Keanu Reeves Sci-Fi Novel Is A Must-Read Oddity We Want Now
On top of being an internet sweetheart, a musician, a comic book writer, and an accomplished actor, Keanu Reeves can now add novelist to his resume. Namely, the artist has released his debut novel, titled The Book of Elsewhere, which has a wild plot about immortal warriors and pigs based on a rather successful comic book Reeves co-wrote and released in 2021.
BRZRKR
Keanu Reeves’s novel, The Book of Elsewhere, is based on BRZRKR, a 12-issue limited series comic book that Keanu Reeves co-created with Matt Knidlt in 2021. The plot of the novel adheres to the narrative of the comics and follows the main character, an immortal 80,000-year-old warrior named B, on a mission to discover the meaning of his existence, as well as the means to end it.
The novel also includes, for reasons that readers will find out in the book, ancient armadillos, a 78,000-year-old pig, and the US government and its many agents.
A Novel Written In Secret
Keanu Reeves didn’t work on the novel alone; instead, he co-wrote it with China Mieville, a known sci-fi writer famous for books like The City & The City and Perdido Street Station, with Reeves calling the book “another version of storytelling.” The novel was kept secret from the moment of its inception until both creators were happy with the end result. The collaborative process took three years, leading to its official announcement in January 2024 and a subsequent release several days ago.
Expanding The World Of BRZRKR
With the novel out in the wild, both artists expressed interest in continuing the story, possibly in a different format. That aside, the reception of Keanu Reeves’ novel has been largely positive, with many publications praising both the storytelling approach and its narrative.
This isn’t all that surprising, considering that BRZRKR did exceptionally well among the audiences. The first issue sold over 615,000 copies, which dethroned 2015’s Star Wars #1 and launched an entire franchise.
The Involvement Of Netflix
Besides being adapted into Keanu Reeves’ novel, BRZRKR is also being adapted into a live-action movie by none other than Netflix, who plans to produce a follow-up anime series based on the comics, with Reeves cast as the lead role—probably an animated version of 1986’s Highlander and 2014’s John Wick combined.
It’s not the craziest idea Netflix ever had. Following the success of the initial comic, Keanu Reeves and Mattson Tomlin wrote a one-shot comic, BRZRKR: Fallen Empire, a narrative that follows B during the heights of the Olos Empire, where he experienced romance and destruction.
Keanu Reeves Keeps Making New Fans
Critics praised the release, with many stating that it’s as beautiful as it is tragic. Just like Fallen Empire, Keanu Reeves’ novel also explores a narrative that’s somewhat alternate to the BRZRKR universe, in which B seeks to understand his immortality, exploring themes like death, technology, and violence.
Coincidentally or not, these are often the themes of some of Keanu Reeves’ movies—like The Matrix—while the whole setting of the comic book, along with the freshly released novel, mirrors some of the action films he had previously done.
