Chinese fiction contributes to record sales figure in the UK

Anna Holmwood, translator of A Hero Born, sees it as a sign of the UK's market shifting. She said the success of books by Louis Cha and Liu Cixin reflects British readers' growing appetite for new stories outside the English-speaking world.

Publishers need to be more willing to introduce fresh works to readers, even if it means taking more of a risk.

"I think British readers are more open-minded because of the diversified culture in the UK," Holmwood said.