Steve Cash: The Meq [2004] paperback

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