Having become famous playing Neo, the protagonist of the famous film Matrix, Keanu Reeves has always been fascinated by the world of fantasy. Another iconic role in Johnny Mnemonic confirmed this, but the Canadian actor didn’t stop there. His career dedicated to science fiction also included lending his face and voice to the character of Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077. As if that weren’t enough, he then ventured into the world of comics by creating the BRZRKR series (pronounced “berserker”, the name of the Norse warriors) which will soon become a live action.
To complete his curriculum linked to this sector, a debut linked to this latest experience has just arrived. Reeves is about to debut as a writer with the book The Book of Elsewhere, already in bookstores in America, while for the Italian version we will have to wait until 2025. The novel promises to be a success because Keanu Reeves has decided to get help from China Miéville, British author of masterpieces such as Perdido Street Station and The City and the City.
The story is actually based on the comic book series BRZRKR, but it takes place in a parallel universe. The Book of Elsewhere is about a warrior destined for immortality who begins to nurture the desire to end his own existence. To achieve this, the protagonist of the story, known only as “B” and who in the comic has the features of Reeves himself, goes through different eras and wanders the Earth between one conflict and another.
Once he reaches 80,000 years of age, B enters the service of the American army to manage the most shady business, on the condition that the armed forces reveal to him the truth about his life and the method to die after so long. Among other things, the character’s personality is really particular since it does not correspond at all to that of Keanu Reeves: the actor is known for his kindness and calmness, while the immortal character of the comic and the book has always cultivated the curse of violence.
The novel blends two of the typical themes of the fantasy genre, namely the vampire syndrome and the myth of the berserker warrior, all dominated by the melancholy that Reeves loves to pin on his characters. For fans of the genre there is more good news: as already anticipated, in conjunction with the release of the volume, the debut of the live action inspired by the comic is planned and will soon be available on Netflix.
