Sixty-One Nails -- Mike Shevdon

I had read this book close to five months ago, having borrowed it from my library.  Some of the details may be hazy but I do remember being a bit hesitant in picking it up because it had that aura about it of those horror books that hardly have any content in them and merely seek to stimulate the animal part of readers.  But I read the first page there in the library and decided that it was certainly worth a try.

Sixty-one Nails is Part One of the Court of the Feyre series.    We meet Niall Peterson, a workaholic who has been divorced and is, on that morning, on his way to pick up his daughter whom he is required to look after that day.  He is on his way, via the subway, when he experiences something that he can only call a heart attack. In that rush hour, he is rescued by an old lady who introduces herself as Blackbird.  His life is never the same after that.  He learns of a dark secret about himself - that he is of Fey blood - something he had not been aware of all his life, but which Blackbird reveals to him urgently as he spends the morning fending off attacks of a powerful enemy he had never known existed.  He now has to adjust to his new avatar as Rabbit, before he can get his real Fey name after entering the Court of the Feyre.  Along the way, he discovers supernatural powers of his own that delight and interest him, but like anyone learning a new skill, he must spend his time practising his newfound abilities if he wants to get out of this unexpected situation alive and intact.  The fight goes on in the oddest places in London, as Niall searches desperately for clues that will help him through this ordeal, often living minute-to-minute as he adjusts to his new life, and that will help bring him finally face-to-face with the enemy that threaten him. 

The author has managed to skillfully weave actual historic facts into his narrative.  When researching for this book, he admits to coming across an interesting ritual that actually still goes on in England -- the Quit Rent ceremony.  You can read the facts on his website, where he gives a detailed explanation.  He's done it in a very clever manner, actually. 

As per Wikipedia:

The Exchequer Court is reconstituted every year for the ancient ceremonies of the "Rendering of the Quit Rents to the Crown" by the City of London at the Royal Courts of Justice. There are three of these; the oldest dating from 1211.

In this ceremony, the City of London pays service for two pieces of land: The Moors near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, for which the City must pay two knives, one blunt and one sharp.

The second oldest has been made, entered in the Great Roll of the Exchequer, since 1235. This is for 'The Forge' (forge) in Tweezer's Alley, just south of St Clement's Dane, near the Strand in London, for which the City must pay six horseshoes and 61 horseshoe nails.

These two Quits are paid together as one ceremony. During the ceremony, a black-and-white-chequered cloth is spread out — it is from this that the word "Exchequer" derives. These two events are combined with the introduction to the Remembrancer of the City's newly elected Sheriffs.

The six horseshoes and the sixty-one Nails are themselves over 550 years old, since after being rendered to the Queen’s Remembrancer, they are preserved in his Office and with the permission of the Crown, they are loaned to the Corporation of London to be rendered again the following year.

The Solicitor and Comptroller of the City of London presents the horseshoes and nails and counts them out to the Remembrancer who then pronounces "Good number." The knives are tested by the Queen's Remembrancer by taking a hazel stick, one cubit in length, and bending it over the blunt knife and leaving a mark. Then the stick is split in two with the sharp knife. This practice stems from the creation of tally sticks where a mark was made in a stick with a blunt knife for each payment counted and then, when payment was complete, the stick was split down the middle, leaving each party with half of the marked stick and creating a receipt (or foil and counter-foil). After the knives are tested the Remembrancer pronounces "Good service."

The third quit rent rendered ceremonially (of all other payments) to the Crown by the City of London dates from 1327, and is for £11 in regard to the reserved interest of the Crown for the 'town of Southwark. '. In that year the City was granted its fourth oldest Royal Charter to acquire Southwark from Edward III for this annual payment. It was specifically retained by Edward VI in the 1550 charter to the City which extended its jurisdiction over the outlying parts of Southwark. This Quit is rendered by the Foreman of the City of London's Court Leet Jury of the 'Town and Borough of Southwark' alias Guildable Manor, which is the same area as defined in 1327. The continuation of this body is sanctioned under the Administration of Justice Act 1977. The ceremony takes place in a suitably dignified venue in the manor, the Cathedral library, the Glaziers Hall or the new Greater London City Hall. This sum is rendered onto the Exchequer Cloth in the form of Crowns (5 shilling / 25 pence pieces), which are still legal tender. The Remembrancer pronounces "Good service" and this is witnessed by the Clerk of the Chamberlain of London's Court as well as the Manor Jurors to note that the payment has been made.
 

Thus one can see the significance of the title given to the novel.  One can't help but delight in the way the facts have been woven into the story.  Kudos to the author for that.

I like the creative presentation of this narrative.  It's like looking at the same weary picture from an entirely different angle.  The story may seem similar to countless other novels and books, but it does offer a new perspective, and hence entirely enjoyable.  The book is racy in its pacing, sufficient to keep you hooked.  I suspect that the author meant this book to be readable by all age groups, hence the language is rather simple and there are no complex relationships or emotional issues.  No sexual content either, which is a relief considering that it is loosely sold as an urban fantasy.  I will not place this book high on my list of books to return to; there is no real reason to re-read it, in my opinion; the writing seemed rather bland, and if the story had not been riveting, I would have abandoned the book halfway.  I will, nonetheless, await with some eagerness the sequel to this book, The Road to Bedlam, whenever it becomes available at the library - a sample chapter makes it clear that Niall's daughter too gets involved in her father's new world; hopefully it will turn out equally entertaining.