Keanu Reeves to Co-Write BRZRKR Novel

Keanu Reeves is expanding his BRZRKR franchise with a novel titled The Book of Elsewhere. Set for release this summer, Reeves is co-writing The Book of Elsewhere with acclaimed speculative fiction author China Miéville, whose published work includes Perdido Street Station, Embassytown, and The City & The City. Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, will publish The Book of Elsewhere in collaboration with Boom Studios, the publisher responsible for the BRZRKR comics series, which Reeves collaborates on with writer Matt Kindt and artist Ron Garney. Billed by Del Rey as a "genre-bending epic of ancient powers, modern war, and an outcast who cannot die," The Book of Elsewhere is set in the BRZRKR universe, but plot specifics remain under wraps. The Book of Elsewhere is Reeves' debut novel.

 "It was extraordinary to have the opportunity to collaborate on The Book of Elsewhere with one of my favorite authors, China Miéville," Reeves says in a statement. "China did exactly what I was hoping for – he came in with a clear architecture for the story and how he wanted to play with the world of BRZRKR, a world that I love so much. I was thrilled with his vision and feel honored to be a part of this collaborative process."

Miéville says, "Sometimes the greatest games are those you play with other people's toys. It was an honor, 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, how glad to experiment together, how open to true collaboration. I hope readers get to experience even a fraction of the pleasure reading The Book of Elsewhere that I experienced in the writing – in the serious business of play."

Del Rey publishing director Bill Brusey adds, "To say we are excited for the publication of this literary blockbuster at Del Rey UK might be the understatement of the year. Keanu Reeves and China Miéville are a dream writing partnership. Both are master storytellers who have thrilled, surprised and won the hearts and minds of audiences and readers for decades."

"From the beginning BRZRKR has been unlike any other modern comic book franchise, and we are thrilled to partner with Del Rey to expand Keanu Reeves' visionary world into the medium of prose with ground-breaking author China Miéville," says Filip Sablik, president of publishing and sales at Boom Studios.

What Is BRZRKR?

Boom launched BRZRKR in 2021 to huge sales success. The story follows an immortal soldier on his quest for answers about the nature of his longevity and perhaps a means of escaping it. Netflix is developing a BRZRKR movie and anime spinoff. Reeves will star in and possibly direct the live-action film. Production I.G. is developing the two-season BRZRKR anime.

The Book of Elsewhere will go on sale on July 23rd. Three volumes of BRZRKR, collecting the original 12-issue BRZRKR series, are available in stores now. The BRZRKR prequel BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness debuted in 2023.