A hit with Western readers

Mai Jia's novel Decoded has been translated into more than 30 languages and published in different countries.[Photo provided to China Daily]

In the Dark, which comprises three parts, has stories about espionage told through seven narrators. The lead characters in the work are also geniuses.

In Mai Jia's novels, the prodigies wrestle alone with riddles, puzzles and secrets, seeking the truth and finally die or go mad.

This is why his work is different from typical spy novels.

A fan of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, a key figure in Spanish-language literature, Mai Jia tries to explore the inner conflicts of a human being and his fate. His postmodern storytelling style typically includes diaries, interviews and excerpts besides the omnipotent narrator.

The 52-year-old writer says life is lonely and mysterious, and full of contingencies.

"There is a saying, which is also true for me－do not try to understand your fate," he says.

This recognition is based on his personal experiences.