meaning of this quote

[shwetank]

please explain me the meaning of the following quote

"The only obligation to which in advance we may hold a novel, without incurring the accusation of being arbitrary, is that it be interesting."
and plz help me with meaning of words like obligation and incurring too.

 

[Barb_D]

The only requirement for a novel is that it be interesting.

It's a horrible sentence.