Journal Entry 1 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Thursday, March 23, 2006

Recieved as a review copy from Armchair Interviews

The following is the review that I wrote for them:

Time Dancers continues the quest started by Zianno Zezen – Z for short – and his companions in The Meq; the first book in the trilogy. During his quest Z has learned much about being Meq, made many new friends, and found his Ameq or soulmate. Now the Meq are gathering, they have one hundred years or less to prepare for the Time of Remembering when they will finally uncover their destiny.

Like the first book, this one begins with a train journey. This journey however is one of hope and renewal, reuniting lost loved ones and finally returning home. Unfortunately, this time of happiness doesn’t last long as Z’s archenemy, Xanti Otso or the Fleur de Mal, kills two of their number. The Meq are few and cannot afford to lose any of their people, especially to one of their own. So a plan is made to hunt down the Fleur de Mal and his accomplices and kill them, thereby ending their reign of terror. Working in teams, the Meq scatter to the ends of the Earth following whispers, rumors, and sightings false and real. They search far and wide, yet the Fleur de Mal is always one step ahead. He lures them into ambush after ambush, each time causing loss and confusion. During this quest, the Meq discover that they are changing, and not always for the good. Ray Yuarte one of Z’s oldest friends becomes deathly ill after being bitten by a mosquito, an occurrence that has never happened before in the Meq’s known history.

The timeline extends from the end of World War I in 1919, all the way through the bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. In contrast to the first book, the action moves along at a fairly even speed, although there are sections where years pass with barely a mention. Author Cash has done his research, and there is a constant flow of historical events and people littering the pages. From Babe Ruth’s homerun record, to Josephine Baker, to Lindbergh’s solo flight and the eventual murder of his son by kidnappers, it’s all included. Being the second book in a trilogy leaves this book at somewhat of a disadvantage. Although there is a two page re-cap, you can’t really read it without first reading The Meq, and it ends with a rather abrupt cliffhanger. This will leave the reader somewhat frustrated while they await the publication of the final segment sometime in 2007.

Unfortunately the book was beginning to fall apart when it arrived. Now several pages are loose, one is completely detached and the spine is cracked. I have someone in mind to pass it onto, it's perfectly readable, just not wild releaseable.