Customer Reviews

Thief of Light

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

 

 

"Thief of Light" is a book about the real world. A world filled with drugs and crime where people are willing to kill others for money. The main character Adrian Sellers is vividly portrayed by Ramus and the entire cast of characters are nicely done by Ramus. I could see the characters come to life in front of my eyes. The setting was set against the background of the worst part of New York City. This is a very interesting setting and really gives the book the edge over others of the genre. Adrian Sellers, the main character, is very well portrayed because he is based on the author, David Ramus. I really enjoyed reading this book and liked the style of writing that David Ramus used. It had a dark tone and mood to it and really immersed you in the world. I can not really relate to the book but that didn't stop me from enjoying it thoroughly. It is a joy to read and a real page-turner. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys to read.

I was simpley amazed at the writting of this 1st. time author, that I came on line to see if he has done others. I am anxious to read his other works to see if this was a fluke are if David can realy write. When I started this book only maybe into the 1st to 3rd. chapter Dean Kontz New novel came out. I had to rush out to get it immediately. To my own amazment,I went onto finish the Thief of Light first.

David Ramus's first novel is interesting, a page turner, but the huge amount of clichés makes it very pointless. It is the kind of book that when finished you ask "What is the point?", and this is a question that should never be asked to any work of literature -- or any other kind of art.

Due to the fact that Ramus himself was a marchand, the novel has many points close to reality -- anyway, he knows how this world works; but what could be a dark trip to the underworld of art becomes a cold thriller. The characters are very one demensioned: the good guys, the bad guys -- and there are also some undercover people, but you can easily discover them. The protagonist Adrian Sellars is the over-clichéd idea of bad-guy-cum-good-guy looking for rendemption. He solve his problems to easily. Life has been to good to him, as a matter of fact. He is rich, but he owns millions to other art dealers; he has money to buy everything he needs, but we never know where it comes from, once he uses the only money he has in the beginning of the novel to buy drugs. Add to him the lovable and shallow Devon, a very rich girl who happens to be his secretary... why? Because the author wants her to be, this is the only explanation. The Japanese Mafia is very caricatured. Their moral code in Ramus's hands become a simple reverence-killing-reverence-hummiliation and strange guys in expensive suits.

His style of writing is the simplest possible, and you can point out how the end will be after reading 100 pages. There is no twist that makes you hold your breath and the ending... well, it is what you got in your mind. This book is definetily a page turner, because it is easy and it doesn't require too much of your mind, just read to spend your time; or read "Thief of Light" between two hard books in order to refresh your mind, but don't expect something deep or provoking . Another thing: I wish I could give 2 ½ and not 3.

Ramus' first novel is a treasure, a beautifully written story of a surprisingly likeable character caught in a horrifying situation. The plot is gripping, the pace perfectly swift. If anything slows you down it's the desire to go back and read certain paragraphs a second or third time. The "insider" information about the art world is tied tightly into the plot. There are phrases and sentences that describe paintings so vividly you'd almost rather read about them than see them for yourself. This man will never be one of those "book-a-year" writers -- his standards are too high. I have no doubt that his next will be well-worth the wait.

I like the art-crime genre. This book didn't really do it for me. It has potential, but nothing really happens that makes you go WOW. Not enough art to keep me interested. The mystery aspect is only "airport-bookstore" quality. The characters are a little flat. Try The Rembrant Panel by Oliver Banks, It Happened In Boston by Russell Greenan, or any of the "Ripley" novels by Patricia Highsmith for good art/mystery books.

This book held my interest all the way through. The characters were all-too-real. As a former art dealer himself, he probably patterned his characters after some he encountered, and that's frightening, but gives the book the reality punch. Looking forward to his next book.

A very different book, where the good guy is not so good. Very believable characters, with an excellent and very interesting look into the art world. No dead spaces in the book either. Interesting all the way throug

I really enjoyed the proverbial "peek into another world" -- in this case, the NYC art world, afforded by "Thief of Light." It's a fast and thrilling read, with a good mix of suspense and romance. Ramus' characters are realistic, and the story moves at just the right pace

I liked the concept and applauded Mr. Ramus'
courage to face prison , while in Recovery from 1995 through 1996 , when I would hear him speak of this project.I lived in Atlanta at the time.
He got a huge sum of money in advance, tremendous media exposure, including a People Weekly back page feature.
I delighted in all of the contraversy surrounding his profiting from a crime and was one of the few people who was silently in his corner.
He must have been very lonely and I can vouch for the fact that many of the folks in the Recovering Community were less than kind in their thoughts , hopefully not their deeds and most certainly at the gossip fence.
I wish that I could have chatted with him more , but I was in a heap of legal trouble myself and was somewhat intimidated by him and his celebrity.
Next to my sponsor , David Ramus inspired me to follow my dream and adopt the craft of writing as not only a form of expression , but a means to make a living ammends to the thousands of people I swindled in my past career.
Today I write Restaurant Reviews , some Entertainment and Social Commentary here in Los Angeles.My life story , particularly the references to Drug Addicts, swindlers and the parade of Hooples I associated with has been in the works for over 7 years and will not be as legally bullet proof as " Thief of Light".
I throw the Police , Fire Department , Drug Dealers , close former friends and others under the bus and it's imperitive that I wait for some time to pass while some die and others retire.

Unlike David Ramus , I no longer have jail time and myriad legal risks hanging over my head.I completely understand why his book is so far afield from what really happened and eventually became of him.
I thought it was fascinating and had trouble putting it down , although I wasn't as objective as most would be.I still think it will make one helluva film.
It's sad to see that it is not in stock on your site.

O-ver-ra-ted... This NYC art-world thriller, which got much hype when it came out is nothing more than an insider's hackneyed paint-by-numbers attempt to hit it big as an author. There are so many clichés, I wouldn't want to waste the space listing them out. Ramus' insider status doesn't add much to this tired story about a crooked art dealer whose world crumbles when his master forger is unexpectedly slain prior to completing a Manet water lily fake. Japanese mobsters, younger posh love interest, child from previous marriage, blah, blah, blah. Waste of time.