Haruki Murakami made favourite for Nobel Prize in Literature

Haruki Murakami has been made the favourite to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature this year, with Ladbrokes offering odds of 10/1 that the 1Q84 author will be honoured by the Swedish Academy.

Murakami has long been considered a key contributor to postmodern literature, though he has also attracted criticism for his adoption of Western themes and for allowing them to influence his writing.

He marginally leads the frontrunners, ahead of the controversial Chinese author Mo Yan, who has been described as 'the Franz Kafka of the East' and is 12/1 to scoop this year's prize.

Also at 12/1 is Cees Nooteboom, the Dutch writer who is a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature and at 79 would be one of the oldest recipients of the accolade.

The acclaimed Arab author Adonis, who has briefly made favourite to win the 2011 prize, is available at 14/1, while the same odds are offered on the South Korean poet Ko Un, who has served four prison sentences as punishment for his outspoken political views.

The 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature will be awarded by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm in early October.