Ian Graham: Monument [2003] paperback

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