Customer Reviews

Monument

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ballas is a shifty, ill-mannered, incorrigible, self-interested, perpetually drunk brute of a man with basically no morals and a natural dislike of every other living person on earth. If you think I'm describing the villain of this novel, you are quite mistaken. Ballas is actually the "hero" - or, to be precise, anti-hero, of Ian Graham's absolutely captivating debut fantasy novel. Fantasy as a genre suffers from repetition of themes and outlines more than any other genre (just think of all the Lord of the Rings clones out there), so it is quite refreshing indeed to come across a story that eschews all traditional approaches to the subject at hand. Of course, courageous risk such as that displayed by Ian Graham carries with it possible consequences -namely, some readers may find the main character so roguish and unlikable that they will not consider reading the novel, put it down in disgust after a chapter or two, or grudgingly finish the book in order to tell everyone just how unenjoyable it was. On the other hand, this type of unusual approach, distilled through the talents of an undeniably gifted author, can make for a most memorable experience, one sure to deeply impress many fantasy readers.

Ballas is a thief who roams from village to village in the land of Druine stealing anything he can get his hands on in order to support his drinking habit. He is a big, ugly brute of a man who looks as if he has been on the wrong side of many physical confrontations - and he has. This pattern continues, as Ballas is beaten to a pulp on a regular basis (but not without leaving a path of human destruction in his own wake). A young priest takes Ballas in, but our "hero," once he is recovered, betrays his protector and makes off with a most unusual of trinkets bearing a mysterious blue jewel surrounded by four red rubies. This object, he soon discovers, seems to have magical qualities when exposed to moonlight, and on one occasion he witnesses a vision of a member of a dead alien race (the Lektivin) seemingly trying to speak to him. His crime (which includes murder) makes Ballas a wanted man, and leaders of the Church send out Wardens to apprehend him. His ordained fate is to have his head nailed up on the Penance Oak (sans body, of course) as a message to all sinners and unbelievers. The occasion of his execution is a truly memorable one, marked as much by what he witnesses as by the fact that he somehow manages to escape.

On the run, Ballas begins to develop a deep-seated desire to escape across the mountains to a legendary land beyond; certainly, he needs to leave Druine because the Church and its Wardens are quickly on his tail, desperate to eliminate this outlaw, but the land beyond the mountains - if it even exists - is an almost impossible goal. Ballas has no qualms about killing and sacrificing others in his mad dash for escape and safety, yet he does take on temporary companions and finds a number of unexpected allies in his cause, including a priest who follows the Law rather than the orders of the present-day Church. The character development of Ballas is masterful; whenever you think he has shown a soft spot for someone or backed down from his normal attitude of hatred and contempt for the human race, he does something despicable. The secrets of his past and future are not revealed until the very end, making it hard, I would imagine, for some readers to sympathize with him at all on the course of his flight to safety. Still, I felt drawn to this character, and certainly he was a compelling anti-hero who drew increasing amounts of my fascination and interest. The Church and its minions are far from heroic or praiseworthy themselves, and this helps make Ballas a character who won a good measure of my allegiance if not sympathy. I wanted him to succeed in his impossible but passionate mission, despite all of his many, many faults - other readers may wish him to be destroyed as soon as possible, but even they cannot but feel compelled to follow Ballas' plight.

Graham does a masterful job keeping the suspense and mystery ratcheted up from beginning to end, making it all but impossible to figure out what exactly will happen if and when Ballas makes it across the mountains. As the story progresses, the reader accumulates fascinating facts about the Church and its founding, the "extinct" Lektivin race of aliens, and Ballas' own past, but it's impossible to tie all of this disparate information together without the insights Graham offers in the final pages. The ending itself feels exactly right, as well - with an anti-hero such as Ballas, you can't really expect a happy ending, of course, and Graham does not commit the cardinal sin of letting his readers down at the last minute by somehow allowing all of the characters to live happily ever after - the gritty realism of Monument extends all the way to the final period on the last page. In all honesty, Monument is one of the most distinctive, memorable, and impressive debut fantasy novels I have ever read.

First for those people who don't even finish a book and write a review please resist the urge to put your limited poit of view down. I enjoyed this book. I'm not going to get into the character did this and should have done that with my review. People who do that should either write a book themselves or plain shut up. I like George R. R. Martin, Bujold, and Tolkien too and I liked this book. The main character is not your typical "hero" he is more of an every man out only for himself. It is a well written world and the plot keeps you going. It was one of those books that you don't want to end. If you like fantasy and are tired of all of those Tolkien rip offs try this book.

The coverart on this book is pretty, but very misleading. I admit it--it WAS the coverart that led me to even touching this book, I'm a coverart whore, so I guess it did its duty. But that old man on the cover? We see him for like 60 seconds. Or however long it takes to read those paragraphs in the book.

Very good book! I'm impressed. If you've somehow skipped the other reviews and have no clue what the book is about, it's about the most filty, loathesome scoundral and pig of a man you'll ever meet as the main character of a fantasy book. Unlike Peter David's Sir Apropos of Nothing series (good books, btw), there isn't even a grand sense of humor to distract attention from distract how cowardly the main character is.

Monument is set in a cruel world where humans have killed off the other intelligent species and live, at least in this book, under the rule of a theocracy. Unlike many books with similar settings, the theocracy is portrayed realistically...people aren't sheep. I mean, they are, masses of people are stupid, but the author doesn't use and abuse them as cannon fodder. Well, he does. But he does it well. Difficult to explain--it has a depth many lesser books wouldn't have when dealing with the same subject.

The characterization is very gritty and dark, but it's realistic dark--you see a wicked/sinful part of the world due to the circles the main character travels in, but you also glimpse that the author is capable of interesting "good" and sympathetic characters too, so it's a choice for the purpose of telling the story, not a limitation of the author's skill.

The book itself is very neat and square. It's not written as a trilogy and a series, and all questions brought up during reading are answered or brought to a close by the books' end--including some subtle questions brought up about the main character's past; those are very well done. This is a stand alone book. I personally give the book 4 stars because I prefer a book I can invest more into--especially when the author is skilled like Ian Graham is--but the distinction between 4 and 5 is merely my opinion. I could give it a 5 as well, because it's really a good book...I just want more, and the structure of this book doesn't really allow more unless you have a new character and story.

If you get depressed with dark books, or need a character that you *like* instead of just find interesting (fascinating characters can replace likeable characters for me), or want world-sweeping sagas, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you like well-crafted stand alone books that explore the seemier side of humanity in a fantasy setting, you probably will enjoy this book a lot. :)

As all the other reviewers have stated Ballas is a vile human being, but to the authors credit he does not try to make him more than what he is. He doesn't suddenly become more noble at each juncture of the quest. We watch his interactions and each time we insinuate ourselves into his thoughts hoping and well for me urging that just this once he will act honorably, he will be that noble character we have come to expect in fantasy novels. He never comes through...he remains a vile individual, he is a plain dealing villain. But we do see him grow, we see him come to think more of the world then just being a series of whores and pubs. He becomes someone who, in a sense comes to self realization, and this is why I loved Monument

i have read many fantasy books, and this one sure is different. about 90 percent of fantasy heroes have the highest morals u can imagine. they will alwais help others, alwais be there for their friends, and alwais place themselves lest. not this one. Ballas is the perfect anti-hero. he thinks only of himself, he loves violence, and wont hasitate stabing a guy or two in the back to get what he wants. on the other hand, it's not the only side of Ballas. throughout the book u learn more and more about how complicated and deep his character realy is.

the world in this story is also fasinating. its a land ruled by priests and their soldiers, where anyone who goes against it is being put to death in the most horoble of ways. u can understand how Ballas became the way he is, for it was the only chance for him to survive. the action scences are exellent, in a dirty, painfull and non-honorable kind of way. also the interactions between Ballas and the rest of the characters are great and help u to learn more about Ballas and his way of thinking. in short, this book is one of the best i have ever read. its very unuseul and refreshing (especiely after reading 9 of drizzt books) and if u dont mind your hero isn't the perfect gantleman, i'm sure u'll love it

This book does a very good job at drawing you into the story. This is not the average story where the hero saves the world, gets the girl, and everyone lives happily ever after.

This book is blunt, to the point, and bloody. This book, unlike many other fantasies, makes use of such things as prostitution, using the bathroom, and bad language as story props and to remind us that such things do exist. The use of such real-world events go a long way toward making this story more believable. What also gives this book a great since of realness is that not all characters have a happy ending. Here, you are not allowed to expect the run of the mill happy ending where everyone lives. I believe that this is a mistake that many stories continue to make.

Aside from the story's dark and gritty side, there is suspense and mysticism as well as a real since of adventure. Not all the characters are likable but you do tend to feel for them.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

He is a slothful thief who does not care that he is homeless, smells like a pig and has a beer belly so huge that it bounces. Ballas has no friends and kills without mercy. In a tavern he steals the purse of a store mason but is caught and beaten almost to death. A priest takes him into his home and when he is well asks him to perform an errand at the museum.

Ballas spots an artifact consisting of a big blue stone surrounded by red ones that brighten up a room when a light is put under it. He steals it hoping to sell it to a collector. Instead the church, which rules the kingdom of Druine, wants him dead. The chief hunter is from a magical race of mages long thought gone. Ballas leaves dead bodies in his wake and forces reluctant allies to help him find the mystical city of Belthiran over the unexplored Garsbracks Mountains because he knows he can never return to Druine.

This is not the typical fantasy novel because Ballas is an antagonist with very few redeeming qualities. Those he does have he does his best to sublimate preferring to treat other people as if they were things to be discarded when he has no use for them. Readers can't helped but be drawn to this character in spite of themselves because of a fascination with such a nasty soul or because he has the raw potential to do good deeds in spite of himself. Ian Graham has plenty of talent and the courage to write a book that is totally different than any recent work in the fantasy genre.

Harriet Klausner

Ian Graham's debut novel is a simple, yet wonderful story, told with a twist that makes the otherwise old-fashioned story just come alive in a new way. You see, the "hero" of this novel is the most disgusting, loathsome, most unredeeming human being ever to be created in the pages of a fantasy novel. The guy, whose name is Ballas, makes Thomas Covenant seem like Frodo Baggins!! You can't help but hate this selfish, disgusting individual as he worms his through the book, betraying and selfishly destroying all those who come across his path. As I said, the story is not the least bit original. It involves Ballas and his search to find a fabled land in order to escape the forces of tyranny and oppression when he's wrongfully accused of a crime. I know, you've read it before. Many times. However, this time, you're actually rooting for the bad guys, because no matter how evil they get, they're still not as horrific as the "hero".

In most such stories, you simply wait for the disgusting protagonist to have a revelation and suddenly see the error of his ways, converting to the side of all that's good and righteous. Not Ballas. Time after time, Graham sets you up thinking that THIS TIME, Ballas will do the right thing. THIS TIME Ballas will not act the coward. THIS TIME, he'll show nobility and honor. Sorry. I won't ruin the ending, but the beauty of the novel is in the waiting.

The book hooks on the first page and it's hard to put down after that. I enjoyed every page and will gladly read another Graham novel as soon as it appears. In some respects, I compare his writing style to Robin Hobb, so that's about as high a compliment as I can pay anyone. If you think you'll like reading an old story told in a new and refreshing way, this is the book for you.

What more can I say....This was one of the best first Novels I;ve ever read. With some extremely minor beginner mistakes, this story was one of the best I've ever read...with no fear of killing off characters, realistic battles and a great main character you will love to hate and in the end hate to love, this could have easily been turned into a two book story, but I like that he did not make it into a trilogy like so many others think they have to do, and he was able to end it with class without it being too hurried like so many new authors tend to do.

I'm sad that I seem to find no other books published by him so far, but will keep looking to find out why and what happened to him and why there are none others listed under his author page.

If you like Erikson, Gemmell, Rothfuss and Abercrombie, then you will LOVE this author and his first (and only?) book Monument!

I'm sorry if you read the other Amazon reviews before you read the actual book; they give a lot away. The ratings are correct, though. Monument is a bit different to other books I've read (in an awesome way). I only realised it was one of the best books I'd ever read when I finished the last page.