Mike Shevdon

Mike’s current series: The Courts of the Feyre

The Courts of the Feyre follows the adventures of Niall Petersen as he uncovers a hidden world of fey magic, strange history and uncanny creatures:

• Sixty-One Nails
• The Road to Bedlam
• Strangeness and Charm
• The Eighth Court (Scheduled in 2013)

SIXTY-ONE NAILS

After a heart attack, Niall Petersen is revived on the London Underground by an old lady who tells him he’s not entirely human. The old lady turns out to be much older than she appears, and explains that he has inherited the bloodlines of the Feyre, creatures of myth and folklore.

Now one of those creatures is hunting him and he must find a way for him and his daughter to survive. To succeed he must discover the secret of the two knives, one blunt, one sharp, the six horse-shoes, and why there are Sixty-One Nails.

An impressively accessible hero, Niall anchors the reader on a journey of discovery that feels constantly off-balance but never jarring. Comparisons to Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere are both inevitable and erroneous; Shevdon’s grittily believable, charmingly described underworld packs a dark punch all its own.
Publisher’s Weekly – June 2010 (starred review)

Mike Shevdon is a great, fresh voice in urban fantasy and has a fantastic new take on it, with a well-balanced blend of humor and gravity, making old folklore seem realistic and plausible in a techno-heavy world. It’s easy to fall back into childish passions for stories with this book, and enjoy it with some new adult friends.
Axie Barclay at the Sacramento Book Review

THE ROAD TO BEDLAM

When she unexpectedly and tragically comes into her power, Niall’s daughter is kidnapped by a shadowy organisation from which Niall must rescue her. His search is interrupted by the return of the Seventh Court, but is their arrival a coincidence?

To find his daughter, Niall must enter an alliance with his most dangerous foe, but how long will that alliance last on The Road to Bedlam?

The Road to Bedlam is a rich, detailed and impressive sequel to one of the best novels of 2009 with a gripping plot, superb characterisation and is such an effortless joy to read. If you have read Sixty One Nails you just have to get this, and for those of you who haven’t read Sixty One Nails, what are you waiting for, buy them both!
~ SciFi and Fantasy Books

There are moments of real joy in the twilight of book reading when an author really cannot do anything wrong for the reader. One of these breaks in the storm of Urban Fantasy is author Mike Shevdon, who in this, his second novel in the Courts of the Feyre series, The Road to Bedlam has been an absolute joy.
~ Falcata Times

 STRANGENESS AND CHARM

In freeing Alex from Bedlam, Niall has released her tortured and abused brethren into the wider world—individuals with strange and uncertain powers.

Now he is tasked with bringing these fey-humans back into the fey courts for the sake of peace and stability—but what if they have their own plans, born out of torture and formed from a distillation of bitterness, resentment, Strangeness and Charm?

Shevdon’s elegant and ever-so-easy to read prose really sparkles here, the book is just so entrancing that putting it down becomes a real challenge. The story is as thought provoking and engaging as ever and the pace set just right. As with the previous novels there are some interesting historical details mixed into the fiction and it’s partly this mixture of history with fable and modern day life that help to create the unique, powerful voice that permeates the pages.
~ SFBook  Reviews

…I also love the incorporation of superstitions, symbolism, and ceremonies. I honestly don’t know what comes first, if the story is inspired by these random tidbits of strange history or if Shevdon has a cache of these stocked away for use in the books. Maybe a little of both. Either way, it works. Here’s to Shevdon for another fabulous installment and I can’t wait til next year for book four!
~ No More Grumpy Bookseller

THE EIGHTH COURT

An Eighth Court of the Feyre is to be established for the half-breed fey, but petty rivalries and old disputes threaten its stability before it’s even founded. While the past haunts Niall’s dreams, Blackbird searches for a home for the new court.

As the end of the year approaches,  a message reaches Niall warning of the return of old enemies. Will Niall and Blackbird be able to bring the fey-humans together to establish The Eighth Court?

No spoilers, of course, but I am pleased to say the final chapters of The Eighth Court delivered exactly the sort of resolution to the series that I was hoping for. The perfect mix of magic and folklore, with a fantastic plot and loads of great characters has made this a story that I’ll remember for a long time. ~ The Eloquent Page