got bored with it.
Niall basically dies, is brought back to life, and then finds out he is some sort of fae in the first couple chapters of the book. There is discussion that he will need to join one of the Feyre courts in order to survive the awakening of his Feyre powers. From this point on there is a lot of Niall running around as he tries to tie up the loose ends of his old life, this part seemed to go on forever.
Blackbird is an interesting side character that is introduced and I liked her. There are a few other side characters introduced but not much time is spent with them.
I was really disappointed in how slowly this book moved; I really wanted to like it and it feels like the kind of story I would like. However, I finally got fed up with the lack of progress and decided to put this book down and start reading another.
Overall this book has potential if you have the patience for it (which I didn’t). It has a very “Neverwhere� feel to it and if felt like something I would enjoy initially. However, in the first 40% of the book not much actually happens and I got bored with it.
April 24, 2016
I read this four years ago. It was my first urban fantasy, and really opened my eyes to how fascinating the idea of magic under the surface of everyday life can be. The character intrigue is built through a middle aged man who is struggling to stay above water, so to speak, as a divorced father. I really enjoyed him finding purpose and how he fought, not only for his daughter, but also for his world. Another great and unique aspect to this series is how authentic it feels to London and the myths of that area and culture. Shevdon uses local history to weave his Fey mythos in a believable and exciting way. I loved the magic system and how our main characters discovered, developed and exercised their powers for good. This is one of my favorite books, and not even one of the best in the series.
July 5, 2020
A solid 3.5 really. It's good but I can wait a while to read the next in the series. Niall appears to have a heart attack on the underground but is helped by an older woman. However it turns out he isn't meant to be alive and in saving him Blackbird has made their lives incredibly complicated. She explains he is part Fey and now he is a target and expects him to die before morning. Niall (now named Rabbit) is a bit more resourceful and powerful than expected though.
(Also comparing every urban fantasy set in London to Neverwhere doesn't actually help)
(Also comparing every urban fantasy set in London to Neverwhere doesn't actually help)
February 25, 2014
Just realised I didn't mark as 'read' nor rated nor commented on this one, and I read it nine or ten months ago!
I remember thinking it could have been edited down quite a lot. It's very unlike a lot of other urban fantasy around because the dialogue and language is quite staid and formal - quite British, really, I guess.
I think this is just below a 4 for me, because I didn't find it really special or memorable, but I did find it quietly and understatedly solid and enjoyable.
I remember thinking it could have been edited down quite a lot. It's very unlike a lot of other urban fantasy around because the dialogue and language is quite staid and formal - quite British, really, I guess.
I think this is just below a 4 for me, because I didn't find it really special or memorable, but I did find it quietly and understatedly solid and enjoyable.
June 29, 2017
I bought some of Mike Shevdon’s books a while back and for some reason started with ‘The Eighth Court� rather than the first one in the series. I really enjoyed that one but then we started moving house and I started writing again so never got round to catching up with the ones beforehand. I took ‘Sixty One Nails� on holiday with me recently and quickly got wrapped up in it again.
It sets the scene really quickly as we’re introduced to Blackbird and Niall/Rabbit and I found it easy enough to keep up with the glamour changes that they sometimes go through. It was well paced, and there was a lot of moving about from place to place. Having lived in London I felt quite absorbed in imagining/remembering where things were as they went back and forth. The fantasy side of the writing is well done without being too far-fetched, and the use of elements is well described so you can imagine it in your mind’s eye.
I’ve got the next one in the series so have added that to my TBR list.
It sets the scene really quickly as we’re introduced to Blackbird and Niall/Rabbit and I found it easy enough to keep up with the glamour changes that they sometimes go through. It was well paced, and there was a lot of moving about from place to place. Having lived in London I felt quite absorbed in imagining/remembering where things were as they went back and forth. The fantasy side of the writing is well done without being too far-fetched, and the use of elements is well described so you can imagine it in your mind’s eye.
I’ve got the next one in the series so have added that to my TBR list.
November 4, 2020
This is a very well-written urban fantasy. I really loved the way the characters are developed through the story, especially Niall. Suddenly discovering that there is a whole other world than the one he knows, Niall is thrust into learning who he is, while trying to stay alive. The world building in this novel is fantastic, from everyday London, to the journey through the areas inhabited by the Feyre, this book just brings the settings and characters to life.
June 24, 2018
After a slow start that took ages to drag me into the story, I was completely hooked when things gained ground. I didn't want to put the book down. The characters, especially Rabbit and Blackbird are fantastically written and at times quite entertaining. I can't wait to read the next in the series
January 20, 2025
DNF 314/522
It was going great until the needless chemistry between the 2 main characters. It felt forced and obvious at the same time. I'm too pissed off about it to finish. Definitely not reading the rest of the series.
It was going great until the needless chemistry between the 2 main characters. It felt forced and obvious at the same time. I'm too pissed off about it to finish. Definitely not reading the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2011
Maybe more of a 3.5 star book, but I quite liked it. It started off a bit dreamy and disconnected, and continued that way a bit, with the feeling that I was reading a myth almost more than being immersed in an adventure. It reminded me more of Charles de Lint that way more than Neil Gaiman, as the cover compared it to (and made me feel vary old in doing so by saying that this is the Neverwhere for the next generation - what generation am I?). In fact, I could see this being the first of many stories set in this world, with many possible main characters, because this tale barely scratched the surface of this mythology. But as for this story, it was a bit slow at points, but generally a original new mix-up of age-old ideas and an enjoyable tale of Naill's journey from regular guy to Fey hero. I enjoyed the way the author included genuine London sites and historical events, giving the book an extra sense of realism and adding to that magical/mythological feeling that maybe this stuff really is happening under our noses and we just aren't seeing it.
I also want to comment on Angry Robot's covers, which I generally like very much but have a major quibble with as well. It's an interesting thing to me, because the cover really is what got me to pick up this book and cheek it out. The front design is very cool and stark, and I love they way they do the "file under" tabs on the back covers, with useful, sarcastic and teaser information included, and also "if you like this try...authors" showing authors that if you like then you may like this and also other Angry Robots books as well, it's unique and creative, always gets my attention and makes their books really stand out at the book store. The design of the books are beautiful with a great mix of modern sensibility yet with a classic historical stark edge that makes them bold and unique. Other Angry Robots books I've seen are always bold and strongly artistic, but retaining the quirky edge with the file under tabs and such.
But it makes me nuts that, at least in this one (and book 2 in this series) they don't say what the book is about on the cover! Other than a few author quotes, the entire book summary is:
There is a secret war growing beneath the streets of London.
A dark magic will be unleashed by the Untainted.
Unless a new hero can be found.
Definitely written by marketing and not the author, I'd bet money on that! If I didn't have an iPhone handy where I could look up the book on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and find out what it was actually about, I'd never have purchased the book based on so little information, despite being intrigued by it's looks. It seems like quite a gamble to skip including more about the actual people or story, but maybe the curiosity or word of mouth or social networking is paying off. I hope so, I like the book, I like Angry Robot's designs in general and their choices in authors seems really great. So my vote on the cover design is a thumbs up/thumbs down with the caveat that they probably know that they're doing and that I hope it's working for them because I wish them a lot of success. And I hope that Shevdom gets in on the success train, because he too deserves to do well, his book is very good and I'm looking forward to starting the second book in the series right away.
I also want to comment on Angry Robot's covers, which I generally like very much but have a major quibble with as well. It's an interesting thing to me, because the cover really is what got me to pick up this book and cheek it out. The front design is very cool and stark, and I love they way they do the "file under" tabs on the back covers, with useful, sarcastic and teaser information included, and also "if you like this try...authors" showing authors that if you like then you may like this and also other Angry Robots books as well, it's unique and creative, always gets my attention and makes their books really stand out at the book store. The design of the books are beautiful with a great mix of modern sensibility yet with a classic historical stark edge that makes them bold and unique. Other Angry Robots books I've seen are always bold and strongly artistic, but retaining the quirky edge with the file under tabs and such.
But it makes me nuts that, at least in this one (and book 2 in this series) they don't say what the book is about on the cover! Other than a few author quotes, the entire book summary is:
There is a secret war growing beneath the streets of London.
A dark magic will be unleashed by the Untainted.
Unless a new hero can be found.
Definitely written by marketing and not the author, I'd bet money on that! If I didn't have an iPhone handy where I could look up the book on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and find out what it was actually about, I'd never have purchased the book based on so little information, despite being intrigued by it's looks. It seems like quite a gamble to skip including more about the actual people or story, but maybe the curiosity or word of mouth or social networking is paying off. I hope so, I like the book, I like Angry Robot's designs in general and their choices in authors seems really great. So my vote on the cover design is a thumbs up/thumbs down with the caveat that they probably know that they're doing and that I hope it's working for them because I wish them a lot of success. And I hope that Shevdom gets in on the success train, because he too deserves to do well, his book is very good and I'm looking forward to starting the second book in the series right away.
April 8, 2021
Though Mike Shevdon's Sixty-One Nails has frequently been compared to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, it stands on its own as a wholly different book with its own unique alternative London urban fantasy world with its own rules. It starts with two heart attacks on the London Underground - the first being a random stranger who falls on the tracks when they have a heart attack, the second is the main character, Niall Petersen, who has a heart attack after seeing the first one happen and overexerting himself trying to change his commute to work. For a Londoner that frequently uses TFL, unfortunately, this sounds fairly normal. However, having his life saved by the mysterious Blackbird is only the start of Niall's introduction to a secret London where Fae lurk at every corner and are protected by six of the seven Fae Courts.
Read the rest of my review on my blog:
Read the rest of my review on my blog:
June 25, 2014
Nutshell blurb: Niall Peterson collapses on the London Underground and is revived by a woman who goes by the name of Blackbird. She is one of the Feyre and he must help her ensure that an ancient ritual is performed in order to prevent all of humankind from being enslaved by the Untainted.
I'm following Ben Aaronovitch on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and I saw that he read this book and gave it 5 stars so I thought I'd check it out. I can totally see why he did. This was an engaging read that kept me gripped. Anything that keeps me reading during times when I'm not meant to be doing so can only be a good thing.
There were a couple of things that kept me from giving it 5 stars (I gave it 4). I felt like there was a lot of exposition in this story. One character in the book gave us complete histories of the Feyre and various aspects of this other world and I just felt that it happened way too often. Sometimes it felt as if this woman was talking through the entire book and it got a bit tiresome.
I guess the question is: how do you convey the finer points of your world to your readers without straight out explaining every detail? (If you know, please tell me because I'm world-building in my own writing.)
There was another point that made me scratch my head. When Niall and Blackbird first met, she gave him the name Rabbit because names have power and the Feyre and Untainted don't give out their names for fear of giving others an advantage over them. However, throughout the book she constantly calls him by his given name but it never really seemed to have any consequences.
Those were a couple of things that bothered me. Nothing too earth-shaking.
On to what I liked.
The hidden world and the folklore of the Feyre and Untainted were really well thought out and completely absorbing. It is really rich in detail which is hugely appealing. The characters are interesting and believable. I loved that the main character is a forty-two year old man with an ex-wife and daughter.
What I really loved is that it's set in London. I totally dig the mixture of fantasy with modern day London. There were so many places that I 'recognised'. The story starts on the District Line which I take every day to work. I love reading about various places and picturing where they are in my head. It adds an extra level of detail that makes it even more charming.
Definitely a great read. Unfortunately, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ doesn't allow 1/2 stars or I would have given it 4 1/2. I'll just have to settle for giving it 4 1/2 stars in my head.
I'm following Ben Aaronovitch on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and I saw that he read this book and gave it 5 stars so I thought I'd check it out. I can totally see why he did. This was an engaging read that kept me gripped. Anything that keeps me reading during times when I'm not meant to be doing so can only be a good thing.
There were a couple of things that kept me from giving it 5 stars (I gave it 4). I felt like there was a lot of exposition in this story. One character in the book gave us complete histories of the Feyre and various aspects of this other world and I just felt that it happened way too often. Sometimes it felt as if this woman was talking through the entire book and it got a bit tiresome.
I guess the question is: how do you convey the finer points of your world to your readers without straight out explaining every detail? (If you know, please tell me because I'm world-building in my own writing.)
There was another point that made me scratch my head. When Niall and Blackbird first met, she gave him the name Rabbit because names have power and the Feyre and Untainted don't give out their names for fear of giving others an advantage over them. However, throughout the book she constantly calls him by his given name but it never really seemed to have any consequences.
Those were a couple of things that bothered me. Nothing too earth-shaking.
On to what I liked.
The hidden world and the folklore of the Feyre and Untainted were really well thought out and completely absorbing. It is really rich in detail which is hugely appealing. The characters are interesting and believable. I loved that the main character is a forty-two year old man with an ex-wife and daughter.
What I really loved is that it's set in London. I totally dig the mixture of fantasy with modern day London. There were so many places that I 'recognised'. The story starts on the District Line which I take every day to work. I love reading about various places and picturing where they are in my head. It adds an extra level of detail that makes it even more charming.
Definitely a great read. Unfortunately, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ doesn't allow 1/2 stars or I would have given it 4 1/2. I'll just have to settle for giving it 4 1/2 stars in my head.
May 11, 2010
Sixty-One Nails, a debut novel is the first book of The Courts of Feyre series. The title and cover photo, integral to the plot, are revealed through the telling of the story while providing another slant at urban fantasies.
A life which was hidden to Niall Peterson suddenly becomes opened to him when he has a near-death experience after witnessing an accident on the London Underground enroute to work. A woman named Blackbird rescues him and begins Niall’s introduction into the world of the Fayree by giving him the moniker of “Rabbit�. Blackbird shows Niall a new road to self-discovery of his abilities. In the beginning Niall is frustrated with his new found abilities, learning to cope with them as they appear and how to apply them to the pure blood fey, who are executing all the half-blood mongrels they find. The pure bloods have a section calling themselves The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, who have made a play for power intending to enslave the other Fayre and humans.
Niall has to find a way to correct the wrong in an old English ceremony which has been performed annually since 1211 to defeat the Untained. There are excellent descriptions of locations and plenty of dastardly villains to keep any reader happy.
All characters including those who are fey are well developed with strengths and weaknesses and the story moves along steadily with excellent attention to detail of location with some historical details provided.
Mr. Shevdon used a piece of English history: the Quit Rents Ceremony that occurs every year. He provided an explanation of the background of this history and how it relates to the plotline. I liked his descriptions of the London locations and felt as if I had returned there in person seeing the sights again.
Once I started this book I could barely put it down, wanting to know how certain threats would be dealt with and solved. There are no weak spots, and the action kept moving at a good pace. I really enjoyed reading this book. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to delve into a different look at urban fantasy.
I look forward to reading the second book in this series, “The Road to Bedlam�, available in the UK July 2010.
A life which was hidden to Niall Peterson suddenly becomes opened to him when he has a near-death experience after witnessing an accident on the London Underground enroute to work. A woman named Blackbird rescues him and begins Niall’s introduction into the world of the Fayree by giving him the moniker of “Rabbit�. Blackbird shows Niall a new road to self-discovery of his abilities. In the beginning Niall is frustrated with his new found abilities, learning to cope with them as they appear and how to apply them to the pure blood fey, who are executing all the half-blood mongrels they find. The pure bloods have a section calling themselves The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, who have made a play for power intending to enslave the other Fayre and humans.
Niall has to find a way to correct the wrong in an old English ceremony which has been performed annually since 1211 to defeat the Untained. There are excellent descriptions of locations and plenty of dastardly villains to keep any reader happy.
All characters including those who are fey are well developed with strengths and weaknesses and the story moves along steadily with excellent attention to detail of location with some historical details provided.
Mr. Shevdon used a piece of English history: the Quit Rents Ceremony that occurs every year. He provided an explanation of the background of this history and how it relates to the plotline. I liked his descriptions of the London locations and felt as if I had returned there in person seeing the sights again.
Once I started this book I could barely put it down, wanting to know how certain threats would be dealt with and solved. There are no weak spots, and the action kept moving at a good pace. I really enjoyed reading this book. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to delve into a different look at urban fantasy.
I look forward to reading the second book in this series, “The Road to Bedlam�, available in the UK July 2010.
March 5, 2010
I picked this up as the story looked interesting, and from the adverts and recommendations on the back cover (Neverwhere, Tithe) it seemed like a book I would enjoy.
I can see why this book is compared to Neverwhere, but the only real similarity is that they are both set in an 'alternative' London. Otherwise, these two books are quite different - Niall (how do you even pronounce that?) finds out that he is actually a 'Fayree' (how I hate these ridiculous spellings), with help from his new friend, Blackbird. "Neverwhere" focuses more on the Underground, while this is more set around the history of London and the two are constantly trying to escape from danger.
This is a very fast-paced, easy read. The story is fairly predictable, and it's quite obvious what will happen, but it is still a fun, light read. It throws you into the action straight away. Every chapter ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, which encouraged me to keep reading (even though I'd told myself I'd read "to the end of this chapter") to find out what happens next.
I think a bit of knowledge of London and its layout is helpful for this book, due to its setting - I think the author assumes the reader has this knowledge, and, for example, knows where Australia House is.
My main complaint was the ending - Niall passes out, and wakes up a few days later when everything has been sorted out and fixed for him. It seems a bit convenient and a rather abrupt ending, after all the action and intrigue. Everything seems to get wrapped up awfully nicely and quickly in the last chapter!
I did find the awful proof reading of this book quite off-putting, though (lots of typos, paragraphs in the middle of a sentence, question marks and full-stops used in the wrong places, etc), but if you can ignore that, this is a fun read. (I know that this isn't the author's fault, but the publishers - it doesn't stop it from being distracting, though!)
I can see why this book is compared to Neverwhere, but the only real similarity is that they are both set in an 'alternative' London. Otherwise, these two books are quite different - Niall (how do you even pronounce that?) finds out that he is actually a 'Fayree' (how I hate these ridiculous spellings), with help from his new friend, Blackbird. "Neverwhere" focuses more on the Underground, while this is more set around the history of London and the two are constantly trying to escape from danger.
This is a very fast-paced, easy read. The story is fairly predictable, and it's quite obvious what will happen, but it is still a fun, light read. It throws you into the action straight away. Every chapter ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, which encouraged me to keep reading (even though I'd told myself I'd read "to the end of this chapter") to find out what happens next.
I think a bit of knowledge of London and its layout is helpful for this book, due to its setting - I think the author assumes the reader has this knowledge, and, for example, knows where Australia House is.
My main complaint was the ending - Niall passes out, and wakes up a few days later when everything has been sorted out and fixed for him. It seems a bit convenient and a rather abrupt ending, after all the action and intrigue. Everything seems to get wrapped up awfully nicely and quickly in the last chapter!
I did find the awful proof reading of this book quite off-putting, though (lots of typos, paragraphs in the middle of a sentence, question marks and full-stops used in the wrong places, etc), but if you can ignore that, this is a fun read. (I know that this isn't the author's fault, but the publishers - it doesn't stop it from being distracting, though!)
May 17, 2013
This book is about a man who discovers he's part Fey in a particularly un-fun way--he has a heart attack in the London Underground and then a nasty spirit tries to possess his almost-corpse.
I generally enjoyed this book. It mixes action, historical fact, and myth into a tasty adventure tale of a man finding out he has to give up the life he's made for himself in order to protect his child's life. I liked the prose and I found the main character an interesting change from typical fantasy heroes. He's a middle-aged, recently-divorced guy who manages to seem slightly morose, slightly befuddled, and slightly tetchy, all at the same time.
The novel isn't perfect. There was about a page worth's dialogue, quite near the beginning of the book, that seemed like a repeat of information the reader had already learned about two pages prior. I also found the romance between the two main characters a bit hard to swallow, although thankfully, the author kept the pace of the relationship slow enough that I didn't find it totally unbelievable either. I found the very end of the book a bit too obvious a setup for sequels--the action climax was fine, but the resolution of the Fey court's intrigues just didn't feel authentic.
Still, this was entertaining enough I'd read other books by this author. It seems like an auspicious start to a series.
I generally enjoyed this book. It mixes action, historical fact, and myth into a tasty adventure tale of a man finding out he has to give up the life he's made for himself in order to protect his child's life. I liked the prose and I found the main character an interesting change from typical fantasy heroes. He's a middle-aged, recently-divorced guy who manages to seem slightly morose, slightly befuddled, and slightly tetchy, all at the same time.
The novel isn't perfect. There was about a page worth's dialogue, quite near the beginning of the book, that seemed like a repeat of information the reader had already learned about two pages prior. I also found the romance between the two main characters a bit hard to swallow, although thankfully, the author kept the pace of the relationship slow enough that I didn't find it totally unbelievable either. I found the very end of the book a bit too obvious a setup for sequels--the action climax was fine, but the resolution of the Fey court's intrigues just didn't feel authentic.
Still, this was entertaining enough I'd read other books by this author. It seems like an auspicious start to a series.
March 14, 2016
I picked this book up because it sounded similar to Neverwhere. It does have certain similarities-a regular man with a regular life, discovers a hidden world within London.
I really liked this story based in alternative London and the well developed characters within it.
The main character, Niall, is easy to relate to. And Blackbird introduces you to this alternative version of the world. A magical world around us, but completely unnoticed. Niall is at first unbelieving that he is in fact part Feyre. But events soon prove that there's no other explaination. And they're after him. When they come for him, they put him on the run from the human authorities as well. Now entwined in his new heritage he tries to protect his estranged wife and their daughter. He must learn to survive in this new life and use his Feyre power to protect the world from the Untainted that are trying to kill him and those he loves. The way the story was tied to the ceremony is clever. It's an ancient ceremony and somewhat mysterious so it's a great way to connect this story into modern day London and keep you wondering about the secrets just beyond what you see.
I really liked this story based in alternative London and the well developed characters within it.
The main character, Niall, is easy to relate to. And Blackbird introduces you to this alternative version of the world. A magical world around us, but completely unnoticed. Niall is at first unbelieving that he is in fact part Feyre. But events soon prove that there's no other explaination. And they're after him. When they come for him, they put him on the run from the human authorities as well. Now entwined in his new heritage he tries to protect his estranged wife and their daughter. He must learn to survive in this new life and use his Feyre power to protect the world from the Untainted that are trying to kill him and those he loves. The way the story was tied to the ceremony is clever. It's an ancient ceremony and somewhat mysterious so it's a great way to connect this story into modern day London and keep you wondering about the secrets just beyond what you see.
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