The Meq
By Steve Cash  

     The Meq are an ancient and secretive race of immortals that stop ageing at twelve years old. They originate in the Basque region and have strange powers and customs, but can be killed and if they mate, they begin ageing normally. This is the tale of one of them, Zianno Zezen--Z to his friends--and his extraordinary adventures. He journeys from St Louis to China, Mali, Cornwall and the land of his roots to discover about his heritage and find out what it is to be part of the Meq. But not all members of his race are benign, and dogging his steps is the dreadful Fleur du Mal, an assassin many hundreds of years old who threatens to destroy what Z holds most dear.

     Macmillan UK seem to have netted themselves some of the best and most imaginative fantasy writers around. There is not a dungeon or a dragon to be seen in this novel and if it does bear some resemblance to Highlander or any other tale of immortal beings, then it doesn't get in the way of a good story. That it is part one of a trilogy has that in common with Tolkein, but only that. Instead, we see history unfold before us, seen through the eyes of its strange narrator and read about adventures in many far-flung (and less exotic) places.

    Cash is adept at describing the world though Z's eyes and creating a compelling cast of characters who are for the most part engaging and fascinating. He describes it as "a lyric fantasy" and there are certainly many moments of beauty as Z immerses himself in experiences as diverse as the World's Fair, the Sahara and a remote Cornish island. Enjoyable and well-paced, highly readable and yes, lyrical.