Reviews

People have said the nicest things…

…the 500+ page novel is gripping, suspenseful, and finishes faster than this reader would have preferred. I’m already excited for the sequel….Shevdon’s world-creation is thorough and satisfying; he creates a world in which magic and secret histories are carefully interwoven with normal, everyday tasks and city life.
Entomology of a Bookworm

Shevdon has created an intriguing world in his first novel. It’s very real, set in a London that is familiar to all of us. The author has used fascinating historical facts as the basis for his story, but takes the traditional fairy tale and turns it on its head. Not every question is answered which leaves the reader waiting for more in the next installment. A very good debut in the fantasy world.
Stitch and Bear

To his considerable credit Mr Shevdon has put a lot of effort in building a creditable story, with believable characters and then woven in two of those anachronistic ceremonies that common law Britain has by the droves to make something well worth reading. At times he has even escaped the common tropes of the genre and created something new.
SFFANZ

Overall, a most surprising, excellent read. A real rollercoaster that explores what is for me a whole new facet of fairy-folk, unlike the cutesy bedtime tales we tell our kids. I want to say a lot more, but that would just soak up your time, and you’ll understand it much better if you read it for yourself. All I can say is… I so want to be like Niall, and roll on “The Road to Bedlam”.
KiwiReviews

Surprisingly I came to care for Niall’s character pretty quickly. It’s a combination of the danger Niall finds himself tangled up in, the oddness of Blackbird (an old lady as a guide = a new one – she is no fairy godmother creating a carriage from a pumpkin), and the richness of the world that Mike Shevdon creates which has me eager for the sequel.
Nayu’s Reading Corner

Shevdon has crafted a well-researched urban fantasy, one that makes good use of faerie folk lore, London’s geography and an obscure legal ritual that’s been carried out in the City for hundreds of years. The idea of faerie living among us, unhidden and unnoticed is deliciously depicted, as his portrayal of he use of magic.
Bookish

A unique urban fantasy that steps well outside its Gaimen shadow and leaves you anxiously waiting for more. I can’t wait for the sequel.
Opinionated? Me?

By the end of the novel, I was hanging onto the pages, drawing every last scene out as though I were sucking it out through a straw. I really did enjoy the ride.
Lateral Books

“Shevdon does a great job of weaving these elements together along with a strong protagonist and a beautiful-yet-deadly fantasy world. His spin on familiar mythology is unique enough to keep you wanting to learn more….The main plot grounds itself in some real history, so you get a lot of fantastical twists to familiar locations and events, which is always enjoyable. Nothing is as it seems in this world–even your closest friend or lover could be hiding their true identity. ”
Speculative Fiction Examiner

“Something that i loved about the book is the amount of detail Mike placed in it. Through your journey you encounter all the myths and superstitions that make tales of the fey so memorable. None of this new age stuff… The characters in the book are completely lovable. Right from the start you grow close to Niall, aka Rabbit, and Blackbird… This is definitely a must read for me and one of my top books of the year… Well done Mike, I can’t wait for the next one, Road to Bedlam.”
Realms and Galaxies

“Mike Shevdon in this first novel gave me just what I need: main characters that I feel for, care about and could get invested in. Thanks for something new, sir, that has renewed my faith in modern fantasy. Oh, and he adds in some real London history here and there, and that is a great thing too. I can’t wait for the next book.”
Deadwood Reviews

“This book is magnificent in every way. The protagonist is a much more everyday Joe than many writers choose to portray – divorced father of one, with an ex-wife he clearly doesn’t get on with, Naill and his life are not perfect and it’s these imperfections that ground the story. Combine this some very well researched real-world locations and you get a very believable story that you can’t help but relate to. Sixty One Nails is a novel I will remember for a very long time. 5*****”
Science Fiction & Fantasy

“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. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes for something different in the urban fantasy genre.”
Fantasy Book Critic