Dussander on 16/4/2008 at 01:40
I do enjoy reading, as I've always done. I'm a pretty big fan of Pratchett and Stephen King - although sometimes it would be nice to read something similar to our favourite games. King created a book under the name 'Bachman' decades ago, it was called Blaze. It was about a con artist who was also simple. His better half (another con artist), the brains of the outfit is dead but Blaze felt he could continue with one of their big plans - to kidnap a baby for the ransom money. The 300-page book centred on the simple-minded criminal, including some of his past cons (and thievery) and it ended in a big manhunt. I love to read stories centred on the bad guys...
So - I was wondering whether anyone knew any books on a thief, or thieves, like our protagonist, or otherwise an interesting tale centred on a thief. I had a look at the shops and found a few - (
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/3703093/The-Good-Thief-Guide-to-Amsterdam/Product.html) The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam looks promising, as did the title of (
http://www.amazon.com/Thief-No-Shadow-Emily-Gee/dp/1844164691) Thief with No Shadow, but unfortunately it looks too romantic. There's also something called (
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/482138/Boxman/Product.html) Boxman: A Professional Thief's Journey and (
http://hornung.thefreelibrary.com/A-Thie-in-the-Night/3-1) Thief in the Night is another one, but I'm not sure about the quality of the writing.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
jtr7 on 16/4/2008 at 01:57
Hey, all right! A thread about books about thieves, not a Thiefy Universe! This means a whole new list can be made, and no linking to the other threads about Thiefy Universe books! :cool:
So does this rule out liars and cons who do more conning than thieving? Assassins who kill and fight more than thieving? Adventuring brawlers who spend more time lying and fighting and surviving on their quests than thieving?:D
I won't be very helpful, I'm afraid, beyond expressing my joy that this is actually a less-discussed book topic relating to anything inspired by Thief, or which had part in inspiring the makers of Thief.
I await the responses, as well, because I've only read those books which had a part in the creation of Thief, or reminded of it in generalities, but none which are specifically centered on a character who is mainly a thief.
Muzman on 16/4/2008 at 02:06
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin) Arsène Lupin
Basically the origin of the 'classy cat burgler' archetype (as well as a few real people). You can find the books around the place at sites like Project Gutenburg and similar.
Maladict on 16/4/2008 at 02:26
The Lies of Locke Lamora and it's sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, by Scott Lynch, are about a band of thieves. I found them both to be an entertaining read and I think they would be right up your alley.
Beleg Cúthalion on 16/4/2008 at 12:58
Quote Posted by Muzman
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin) Arsène Lupin
Basically the origin of the 'classy cat burgler' archetype (as well as a few real people). You can find the books around the place at sites like Project Gutenburg and similar.
Yes to the first, yes to the second, but the guy who invented the book press was called Gutenberg. (
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6133) This should be the first book... in English. Personally, I prefer the real books. I'm just somewhere in the episode before the last. These French early 20th century vibes are most light-hearted and lively.
Dussander on 16/4/2008 at 14:49
I checked out that link and I was gonna print it out so I can read in bed. But even with changing the page layout, using 2 columns and minimising margins, it's still 100 pages ;o
Books are indeed better ;)
The inscrutable po on 17/4/2008 at 00:50
nonfiction
Final Confession: The Unsolved Crimes of Phil Cresta by Brian P. Wallace, Bill Crowley, Dennis Lehane, and Gilbert Geis
Quote:
Born in Boston's North End in 1928, Cresta was raised in an abusive household. He was sent to Concord Reformatory as a teenager, where he learned the craft of picking locks, a skill later honed during stays at the Charlestown and Walpole prisons in Massachusetts. Following the Brinks robbery in 1968, he was put on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, but eluded the law for five years, living in Chicago under an assumed name. After serving time at Walpole for the Brinks job, Cresta died penniless in Chicago in 1995. Yet shortly before his death, he revealed the full extent of his astonishing capers to coauthor Bill Crowley, a retired Boston police detective.
The Magpie on 23/4/2008 at 23:45
Quote Posted by Maladict
The Lies of Locke Lamora and it's sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, by Scott Lynch, are about a band of thieves. I found them both to be an entertaining read and I think they would be right up your alley.
Seconded (if only for the former, which is the one I've read).
But how about Thief fanfics? They're unofficial, so that might be a detracting factor for you, but they're supposed to share the setting, at least. I'm a little bit ashamed to confess that it's been a very long time since I read any fanfics from any setting. (Luckily I stopped before the proliferation of slash.)
But I need to ask: Which ones are good? I mean, which ones really convey the Thiefiness? Are they proofread and edited? Are they worth the time? Are they collected anywhere outside (
http://www.thief-thecircle.com/fanworks/) the Circle of Stone and Shadow? Are there any reviews anywhere?
Digi, have you read them all? Jay?
--
Larris
