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Monument
Ballas is a drunk and a vagrant. In his eyes there is only greed, and in his heart only bitterness. Such a man is not suited to legend. He is fit only for an unmarked grave. And there are people who seek to hasten his journey there. When a young priest saves him from a beating in the street, Ballas does not know how to react to such an act of kindness. But he soon finds a way to pay him back. He steals from him. What Ballas chooses to take can easily be hidden under a cloak, but it is no trinket to be sold in the market for a bowl of soup. It is known as the Monument. And the power it contains will bring a god of chaos and destruction into the world. Now Ballas has that power. MONUMENT is a masterpiece of storytelling - a new classic of fantasy fiction. Find out more about this and other titles at www.orbitbooks.co.uk
576 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2003
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43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 13, 2025
3.5 stars
Monument is a book that feels like it should have made more waves. A brutal, tightly paced early Grimdark story, it blends solid world building, a morally grey protagonist, and a constant churn of tension that keeps you guessing—right up until the moment someone gets punched, stabbed, or otherwise forcibly restructured.
Ballas, the main character, is pure Grimdark. He's selfish, violent, unpredictable, and occasionally sympathetic in spite of himself. Part of the fun lies in never knowing whether he’ll burn a bridge or bury someone under it. He’s not a hero—he’s a force.
The world itself is bleak and believable, with enough texture and implied history to make it feel lived-in without bogging the pace. And the pace if fantastic. You get hauled behind the story, and for most of the ride, that’s a very good thing.
But there are flaws. Many chapters end with the protagonist losing consciousness—a device that grows increasingly tiresome and starts to feel like a narrative crutch. The action falls into a repetitive rhythm of run, be caught, fight, escape—rinse and repeat. After a while, even chaos has a pattern.
The ending is where it stumbles most. It feels abrupt, as though Graham intended to continue the story but was told to wrap it up. The final moments don’t satisfy so much as stop, leaving a strong narrative with a slightly bitter aftertaste of missed potential.
Still, for fans of Grimdark—and especially for those who enjoy the savage, episodic feel of Conan the Barbarian—this book is absolutely worth your time. It’s rough-edged and relentless, a bit flawed, but unforgettable.
I only wish there were more from Ian Graham. Why did he not write many books?
Monument is a book that feels like it should have made more waves. A brutal, tightly paced early Grimdark story, it blends solid world building, a morally grey protagonist, and a constant churn of tension that keeps you guessing—right up until the moment someone gets punched, stabbed, or otherwise forcibly restructured.
Ballas, the main character, is pure Grimdark. He's selfish, violent, unpredictable, and occasionally sympathetic in spite of himself. Part of the fun lies in never knowing whether he’ll burn a bridge or bury someone under it. He’s not a hero—he’s a force.
The world itself is bleak and believable, with enough texture and implied history to make it feel lived-in without bogging the pace. And the pace if fantastic. You get hauled behind the story, and for most of the ride, that’s a very good thing.
But there are flaws. Many chapters end with the protagonist losing consciousness—a device that grows increasingly tiresome and starts to feel like a narrative crutch. The action falls into a repetitive rhythm of run, be caught, fight, escape—rinse and repeat. After a while, even chaos has a pattern.
The ending is where it stumbles most. It feels abrupt, as though Graham intended to continue the story but was told to wrap it up. The final moments don’t satisfy so much as stop, leaving a strong narrative with a slightly bitter aftertaste of missed potential.
Still, for fans of Grimdark—and especially for those who enjoy the savage, episodic feel of Conan the Barbarian—this book is absolutely worth your time. It’s rough-edged and relentless, a bit flawed, but unforgettable.
I only wish there were more from Ian Graham. Why did he not write many books?
November 11, 2017
A ripping good adventure yarn.
September 6, 2025
I read this in my teens and really enjoyed it.
Since then I have picked it up many many times over the years and not been able to finish it; and wondered why I ever liked it.
It turns out that the first couple of chapters are just too grim for me: they're establishing a grim and unlikeable character, and it makes for tough reading.
So this year, I read the first few chapters, put it down for a few months, then decided to try again from where I'd left off.
Flew through it.
Ballas is a drunk, a thief, a liar, a cheat, murderer, and a vagrant who cares for nothing and no-one.
And because he stole the wrong thing, killed the wrong man, and learned too much, he's being hunted – the church don't just want him captured, they want him annihilated, and they're prepared to go to any lengths to achieve it.
There's a lot of running, hiding, killing, and drinking. This is a violent book, but I didn't find it gory. And the pov of Ballas I found quite compelling.
Since then I have picked it up many many times over the years and not been able to finish it; and wondered why I ever liked it.
It turns out that the first couple of chapters are just too grim for me: they're establishing a grim and unlikeable character, and it makes for tough reading.
So this year, I read the first few chapters, put it down for a few months, then decided to try again from where I'd left off.
Flew through it.
Ballas is a drunk, a thief, a liar, a cheat, murderer, and a vagrant who cares for nothing and no-one.
And because he stole the wrong thing, killed the wrong man, and learned too much, he's being hunted – the church don't just want him captured, they want him annihilated, and they're prepared to go to any lengths to achieve it.
There's a lot of running, hiding, killing, and drinking. This is a violent book, but I didn't find it gory. And the pov of Ballas I found quite compelling.
March 23, 2021
His name is Ballas. He's a Drunkard. A Thief. A Wastrel. A Cutthroat. He's Brutal. He's Scum. Yet in the end, he will set out on a quest so dark and strange that it will take him to the literal edge of the known world to unravel a mystery left behind by an elder race. And this unloved, brutal cutthroat will be the only man to stand in the way of an evil awakening. The story hits the reader in the face with the pure antithesis of the normal Fantasy Hero Character. In Fact, NONE of the characters follow the usually accepted script. There's no noble sentiment. No Lofty ideals. No idyllic pastoral pavane. Just an ugly reality and an undeniable necessity. This is No Kid's Novel. This is Rock Hard Adult Fantasy. The ending will surprise and move you.
August 26, 2008
This was GREAT book. I picked this one up on a whim and was not disappointed. Basically, the story follows Ballas, a sort of anti-hero. He's rude. He steals. He betrays his friends. And yet, the reader can't help like him for all that.
July 3, 2015
The main character is an absolute a**hole, but you can't help but root for him to make it.
The ending is surprising and a bit of a let-down.
But all in all it's a good read that will keep you entertained. I think it would also make a great movie!
The ending is surprising and a bit of a let-down.
But all in all it's a good read that will keep you entertained. I think it would also make a great movie!
April 10, 2014
This book got exciting at page 9, and was suspenseful throughout!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews