Product Description

In every generation, a fantasy novel is published that captures something essential and enduring about life that no other book has expressed in quite the same way. Here unfolds a journey of discovery–in a story that surprises us on every page. . . .

THE MEQ

On May 4, 1881, the day that Zianno Zezen–Z, for short–turns twelve, his life changes forever. Amid the confusion of a tragic train wreck, he has the first inkling that he is no ordinary boy . . . that he is not human at all, but instead a member of a race known as the Meq. The Meq have lost all memory of their origins; they do not know why they heal with astonishing speed, or why, once they turn twelve, they stop aging unless they meet the single other member of their race destined to join with them.

Certain Meq possess even more amazing powers, thanks to mysterious Stones they have carried since before the dawn of recorded history. Z’s father carried such a Stone, the Stone of Dreams. Now that Stone is Z’s to bear . . . and to protect.

The Meq are far-flung and elusive, but Z finds allies. He will need them; for a challenge comes from the renegade Meq called the Fleur-du-Mal–the Flower of Evil. A sadistic assassin in the body of a twelve-year-old boy, the Fleur-du-Mal will become Z’s archenemy in a story that spans decades and continents and features an unforgettable cast of characters, human and Meq alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #881872 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-25
• Released on: 2005-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Anyone who can get past the trite opening scenes of country singer Cash's fantasy debut will be pleasantly surprised as the stilted prose becomes the accented speech of a fluent foreigner and the sketchy characters turn into solid people. As the orphan Zianno searches the world for the mysterious Sailor, he soon meets other Basque children who share his true heritage: they are the Meq, who stay 12 years old until they meet their soul mates and choose to attain mortality together. Zianno's almost-romance with the beautiful and mortal Carolina and his friendships with other Meq are described with a deep tenderness that plays up the brutality of the Fleur-du-Mal, an ancient renegade Meq who kills Carolina's sister and kidnaps her daughter. As Zianno, Sailor and their companions hunt the Fleur-du-Mal, the vividly painted landscape of the early 20th century unfolds around them, populated by many famous people (from T.S. Eliot to Scott Joplin) and events from the 1904 World's Fair to the 1918 influenza epidemic. Those expecting a conventional tale of immortality's woes or a coming-of-age story won't find either, but as light and engaging historical fiction with a fantasy twist, the novel works well. FYI:In the 1970s, the author was a member of the Ozark Mountain Devils band and composed the hit pop song "Jackie Blue."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Cash's first novel is a surprisingly ingenious, lushly detailed story that turns fantasy on its head. Yes, it features a battle of good against evil, magic amulets, and a group on a quest to discover its long-forgotten heritage. But beyond that, it soars into new territory. The Meq is a race that has lived anonymously among humans throughout the centuries. But when Meq turn 12, they remain that age, in body if not in mind, until they each meet the one other Meq who is their soul mate. The day he turns 12 in 1881, Ziannio Zezen, known as Z, loses his parents in a tragic train wreck, knowing only that he must keep the baseball his father gave him and must find Umla-Meq and Sailor. As he embarks on the search, various humans as well as other Meq befriend him, and they unite in trying to stop the evil Meq known as the Fleur-du-Mal. As years pass, the plot encompasses the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, China's Boxer Rebellion, and other turn-of-the century events with a you-are-there flavor, and also dips back into antiquity through the memories of Meq who have been alive for centuries. The drama is intense, the characterizations are fully realized, and the very cadence of the language infuses a rich sense of time, place, and historical context that draws one in. Sally Estes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“An astonishing, inventive, and addictive book.”
–January Magazine

“An evocative portrayal of the dreamy, drifting rhythms of the Meq’s existence, their simultaneous involvement with and detachment from the stream of Time.”
–SF Site

“A deep and entertaining fantasy that promises to develop into a rewarding series.”
–BBC

“The dawn of the twentieth century, retold as a mystical picaresque dream of intuition and destiny by a unique new voice.”
–ALEXANDER C. IRVINE, author of A Scattering of Jades and One King, One Soldier 

Customer Reviews

Strong debut to a promising series
At the risk of gushing, the word "awesome" really doesn't do this book justice. The Meq is 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.

I get a kick out of this kind of story...(not the writing)
I've been reading the second book in this series slowly, and did the same thing with this first volume. I'll be honest and agree that the writing has some holes, and flaws. If you're stuck on technique, versus just a cool story, you might not like this. I totally dig the story that lines up with historical developments (granted mostly related to American history) starting at the tail end of the 19th century. Mostly I feel like I'd like to defend the author's work because I so enjoy the overall concept/premise. I'm really hoping that Steve Cash delivers his best novel with the third volume (yet to be published). Also, if you don't know city of St. Louis, Steve Cash will endear you to the city and many of the historical stars that were from that fair city. I'd love to get a St. Louis city tour from Steve any day.

Please. just. get. on. with. it.
The story has huge potential, but the execution is so poor that "The Meq" is difficult to read. The plot feels as though it is slogging through mud... in February... going uphill... wearing ankle weights... (Is this thought finished yet? Why no! It just keeps going and going and going... ARGH!)

The book focuses on the life of a Meq man, Z, who is trapped immortal in the body of a child until he finds his soulmate and chooses to cross over into mortality with her at his side. There are other Meq, both old-child and adult, who help Z through his trials. His trials are many... and drawn out... and slow... and melodramatic... and GET ON WITH IT, PLEASE.

Cash uses early 20th century St. Louis as a recurring backdrop for his story, and he needlessly pulls well-known Missouri icons into his story, but it just feels like name-dropping. You'll catch glimpses of early baseball players, T.S. Elliot, Scott Joplin, etc... I'm still waiting for Mark Twain to drop in. The inclusion of these characters somehow tarnishes the almost-believable Meq storyline. It certainly just bogs down the plot even further.

I seriously doubt I'll bother with the sequals.