Jeremiah Healy wrote,
> I think the major problem with ANY series, of
whatever length, is not so
> much avoiding redundancy in plot (there are only so
many homicide
> motivations) as avoiding it in characters. The
problem for a lot of
> long-running series is that the author keeps
recycling the same
> repertory company of characters, either literally or
functionally, so
> that the reader sees very little new in a succeeding
book. Personally, I
> have a theory on why this repetition of characters
occurs: Once you are
> successful enough to become a "full-time" writer,
you by definition are
> cut off from a lot of the "real" world, "day-job"
stimuli of meeting new
> people who can BE credible characters as realistic
players in a mystery
> novel.
Jerry, Maybe this is related to your point. What bothers me
as well is repetitions of scenes. Although it is not hb, an
example is by an author most people on this list greatly
admire --Donald Westlake. I think almost all of Westlake's
Dortmunder books have the inevitable meeting of the gang in
the back of the bar whose name I can't think of offhand.
.Having had it in originally, Westlake seems to feel we
always have to read about the same two drunks arguing at the
bar and all the 'stichlach' in the meeting itself. It's as
though he pastes in the basic scene with minor alterations to
fit the individual book. .I've already written yoou about my
not liking Cuddy's visiting Beth's grave, but I'm sure if you
owere to omit it I'm sure you would hear from disgruntled
fans. Btw, you can add me to those not against Nancy's dying.
If you thought it necessary, then it was.
I guess many times an author of a long series has to some
extent use the character that his readers are familiar with
and like. Countered to that is familiarity breeds contempt.
Just as though people get tired of the characters in a long
running sitcom, they will tire of those in a book series.Have
you kept the ancillary characters to a minimum to avoid the
problems above?
I wrote earlier I thought Cuddy was positioned between the
ethnic grittiness of Lehane's Patrick and Angie and the
upwardly mobile Spenser who seems to spend all his nonworking
hours in Boston within a few blocks from the Public Gardens
or the Charles and dining or eating at the most expensive
places in Boston. If you agree, have you done that as well to
keep possible irritating elements to a minimum? I think you
have kept Cuddy down to earth, believable and likable.
My last questions to you - I'm sort of surprised only Mario
and I have mentioned George V Higgins. Was he a criminal
lawyer that defended the type of people he writes about in
his early books? I have recently seen some of his later books
usually featuring lawyers as protagonists. If you have read
them, do they come close to being as good as his early books?
I am willing to read non hard boiled if they are worthwhile.
Mark
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