The Worst Monk in Omnu

Diligence-and-Care-in-All-Things, despite their name and their best intentions, is not a very good monk. When they try to fast, they faint; when they meditate too long, they fall asleep. No matter what task they’re assigned, they will find some way to mess it up. After Diligence accidentally drops the sacred statue of the One-Is-All during a major festival, they have one final hope to avoid being shipped off to the strictest of temples: They can prove their worth by undertaking the most gruelling of pilgrimages, leaving the monastery they call home and travelling far and wide, coming face-to-face with unquiet spirits, ravaging bandits and, worst of all, their fellow pilgrims – one of whom, a young man called Nish, is definitely more than he first appears.

Rules have governed Diligence’s life since they first entered the cloister, but out here, things are much less black and white. Faced with a choice between breaking their vows and failing those in need . . . what would the worst monk in Omnu do?

I have a new trilogy coming out from Angry Robot! The first book will hit the shelves in 2027; watch this space for more news . . .