Max is fiction. The plot, characters, and settings are all crafted in a way that doesn't reflect real-world facts or events. It's more about entertainment and fantasy.
Well, usually when we say 'novel', we mean a fictional story of some length. If 'The Thief' fits that description, it's a novel and thereby also a book. But if it's a non-fiction account or something else, it might just be a book in a broader sense.