The Book of Elsewhere
 Cover image | |
| Author | |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre |
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| Set in | BRZRKR universe |
| Publisher | |
Publication date | July 23, 2024 |
| Publication place |
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| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
The Book of Elsewhere is an upcoming action and speculative fiction novel written by Keanu Reeves and British author China Miéville that takes place in the BRZRKR universe.
It was officially announced in January 2024, and it is set to be published in July 2024.
Premise[edit]
The Book of Elsewhere, set in the world of the BRZRKR comic book series, follows an immortal warrior on a millennia-long journey to understand his immortality.
Conception and development[edit]
Keanu Reeves, better known for his roles in Hollywood films, published the first volume of his debut comic book series, BRZRKR in 2021. Not long after, Reeves initiated a collaboration with speculative fiction writer China Miéville, wanting to expand the franchise. He had enjoyed the author's recent book A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto, yet initially, Reeves was afraid that Miéville would decline, owing to the fact that that he was "a big deal" in his circle. In deciding whether to collaborate, the author sought out Reeves's non-negotiable terms, as well as to establish his own; early collaboration ensued after Reeves had stipulated that his only terms were the basic outline of being set around B., the main character, and his journey to reconcile his immortality.[1]
During its inception, the novel was kept secret. Outside of his home, Miéville would only discuss the collaboration with his partner, Season Butler, as "the project with their very dear friend". On the collaborative process, Miéville remarked, "Sometimes the greatest games are those you play with other people's toys. It was an honour, a shock and a delight when Keanu invited me to play. But I could never have predicted how generous he'd be with toys he's spent so long creating."[2] He found that writing in respect to an immortal character allowed himself to explore his long-held belief of immortality being "torture". In the context of his own views on writing, the author sought to respect the genres "set of principles", asserting that "If you come in wanting horrible violence and a helicopter chase, you’re going to get it, because it would be cheating to not give you that in a BRZRKR novel." He admitted that in the understanding of traditional literature, "tie-ins" are usually considered "vulgar", yet opined that some can be "really great".[1] The author would insist on keeping Reeves from announcing the collaboration until a publication date was officially announced, and when he was finally confident that Reeves was happy with the finished product.[1] It was formally announced in a January 2024 interview on Good Morning America.[3]
Assessment[edit]
Writing for WIRED, Hannah Zeavin described the book as "less about Karl Marx than about Sigmund Freud." She considered the book "practically Freudian fan fiction", a stark contrast to her expectations, given Miéville's position as a staunch communist. She appreciated the ability to read the book as a "lost case study, finding the context of 'B.' as a metaphor for Freud's death drive theory.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Zeavin, Hannah (June 5, 2024). "China Miéville Writes a Secret Novel With the Internet's Boyfriend". WIRED. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Creamer, Ella (January 10, 2024). "Keanu Reeves and China Miéville to release collaborative novel The Book of Elsewhere". The Guardian. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ^ Bernabe, Angeline (January 10, 2024). "Keanu Reeves announces new novel, 'The Book of Elsewhere'". Good Morning America. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
External links[edit]
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