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The Meq #1
The Meq
The Meq are a rare and ancient and enigmatic race who originated in the Basque Pyrenees. While some of them may be hundreds - even thousands - of years old, they retain the physical appearance of twelve-year-olds. Over the course of time they have played witness and catalyst to some of the most glorious abd shameful events in history.
This is the story of Zianno Zezen - commonly known as "Z" - and it commences in 1881, on an ill-fated train journey through the Rocky Mountains. Rescued by a bearded stranger, befriended by orphans, beguiled by kin and burdened by revenge, Z begins to quest to understand the Meq, their purpose, and their secrets. From the midwestern city of St. Louis all the way to China, Africa, England, and may points in between, Z's pursuit is a classic adventure of spirit and imagination.
'Steve Cash's impressive debut crosses understated fantasy with an elegant not-quite-coming-of-age story' "Guardian"
This is the story of Zianno Zezen - commonly known as "Z" - and it commences in 1881, on an ill-fated train journey through the Rocky Mountains. Rescued by a bearded stranger, befriended by orphans, beguiled by kin and burdened by revenge, Z begins to quest to understand the Meq, their purpose, and their secrets. From the midwestern city of St. Louis all the way to China, Africa, England, and may points in between, Z's pursuit is a classic adventure of spirit and imagination.
'Steve Cash's impressive debut crosses understated fantasy with an elegant not-quite-coming-of-age story' "Guardian"
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Steve Cash
8 books16 followersSteve Cash is a singer-songwriter and a founding member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. He was born in 1946.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
August 13, 2007
For the love of all that is holy and sacred, why do people inflict writing like this on other people?
I should open by saying that this book is not as bad as Shadow of Omen, because nothing is. There's something resembling a plot, some attempt at characterization, and an admittedly interesting idea behind the whole thing.
The grab to it is that there are a race of people who live forever - the catch is that they stop aging at 12. They run around for centuries with adult minds in the bodies of little kids. They have some kind of mating signal that occurs when they find their one and only beloved, at which point they can choose to 'cross over' and begin to age normally so that they can have kids and die.
But 'plot' pretty much equals chase the McGuffin around and around and around, characterization is all tell and no show, and none of the decisions that everybody makes have any sense to them at all once they're looked at closely. It's constantly irritating, because every couple of pages some detail or other will come up that blows holes in things we were told earlier (though of course the narrative doesn't acknowledge this), and the actions and personalities the characters display are utterly in service to the plot, and so jump around and jitter weirdly from chapter to chapter.
=P
I should open by saying that this book is not as bad as Shadow of Omen, because nothing is. There's something resembling a plot, some attempt at characterization, and an admittedly interesting idea behind the whole thing.
The grab to it is that there are a race of people who live forever - the catch is that they stop aging at 12. They run around for centuries with adult minds in the bodies of little kids. They have some kind of mating signal that occurs when they find their one and only beloved, at which point they can choose to 'cross over' and begin to age normally so that they can have kids and die.
But 'plot' pretty much equals chase the McGuffin around and around and around, characterization is all tell and no show, and none of the decisions that everybody makes have any sense to them at all once they're looked at closely. It's constantly irritating, because every couple of pages some detail or other will come up that blows holes in things we were told earlier (though of course the narrative doesn't acknowledge this), and the actions and personalities the characters display are utterly in service to the plot, and so jump around and jitter weirdly from chapter to chapter.
=P
May 17, 2010
I'm not quite sure how to express the enjoyment I felt while reading this book. I was completely blown away by the amount of creativity in the plot, the characters, and even in the format. While each chapter had its own theme, they were interwoven in such a way as to enhance the overall flow of the story. While it is a blend of sci-fi and fantasy, the use of our human history makes it more realistic. Like maybe those weird children in Goya's or Vermeer's paintings are in fact Meq. Maybe I met one as a child or just the other day. Ok, maybe not. But, I loved seeing our human history through the eyes of a being attached and yet detached from time and disease and from many of our daily human fears and obstacles. Maybe through the eyes of a Meq we can fully appreciate our own sense of time and aging and the short life we are given to live. That is the ultimate beauty of a book such as this. And it still remained immensely entertaining and unforgettable. On top of that, the images of Saint Lois or New Orleans at the turn of the century, including all the amazing technological advancements and the contemporary culture to boot. But also an equal amount of details for those remote parts of the world, China and Africa. How could I ever doubt that each moment in our human history at each place in time could have been anything but momentous, magical and unique? And then there are the Meq individually, who have lived and still live through these periods of times, and they carry with them proof that these places and happenings were real. They speak these languages and talk about famous forefathers like common people and friends. They were sometimes the famous forefathers themselves. And, if that wasn’t enough to fill pages with, they too have their mystery and history revealed page-by-page. Why are they the way they are? What are these mysterious stones they carry? What will we learn about their existence? Will human life and human history in turn shed light on the Meq existence? I really hope the next book blows everything up a bit more!
September 25, 2009
I thought this was going to be a 5 star book after the first 100 pages. I liked the premise and it seemed interesting. Then it pulled back and basically it seemed like a historical synopsis of what happens over the next 20 to 30 years. I had to force myself to finish it. Not recommended by me. I won't eread the sequel as I don't care much what happens to the characters.
May 27, 2025
This was the last student book club book for 2006-2007!! And it was a good one. This fantasy novel is also on the 2008 Abe Lincoln H.S. Book Award list, so the book clubbers are getting a head start on next year's list. This was a very unique fantasy, so I appreciated reading it. I liked how the Meq remain twelve years old, and I loved all the historical tidbits thrown into the plot--Einstein, Jesse James, Scott Joplin, and the list goes on and on. Z loses his parents at the beginning of the novel and they try to tell him that he is Meq and different, but he has to figure things out for himself. There are others like him in the world and he runs into a lot of them. Of course, there is the evil one who markets girls as slaves. But, most of the Meq are good and trying to use the power of the stones for good. Z travels to China and Africa for many years on his mission to rescue a friend's daughter and meet his beloved. There is a sequel, Time Dancers, that I'll have to purchase next school year!
June 6, 2010
I really enjoyed this book; it was a little slow-paced at times, but it was a good story.
At the age of twelve, Zianno Zezen (Z) is left orphaned with the knowledge taht he is not like most people. He is Meq-an ancient race whose memembers do not age once they reach the age of twelve until they meet their ameq (beloved) and cross over with them when the time is right. It is only after this that they age and bear a Meq child. There are very few Meq left in the world, and Z befriends several and slowly learns more and more about the Meq although much is left unknown, as the Meq have forgotten much of their past.
All Meq are not kind, though. Z encounters a Meq named Fleur-du-Mal, an assassin, who becomes Z's nemesis and Z spends many years obsessively tracting the Fleur-du-Mal with the intent to kill him.
The story starts out in the late 1800s and ends after WWI and it also spans several continents. For some, it would be a difficult task to create a story that spans so much time and space, but Cash does it quite well.
At the age of twelve, Zianno Zezen (Z) is left orphaned with the knowledge taht he is not like most people. He is Meq-an ancient race whose memembers do not age once they reach the age of twelve until they meet their ameq (beloved) and cross over with them when the time is right. It is only after this that they age and bear a Meq child. There are very few Meq left in the world, and Z befriends several and slowly learns more and more about the Meq although much is left unknown, as the Meq have forgotten much of their past.
All Meq are not kind, though. Z encounters a Meq named Fleur-du-Mal, an assassin, who becomes Z's nemesis and Z spends many years obsessively tracting the Fleur-du-Mal with the intent to kill him.
The story starts out in the late 1800s and ends after WWI and it also spans several continents. For some, it would be a difficult task to create a story that spans so much time and space, but Cash does it quite well.
December 8, 2025
When I use my three-pronged evaluation - plot, writing, and world-building (which includes character definition), this book is fabulous on plot and world-building. The writing is very good, but not excellent. But who cares! I could barely put it down! Starting in the late 1800s, we get a taste of train travel, St Louis, different communities, a strong sci-fi story line, and up through WW One, the flu epidemic, Africa, I mean, this book is amazing. Now, I'm almost done with book 2. Damn.
Here it is, almost 6 years later, and I still think about this series. Just incredible series! In a wonderful way, it reviews so many of the world's events over the past 200 years. Read it!
Here it is, almost 6 years later, and I still think about this series. Just incredible series! In a wonderful way, it reviews so many of the world's events over the past 200 years. Read it!
Read
September 28, 2020..........slow-paced
January 17, 2012
I have tried VALIANTLY to read this twice now. I think my efforts have been sufficient, especially as I got at least half way through the book this time but now, I’m going to move on with my life. I’ve already lost time that I cannot get back, so I’m going to stop now and minimize my losses.
Zianno loses both his parents in a train wreck on his twelfth birthday, which is a huge loss not only because it’s his parents, but also because they neglected to tell him he isn’t human. Instead, he has to traverse the life of a perpetual 12 year old virtually alone. Eventually, he meets others like him and they band together to search for another of their kind who has turned evil.
This book is long and the font is tiny. If you feel competitive and want to best me, go ahead and read it. Then feel free to tell me what gloriousness I missed by not finishing it in the comments below. Or admit I was right. Either way.
Zianno loses both his parents in a train wreck on his twelfth birthday, which is a huge loss not only because it’s his parents, but also because they neglected to tell him he isn’t human. Instead, he has to traverse the life of a perpetual 12 year old virtually alone. Eventually, he meets others like him and they band together to search for another of their kind who has turned evil.
This book is long and the font is tiny. If you feel competitive and want to best me, go ahead and read it. Then feel free to tell me what gloriousness I missed by not finishing it in the comments below. Or admit I was right. Either way.
August 20, 2009
Recommended to me by my friend, Condra, who is a scifi/fantasy geek girl with great Prada boots, I was not sure at first if it was gonna be any good.
That was on page 1 and when I resurfaced a day later I was done and was so glad I listened to her...again(she also recommended Black Jewels Trilogy).
It's impossible to sum this book up into a small amount of space. Just give it a chance if you are looking for a unique vision.
That was on page 1 and when I resurfaced a day later I was done and was so glad I listened to her...again(she also recommended Black Jewels Trilogy).
It's impossible to sum this book up into a small amount of space. Just give it a chance if you are looking for a unique vision.
March 31, 2019
Outstanding
This book had been long waiting for me to read. Now that I have I wonder what took me so long. The characters in this book come alive, particularly Z, Carolina and Ray. who they are, why they exist. I felt like I was reading a true, well throughout world. Yes, Earth, but with an underbelly unknown to us. Make no mistake that this is a complete story, even.If there's more to come. I'm excited to see what's next.
This book had been long waiting for me to read. Now that I have I wonder what took me so long. The characters in this book come alive, particularly Z, Carolina and Ray. who they are, why they exist. I felt like I was reading a true, well throughout world. Yes, Earth, but with an underbelly unknown to us. Make no mistake that this is a complete story, even.If there's more to come. I'm excited to see what's next.
February 23, 2025
The first half was enjoyable. However, a large part of the second half dragged on for too long for a plot I didn't want to follow to begin with, had too many extraneous details, and felt like a waste of time for both the characters and for the reader.
I found the epigraphs intriguing--wished there were more of them along with, naturally and inseparably, more chapters to break up the text of the second half of the book. I also personally found some enjoyment in how I ended up relating to this "unordinary" race called the Meq. I, too, seem to not age compared to the people around me, and I, too, move at what outwardly appears as a snail's pace towards my goals, myself hardly feeling the passage of time, until I examine the date and reunite with the people I haven't seen in a "long" time... Maybe a benefit of reading this book is that it will influence me to more often view my behavior with a perspective that takes into account the grand scheme of time and, subsequently, choose a more meaningful course of actions.
While it has a unique premise, I ultimately wouldn't recommend this book (I was thinking of rating it 3 stars but decided on 2 stars for this reason), but if you're going to read it, I would suggest trying reading until the break on page 218, then skipping to page 298 and continuing from there.
&
Favorite quote: "The trick in chasing Destiny is to feel it as a rider, a rider on a spinning ball waiting for a rare chance in time. Those few moments of balance between darkness and light where the Infinite is in motion and the motion is felt as a dance, as a solution that dissolves the question.
You are suspended, and yet, you have met Destiny. You have been eclipsed."
Most memorable quote: "Zis is good business"
Favorite character: Sailor
Favorite page of the book: #321
I found the epigraphs intriguing--wished there were more of them along with, naturally and inseparably, more chapters to break up the text of the second half of the book. I also personally found some enjoyment in how I ended up relating to this "unordinary" race called the Meq. I, too, seem to not age compared to the people around me, and I, too, move at what outwardly appears as a snail's pace towards my goals, myself hardly feeling the passage of time, until I examine the date and reunite with the people I haven't seen in a "long" time... Maybe a benefit of reading this book is that it will influence me to more often view my behavior with a perspective that takes into account the grand scheme of time and, subsequently, choose a more meaningful course of actions.
While it has a unique premise, I ultimately wouldn't recommend this book (I was thinking of rating it 3 stars but decided on 2 stars for this reason), but if you're going to read it, I would suggest trying reading until the break on page 218, then skipping to page 298 and continuing from there.
&
Favorite quote: "The trick in chasing Destiny is to feel it as a rider, a rider on a spinning ball waiting for a rare chance in time. Those few moments of balance between darkness and light where the Infinite is in motion and the motion is felt as a dance, as a solution that dissolves the question.
You are suspended, and yet, you have met Destiny. You have been eclipsed."
Most memorable quote: "Zis is good business"
Favorite character: Sailor
Favorite page of the book: #321
July 28, 2023
That...was a book...
I have very mixed feelings on this book, but let me start by saying I will not be continuing the series.
The chapters were too long, sometimes with too much in it, sometimes with too little to justify it being 50+ pages. I also had a hard time getting super into this book until things started falling into place in the last...third, maybe of the book? That's kind of sad. Otherwise, I liked the concept, I like that, although I would have liked the plot to move faster, the plot pace made perfect sense with the book's concept of time (hopefully that isn't a spoiler), it wasn't a bad book at all, just not something I absolutely loved or would read again.
If you're interested in reading this book, PLEASE look into trigger warnings because...yikes.
I have very mixed feelings on this book, but let me start by saying I will not be continuing the series.
The chapters were too long, sometimes with too much in it, sometimes with too little to justify it being 50+ pages. I also had a hard time getting super into this book until things started falling into place in the last...third, maybe of the book? That's kind of sad. Otherwise, I liked the concept, I like that, although I would have liked the plot to move faster, the plot pace made perfect sense with the book's concept of time (hopefully that isn't a spoiler), it wasn't a bad book at all, just not something I absolutely loved or would read again.
If you're interested in reading this book, PLEASE look into trigger warnings because...yikes.
November 25, 2022
Rather slow but what else would you expect from a group that live such long lives! A mixture of the 'Hobbit' early man and the mysterious origins of the Basque people; the strange species of 12 year olds wander the world of common humans with a vague feeling of being on the cusp of something momentous. I don't think I will read any more of these books as I m worn out by their lives!
November 3, 2019
I truly enjoyed this book because it is the reason my love of reading was revived. I loved the plot and the wonderful cast of characters. It really changed my life because without reading this book, I don't think I would have ever gotten back into reading. I highly recommend it.
March 6, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
October 27, 2018
One of the best series I have ever read.
May 29, 2019
I still love these books. This was a wonderful revisit.
May 26, 2020
Took a moment or two to get into, but now I find myself haunted by this one, days later
February 17, 2022
The founding member of the 1970’s-2000’s Ozark Mountain Daredevils country rock group writes an ok book.
February 20, 2022
An interesting premise but executed poorly, a ponderously slow narrative and packed with ridiculous coincidences. Such a shame as it promised better. I will not be continuing with the series.
October 20, 2023
Stilted writing, unconvincing characters, and a love for Deus ex machina. Disappointing to return to almost 20 years later after my childhood, but perhaps I shouldn't have expected much.
March 11, 2017
The characters are well written and the concept good. However, I got tired of the same hide & seek theme half way through. I finished it because of the reading challenge.
December 11, 2012
Summary: The Meq is a great book for the science fiction lovers. Zianno Zezen starts out by celebrating his 12th birthday. Both his parents died early in his life from a horrible train accident and they told him one last thing before they died, he needs to find Sailor. After a year passes he celebrates his 12th birthday again... Zianno is a Meq a special race of people that never age and heal exceptionally fast. This, for obvious reasons, aids him very much in his quest to find sailor and find out who he is and what he must do. He meets many new and helpful people along the way, one of which is Solomon who helps him the most throughout his journey.
Genre: Fantasy/SciFi
Favorite quote: "I answered the old man the way Solomon would have answered. I said, 'St. Louis, kid...St. Louis'" This was my favorite quote because I love how at the end of the book he ties everything back and connects you back with Solomon and Zianno's home.
Stars: I gave this a book a 4 out of 5 stars because over all I enjoyed it very much but there were some points in the book that kind of lost you and you would get bored or lose interest. Other than the low points all the high points kept you going through the entire book and completely outweighed the "bad" or low points in it.
Text-To-Text Connection : As much as I don't like saying, The Meq is somewhat similar to the Twilight saga where they all have these abilities and they never age.
Text-To-Self Connection : When I was growing up (age 10-12) I had a cousin that never really changed. As I grew up and got taller and such she never got taller or looked any different. She seemed like she never aged or never changed.
Text-To-World Connection: I remember reading a Science article on the internet about a Standford science project where they found a way to increase the speed of bone reproduction or healing. I found it quite fascinating and it easily ties into Zianno's ability to heal exceptionally fast. (Article found here: Standford Science Article)
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a fantasy SciFi book that has a very interesting story line and that through a majority of the book keeps you turning the pages. I wouldn't recommend this book to the younger audience due to some of the graphic scenes in the book.
Genre: Fantasy/SciFi
Favorite quote: "I answered the old man the way Solomon would have answered. I said, 'St. Louis, kid...St. Louis'" This was my favorite quote because I love how at the end of the book he ties everything back and connects you back with Solomon and Zianno's home.
Stars: I gave this a book a 4 out of 5 stars because over all I enjoyed it very much but there were some points in the book that kind of lost you and you would get bored or lose interest. Other than the low points all the high points kept you going through the entire book and completely outweighed the "bad" or low points in it.
Text-To-Text Connection : As much as I don't like saying, The Meq is somewhat similar to the Twilight saga where they all have these abilities and they never age.
Text-To-Self Connection : When I was growing up (age 10-12) I had a cousin that never really changed. As I grew up and got taller and such she never got taller or looked any different. She seemed like she never aged or never changed.
Text-To-World Connection: I remember reading a Science article on the internet about a Standford science project where they found a way to increase the speed of bone reproduction or healing. I found it quite fascinating and it easily ties into Zianno's ability to heal exceptionally fast. (Article found here: Standford Science Article)
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a fantasy SciFi book that has a very interesting story line and that through a majority of the book keeps you turning the pages. I wouldn't recommend this book to the younger audience due to some of the graphic scenes in the book.
March 29, 2009
The Meq
By Steve Cash
Publisher: Del Ray
ISBN: 0345470923
True love, special powers, stuck at twelve for centuries or millenias, and you heal at an incredible rate. What could you possibly not like about being Meq? But then again, this secret race is nothing like anything the world has ever seen and trying to keep it secret is hard enough. Zianno Zezen has to face the secrets of his people with no aid and when he finds people he loves, there's no way he can face what the people that he's supposed to relate to can do to them.
When Zianno Zezen and his parents get into a train crash on his twelfth birthday his whole life changes. His parents never get to tell him the truth and his world changes drastically. With only a baseball mitt and ball left to remember his parents, he doesn't know where to go or what to do. He feels himself changing but finds the aid of kind people. When he finds family in an unlikely pair of twins, he finds a place that he can call own and one of his own. Spiraling events cause the people he loves to be hurt. In search of their past, the meq gather in search of the truth but they need "Z" to help them. And then, he finds his ameq, his true love, the one he's meant to be with when and if they want to age.
I loved this book. I thought it was amazing how Steve Cash was able to create a story line that went on for decades and kept the reader interested. At the end of the book, i wondered what it would be like for this type of race to actually exsist. The part about being 12 until you meet your ameq (true love) was really cool and that you were able to
physically stay 12 even if you're not mentally 12 until you meet the person you're supposed to be with. I really suggest reading this book, it'll keep you turning pages through decades of Z's life.
By Steve Cash
Publisher: Del Ray
ISBN: 0345470923
True love, special powers, stuck at twelve for centuries or millenias, and you heal at an incredible rate. What could you possibly not like about being Meq? But then again, this secret race is nothing like anything the world has ever seen and trying to keep it secret is hard enough. Zianno Zezen has to face the secrets of his people with no aid and when he finds people he loves, there's no way he can face what the people that he's supposed to relate to can do to them.
When Zianno Zezen and his parents get into a train crash on his twelfth birthday his whole life changes. His parents never get to tell him the truth and his world changes drastically. With only a baseball mitt and ball left to remember his parents, he doesn't know where to go or what to do. He feels himself changing but finds the aid of kind people. When he finds family in an unlikely pair of twins, he finds a place that he can call own and one of his own. Spiraling events cause the people he loves to be hurt. In search of their past, the meq gather in search of the truth but they need "Z" to help them. And then, he finds his ameq, his true love, the one he's meant to be with when and if they want to age.
I loved this book. I thought it was amazing how Steve Cash was able to create a story line that went on for decades and kept the reader interested. At the end of the book, i wondered what it would be like for this type of race to actually exsist. The part about being 12 until you meet your ameq (true love) was really cool and that you were able to
physically stay 12 even if you're not mentally 12 until you meet the person you're supposed to be with. I really suggest reading this book, it'll keep you turning pages through decades of Z's life.
July 22, 2015
What if your found out at twelve years old that you wouldn't age any further? And that it is a hereditary condition that only a few have. And that there are others out there like you.... oh, and you have special powers (of course). Well, it might not work nowadays. No adventures can happen to that seeming twelve-year-old as you would be told you should be in school. And there are labor laws preventing your going out and finding a job. But around 1900 this might just work. And so it did in the book. The Meq was an imaginative story.
My cousin, Tammy, recommended this book to me. She thought it was great. Maybe I would have loved it too had I not just gotten out of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. Which was fantastic, by the way. Maybe it was because I didn't have a narrator and had to use my text-to-speech on my new Fire. At first, I thought it was due to the fact that I was using the female voice which sounded like the boy's mother was trying to tell the boy's story. So I changed it to the male voice. But that voice sounded too grown up. At twelve the voice would have sounded spunky by in the treble clef. It did work better than the female voice. So I speeded up the TTS and found it helped with getting involved in the story.
And so, once I was involved, I found myself curious as to where the tale was heading. This wasn't the best book I've read, but I have to admit that I do want to read the next book to see where the next adventure leads. Which reminds me, points given for lack of cliffhanger. Points taken for not only being rather expensive but not being loanable. Boo! Still it was interesting. Hey maybe by the time I get to the point I can afford the next book, there will be an Audible version to help me out.
There does seem to be quite a variety of ratings for this book. So maybe you will like it like my cousin did. Try it!
My cousin, Tammy, recommended this book to me. She thought it was great. Maybe I would have loved it too had I not just gotten out of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. Which was fantastic, by the way. Maybe it was because I didn't have a narrator and had to use my text-to-speech on my new Fire. At first, I thought it was due to the fact that I was using the female voice which sounded like the boy's mother was trying to tell the boy's story. So I changed it to the male voice. But that voice sounded too grown up. At twelve the voice would have sounded spunky by in the treble clef. It did work better than the female voice. So I speeded up the TTS and found it helped with getting involved in the story.
And so, once I was involved, I found myself curious as to where the tale was heading. This wasn't the best book I've read, but I have to admit that I do want to read the next book to see where the next adventure leads. Which reminds me, points given for lack of cliffhanger. Points taken for not only being rather expensive but not being loanable. Boo! Still it was interesting. Hey maybe by the time I get to the point I can afford the next book, there will be an Audible version to help me out.
There does seem to be quite a variety of ratings for this book. So maybe you will like it like my cousin did. Try it!
August 15, 2007
I just finished reading The Meq by Steve Cash yesterday. And, at the risk of gushing, the word “awesome” really doesn’t do this book justice. The Meq was Cash’s first novel, but the richness of the text and the strong characters seem like the work of veteran writer. So, you may ask, what is the Meq about? The quick version is that it’s a story akin to the Highlander movies. But that doesn’t really explain much.
The Meq are a mysterious race of immortals that have been around since, well, the beginning. They stop aging when they turn twelve, they cannot get sick or die, and they do not continue aging until meeting their ameq (soulmate). The catch is they have no idea why they are immortal; no knowledge of their origins.
Cash’s book begins when Zianno Zezen turns twelve (for the first time) in 1881 and learns that he and his parents are Meq. This book, the first in a series, spans from 1881 to 1918. Cash’s writing style lends itself to the breezy way that the Meq can deal with time (what’s a few years when you can live forever?). And, while it may seem strange to read about centuries-old people living in the bodies of children, Cash makes that work too. While the story has adventure and romance, the main conceit of this novel (and I presume later ones in the series) is Z’s search, along with his fellow Meq, for the truth behind their origins.
The book is generally categorized as YA, but I really think it’s a must-read for anyone who has any interest in fantasy novels.
The Meq are a mysterious race of immortals that have been around since, well, the beginning. They stop aging when they turn twelve, they cannot get sick or die, and they do not continue aging until meeting their ameq (soulmate). The catch is they have no idea why they are immortal; no knowledge of their origins.
Cash’s book begins when Zianno Zezen turns twelve (for the first time) in 1881 and learns that he and his parents are Meq. This book, the first in a series, spans from 1881 to 1918. Cash’s writing style lends itself to the breezy way that the Meq can deal with time (what’s a few years when you can live forever?). And, while it may seem strange to read about centuries-old people living in the bodies of children, Cash makes that work too. While the story has adventure and romance, the main conceit of this novel (and I presume later ones in the series) is Z’s search, along with his fellow Meq, for the truth behind their origins.
The book is generally categorized as YA, but I really think it’s a must-read for anyone who has any interest in fantasy novels.
September 17, 2007
On Zianno Zezen’s twelfth birthday, in the ruins of a train crash that kills his parents, his life changes forever. Not only are his parents dead, but Zianno, or Z, is soon to discover that he is not quite human—he is Meq, an ancient race of people who do not get sick, and cannot age past their twelfth birthday until they meet their soulmate.
And so begins an epic that sprawls nearly a century, as Z creates a family for himself, searches to understand who and what the Meq are, and hunts down another Meq, a sadistic assassin in the body of a twelve-year-old who calls himself the Fleur-de-Mal, and who has set himself against Z and his makeshift family.
This book is gorgeous and sprawling and vast. It is sort of dreamy and rarely urgent—as the Meq do not age, time doesn’t mean the same thing to them, and Cash brilliantly captures the dreamy, timeless world of the Meq. It took me a little while to get really captured by this book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Seeing the world—and history—through Z’s eyes is intoxicating.
And now I hear that there is a sequel! I have already requested it from the library, and I await it eagerly.
And so begins an epic that sprawls nearly a century, as Z creates a family for himself, searches to understand who and what the Meq are, and hunts down another Meq, a sadistic assassin in the body of a twelve-year-old who calls himself the Fleur-de-Mal, and who has set himself against Z and his makeshift family.
This book is gorgeous and sprawling and vast. It is sort of dreamy and rarely urgent—as the Meq do not age, time doesn’t mean the same thing to them, and Cash brilliantly captures the dreamy, timeless world of the Meq. It took me a little while to get really captured by this book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Seeing the world—and history—through Z’s eyes is intoxicating.
And now I hear that there is a sequel! I have already requested it from the library, and I await it eagerly.
June 14, 2010
The Meq is almost an epic book. It spans a period of about 200 years by dealing with immortal characters. It is a different take on immortals - instead of beings that stop growing at puberty, or at a traumatic event (such as with vampires) these immortals stop growing at the age of 12. They are stuck in this childish body until they find their heart, or soul mate. Then the pair must decide to "cross over" into adulthood so that they may have a meq child of their own to further their species.
In my opinion one of the most interesting aspects of the book deals with how the Meq believe that their existence on earth is somehow related to the star Sirius, which is of course a belief of the Dogon people from ancient Africa.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although sometimes it could be all over the place. The author would sometimes fly through seemingly important events, and then turn around and spend multiple chapters on the characters wandering through the desert.
Again, looking forward to the next book.
In my opinion one of the most interesting aspects of the book deals with how the Meq believe that their existence on earth is somehow related to the star Sirius, which is of course a belief of the Dogon people from ancient Africa.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although sometimes it could be all over the place. The author would sometimes fly through seemingly important events, and then turn around and spend multiple chapters on the characters wandering through the desert.
Again, looking forward to the next book.
May 19, 2012
This book was phenomenal. I picked it up based on seeing the cover (yaaay, I'm an average consumer!), read the back of the book blurb, and thought the idea of immortal children sounded interesting. I read the first few pages, where the book opens as a semi-Western, and thought it was worth checking out. Man was I right! I found this book to be very well-written, easy to read, and got completely sucked in. I am going to resist as strongly as I can just grabbing the next two books immediately; I'd like to draw out the fun of reading this series, and really hope the next two in the trilogy live up to my enthusiastic response to this one.
July 28, 2007
An entertaining series about a race of beings (the Meq) who stop aging at 12 years old, until they discover their "soul mate" and make the Crossing, at which point they begin to age at a normal pace, and are no longer almost invulnerable. This crossing can be made relatively quickly, or may take thousands of years.
While enjoyable for the most part, the author has an annoying habit of name dropping. Is it really necessary for the characters to have interacted with **numerous** famous figures from the past two centuries??
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