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Old 2011-03-25, 16:56   Link #118
naikou
Slashy Slashy!
 
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Age: 34
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kylon99
Which is why I wanted to know if it improves. Because maybe the main characters were meant to be developed further along in the series. But apparently I don't get the answer to that question because I somehow read it "wrong." Which is a patently absurd reaction to my query.
Don't forget that amongst Van Dine's 20 commandments are gems like:

"16. A detective novel should contain no long descriptive passages, no literary dallying with side-issues, no subtly worked-out character analyses, no "atmospheric" preoccupations."

Granted, Van Dine's commandments are somewhat tongue-in-cheek. But yeah, don't expect the guy to go out of his way to make his novels an entertaining read. He's only interested in presenting a problem for people to solve.
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