When I first read Murakami, I had mixed feelings. I struggled to relate with his characters; their outlook on the world seemed so alien compared to mine. I also was frustrated that "nothing happened". His writing seemed much more driven by the underlying emotion of the narrative ("foreboding" is the best description that comes to mind) than plot.
However, when I traveled to Tokyo for the first time I realized that the feelings that I had reading his novels captured the essence of the city - the sense of duty, the isolation, the assertion of individuality in a place that epitomizes collectivism. His writing provided a window into a worldview that could not have been more different from my own.
I'm glad to have run across this article; I'll add these other authors to my reading list.