Sima used his unsurpassed knack for description to retell the events that had a formative impact upon his youth. His prodigious memory has served him well in the endeavor, complemented by wide reading and a wealth of experience. His writings have pushed out the boundaries of what a novel can be.
司馬中原以寫實的基本功寫出年少時刻骨銘心的所見所聞，這有賴他超乎常人的記憶力，然後更進一步，透過上天入地的閱讀和生活體驗，不斷延伸與擴展小說的邊界。