The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville review – pulpy hijinks

Renowned actor Keanu Reeves, known for his iconic roles in modern films, expanded his creativity in 2021 with the development of a comic book series titled BRZRKR. Collaborating with writers Matt Kindt and illustrator Ron Garney, Reeves introduced readers to the character "B", also known as Unute, an immortal warrior reminiscent of Viking berserkers. In the comic, B embarks on a journey through time, engaging in intense battles and brutal violence that showcase his indestructible nature. Despite sustaining injuries, B cannot be killed as his wounds heal, and he regenerates any lost body parts. In extraordinary circumstances where he is completely destroyed, a mystical egg brings him back to life. Reeves is set to portray B in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of the series.

The title BRZRKR is bold and muscular, too strong for lowercase letters and too tough for vowels. The focus here is on violence - grunting, shooting, stabbing, killing, and tearing bodies apart with bare hands. The lack of a real story and repetitive gore scenes make the overall concept seem silly and predictable. However, with Keanu Reeves as the main character, there is a cool factor that helps to keep things interesting.

Reeves has taken the franchise in a new direction by teaming up with British author China Miéville to create a novel. Miéville, whom I would describe as the most exciting writer of speculative fiction today, is now collaborating on a project that has a title filled with vowels. This novel marks Miéville's first book in 12 years, following his acclaimed works like Perdido Street Station, The City & the City, and Embassytown. Fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the world of science fiction.

The Book of Elsewhere goes back to the stories in the comics, expanding on them, as a novel is able to do, providing a more comprehensive and detailed explanation of what happened before. The central driving force of the story is B's strong desire for mortality. It is not just a simple wish to die, but a deeper intention to no longer be immortal. The concept being explored is that our limited lifespan, our journey towards death, is what gives life purpose and depth, and B longs for that experience. However, despite all attempts, he is unable to escape his immortality.

Where did B originate from? His mother had a scary experience with a mystical being, maybe a deity. After being hit by a surge of blue lightning in a delicate spot, she conceives Unute. He discovers his background as he matures.

Young B questions his mother, "So, my dad is not really my dad?"

"Shh, don't be silly," she responds. "Your dad is your dad, he's your daytime father and the dark sky is your nighttime father."

B travels through ancient times correcting injustices, battling villains, and even taking lives, reminiscent of the character in the movie Highlander. Unlike the character in the film, B cannot be stopped by decapitation. In modern times, he is a member of a special forces team in the US military, carrying out secret missions. Dr. Diana Ahuja heads a scientific division within the unit that is exploring B's extraordinary abilities. Despite their advancements in technology and weaponry, they have yet to find a solution to B's eternal life dilemma.

Also, there is a ancient pig that was also affected by the magical lightning, and it spends endless amounts of time trying to attack B with its large tusks. It is not completely clear why the pig is so angry at B, adding a strange and humorous aspect to the story. B believes that if he can defeat the pig, he may uncover the secret to his own immortality. As a result, he decides to bring the pig to the institute for closer examination.

"Diana quietly murmured, 'This pig... it's a joke. The continual return of you, the initial tragedy.' Not many superhero tales mention Marx's Eighteenth Brumaire, but Miéville not only writes fantasy but also studies Marxism."

Reeves confirmed that Miéville was the author of the novel, but it must be noted that The Book of Elsewhere will not be considered one of his best works. The silliness of the plot, the choppy and repetitive storytelling, and the excessive violent scenes make it less impressive compared to his other works.

There are some good points, however. At one moment, Diana and B talk about creating a measure for how much someone hates something.

"What is the most widely disliked thing in the world?" She asked. "People who harm children? Dictators like Hitler?"

"Not Hitler, unfortunately," they didn't say anything for a while. "Mosquitoes," he finally spoke up.

"Alright," she said. "That's great: they're small, so they're perfect for measuring hate. Let's say the level of hate towards one member of the mosquito family is one, a mosquito. A unit! Which implies," she explained, "that if you detest something as much as you detest 10 mosquitoes, your hatred is 10 units. A decameter. That's like stepping on dog poop. Now, the Westboro Baptist Church, for example, I probably dislike ... " She shrugged. "Around seven or eight thousand units."

However, Miéville's creative imagination is tested to its limits by Reeves's unique concept. Despite the introduction of the Miétrix, don't expect to be impressed.