As part of the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival, Keanu Reeves and BRZRKR fans were treated to a very special opportunity that allowed them to explore The Book of Elsewhere beyond the pages. In a conversation with Samira Ahmed, both Keanu Reeves and editor Keith Clayton sat down to discuss the world of BRZRKR as well as the writing process alongside renowned ‘Weird Fiction’ author China Miéville. We were lucky enough to attend this incredibly special event and not only did it deepen our appreciation for The Book of Elsewhere, which was already high anyway, but it also gave us a unique opportunity to further understand the writing process, a process which is often neglected.
How are books written? How do ideas form? And how does collaborative writing work? These were all questions that were explored in this very intimate yet hysterical discussion. As fans of Keanu Reeves and his movies, we always see him in character whether it’s as John Wick or Neo, but it was genuinely soothing and warming to see him as himself talking about a project that he is evidently passionate and excited about. This is a world that he helped create and it truly was a gift to see how it all came to life with a sprinkle of that Keanu magic.
Keanu is such a showman who is able to silence an entire auditorium in just a matter of seconds. He has such a way with words, it’s both simple and deep. As an actor who is known for his violent movies, The Book of Elsewhere really felt like an opportunity to tackle both ends of the spectrum; The chaotic violence that we love, but also the tenderness and lonliness that plagues the main character. To be able to listen to the creators unravel their own creative processes really elevated our love for this world because you understand it on a more intimate level, and that’s something that you don’t often get. As an experience… We’ll treasure this for a very long time.
We owe a huge thanks to the teams over at the Southbank Centre and Penguin Random House for this opportunity.
Set in the world of the BRZRKR comic series Reeves created with writer Matt Kindt and artist Ron Garney, The Book of Elsewhere follows an immortal warrior on a millennia-long quest to discover the key to his immortality—and perhaps, a way to free himself from it.
She said, we needed a tool. So I asked the Gods.
There have been whispers. Legends. The warrior who cannot be killed. Who’s seen a thousands civilizations rise and fall. He has had many names: Unute, Child of Lightning, Dearg himself. These days, he’s known simply as “B.”
And he wants to be able to die.
In the present day, a U.S. black-ops group has promised him they can help with that. And all he needs to do is help them in return. But when an all-too-mortal soldier comes back to life, the impossible event ultimately points towards a force even mor emysterious than B himself. One at least as strong. And one with a plan all its own.
The Book of Elsewhere is available to order from all of your favourite book stores; Waterstones, Blackwells, Foyles, Amazon, WHSmith, and more. Have you read it yet? Let us know in the comments.
Don’t forget, you can also check out our onterview with author China Miéville right here.
