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The world-renowned Nobel Prize in Literature for this year has been awarded to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as announced by the committee.

The Academy highlighted the 71-year-old's "compelling and visionary body of work that, amidst cataclysmic fear, reasserts the force of the arts."

A Legacy of Bleak Fiction

Krasznahorkai is known for his dark, pensive works, which have won many accolades, including the recent National Book Award for international writing and the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.

A number of of his books, notably his fictional works his debut and another major work, have been adapted into feature films.

Initial Success

Originating in the Hungarian town of Gyula in the mid-1950s, Krasznahorkai first made his mark with his mid-80s first book his seminal novel, a grim and hypnotic representation of a collapsing countryside settlement.

The book would eventually secure the Man Booker International Prize recognition in the English language decades after, in 2013.

An Unconventional Literary Style

Often described as postmodernist, Krasznahorkai is renowned for his long, winding sentences (the 12 chapters of the book each consist of a one paragraph), dystopian and melancholic motifs, and the kind of persistent force that has led critics to liken him to Kafka, Melville, and Gogol.

The novel was famously made into a lengthy motion picture by cinematic artist the director Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a long artistic collaboration.

"Krasznahorkai is a great writer of epic tales in the central European literary tradition that traces back to Franz Kafka to Bernhard, and is characterised by the absurd and bizarre extremes," stated the Nobel chair, leader of the Nobel panel.

He described Krasznahorkai’s style as having "evolved into … smooth structure with lengthy, intricate sentences without punctuation that has become his trademark."

Critical Acclaim

Sontag has referred to the author as "the modern from Hungary genius of the apocalyptic," while Sebald applauded the wide appeal of his outlook.

Only a few of Krasznahorkai’s books have been rendered in English. The reviewer James Wood once remarked that his books "get passed around like rare currency."

Worldwide Travels

Krasznahorkai’s career has been influenced by journeys as much as by literature. He first exited socialist the country in the late 80s, staying a twelve months in West Berlin for a scholarship, and later drew inspiration from east Asia – notably Mongolia and China – for works such as a specific work, and Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens.

While working on War and War, he travelled widely across the continent and stayed in the legendary poet's New York residence, stating the renowned Beat poet's backing as essential to finishing the book.

Author's Perspective

Asked how he would explain his writing in an interview, Krasznahorkai said: "Characters; then from letters, words; then from these words, some short sentences; then additional phrases that are more extended, and in the main extremely lengthy phrases, for the span of decades. Beauty in prose. Enjoyment in hell."

On fans encountering his books for the first time, he noted: "For any people who haven’t read my books, I couldn’t recommend any specific title to explore to them; on the contrary, I’d advise them to venture outside, settle in a place, possibly by the edge of a stream, with no obligations, nothing to think about, just being in quiet like boulders. They will in time encounter someone who has previously read my books."

Award Background

Before the announcement, oddsmakers had ranked the frontrunners for this year's award as Can Xue, an avant garde Chinese author, and the Hungarian.

The Nobel Honor in Literary Arts has been presented on one hundred seventeen prior instances since the early 20th century. Recent laureates have included Annie Ernaux, Dylan, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Louise Glück, the Austrian and Tokarczuk. The previous year's recipient was the South Korean writer, the South Korean author most famous for The Vegetarian.

Krasznahorkai will officially accept the prize medal and diploma in a function in winter in Stockholm.

Updates to come