This book was incredibly difficult to get into. I love sci fi and dystopian novels, but the opening lines served to set the read apart. There was no familiarity in which to ground oneself—besides the fact that the words were technically readable if you know the English language.

I think ultimately, this is such a conceptual novel & it should be briefed as such in the description.

I struggled with this, first it isn't what I would normally be drawn to. I read just about everything (except romence) I had not heard of China Mieville so I did a little research, still not a style that I would normally choose. So here's my take on this story I couldn't finish no matter how much I forced myself through it. Sorry Keanu, I am a fan of you as a human. Kill - Die - Resurrect. Lots of shooting and some gore, (i like gory) this just didn't get it for me. The plot seemed something out of a DOOM video gameplay. Although I did appreciate the freed read. Thank you Netgally.

I really enjoyed previous books by China Miéville and I love Keanu Reeves so I was very excited to check this book out. I sadly ended up DNF after 30%, I gave it a good attempt but really was not enjoying it. I read some reviews and decided to cut my losses. I am sure there are readers out there for this story, but it is not me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Absolutely riveting ride, loved the blend of visceral action and philosophical introspection. Loved diving deeper into the world that the graphic novel introduced.

couldn't ever get the epub to work or download so unfortunately wasn't able to read it even with support help but have to leave a star rating regardless!

It was alright. Not my favorite, but also not the worst. A good introduction to the author for new readers of the books.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. This book was confusing at the best of times! I felt like I got the gist of it but there was so much detail and so many characters and settings it all felt very scrambled to me. It was still a very beautifully written book, I just wish it was pieced together more coherently. I would recommend if you like science fiction with very different narratives and characters!

I'll be honest, Keanu Reeves as an author is what drew me to this book initially. I'm familiar enough with the "BRZRKR" universe (courtesy of my husband) that I could appreciate the alternate universe in which this book was set. However, it just wasn't my best cup of tea. It wasn't horrible, written terribly, or anything of the sorts. It just wasn't appealing for me enough to rave about. This is definitely a book that has an acquired taste.

*The Book of Elsewhere* by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville, released in July 2024, is a unique and thought-provoking addition to the realm of speculative fiction. Set in an alternate universe to the *BRZRKR* comic series, the novel follows an immortal warrior on a centuries-spanning journey to understand the curse of his immortality, the violent cycles of his existence, and the broader meaning of life itself. The collaboration between Reeves, known for his action-packed film roles, and Miéville, a celebrated author of speculative fiction, creates a fusion of philosophical depth and gritty action.

The novel’s exploration of immortality is one of its strongest elements. The protagonist's journey is not just one of survival, but of grappling with the existential questions that come with living through countless lifetimes. This theme is delved into with a mix of philosophical introspection and action-driven scenes, which could feel jarring to some readers but adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. The authors weave together the brutality of violence with the search for meaning, examining how repeated conflict and endless existence affect both the soul and mind.

Miéville’s signature world-building is evident, creating a detailed, immersive universe where supernatural and speculative elements take center stage. His writing style brings the settings to life with vivid, often disturbing imagery, allowing readers to feel the weight of the protagonist's struggles. Meanwhile, Reeves' influence is clear in the action-packed sequences, which offer plenty of high-stakes moments. This combination of introspection and action delivers a fascinating balance of philosophy and chaos, though the shift between the two can occasionally feel abrupt for some readers.

The pacing is where *The Book of Elsewhere* might lose some readers. The action scenes are fast and exhilarating, but the moments of deep reflection can slow down the momentum, making the book feel like a slow burn at times. However, these slower sections are not without merit, as they offer rich philosophical insights into topics like the nature of violence, immortality, and the cost of existence. The question of whether the protagonist can ever truly break free from the curse of immortality adds a layer of suspense that drives the narrative forward.


Overall, *The Book of Elsewhere* is a compelling, if challenging, read. The partnership between Reeves and Miéville brings an interesting combination of action and philosophical exploration, appealing to fans of both high-stakes adventure and deeper, more existential themes. It’s a book that asks big questions, offers memorable action sequences, and leaves readers thinking long after they’ve turned the last page. For fans of speculative fiction looking for something both cerebral and thrilling, *The Book of Elsewhere* is definitely worth picking up.

I have to admit, this book was a challenge for me. I tried, but the book just wasn’t the right fit for me. I know reviews have been mixed, so there are definitely readers who will love. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I got an advanced copy.

A disappointingly tough start, but I did end up really enjoying it.

The story, based on the graphic novel, BRZRKR, follows a man who cannot die. As a consequence, he's lived eons and is now being utilized by the military as something of a killing machine, and in return he's working with a doctor to try and discover more about who/what/WHY he is.

I enjoyed the book much more that I thought I would, and especially liked the interlude stories, of characters such as the Stowaway or the Doctor or the Wife, people with whom B had come into contact with and change the story's perspective in small or large ways.

Overall, this is a win for me

I appreciate the world-building for sure, as I wasn't at all familiar with the graphic novel. And I'm a huge fan of Mieville.The suspense in the beginning was particularly strong, but I will say this got a bit too macho and muddled for me. I did love the cover and the charming virtual event with Reeves, but am really looking forward to Mieville's next fantasy solo work.

This was not good. I know others here enjoyed it but the way it was written made it a slog to get through. If I hadn't already read the not good comics as well as the fact that I really like Keanu Reeves, I wouldn't have kept at this like a scab that you feel you need to rip off again and again, always too soon.

To be honest, I don't remember if this dovetails with the comics or this is the same story in a new medium. I can tell you the comics did not have an 80,000 year old boar in them that continuously sought out B for no good reason other than "There can be only one!". That was SO dumb. Because I'm a sucker for punishment, I know I'll wind up reading those stupid comics again just to put together how they connect even though it ultimately doesn't matter. Chances are the Netflix show will change up B's story again anyway other than he's an immortal John Wick who goes into BRZRKR rages.

The chapters are broken up into 3 separate areas told in first, second and third person to differentiate them. This infuriated me to no end. Sections often did strange grammatical things like combining words and abandoning punctuation completely that drove me batty. Sorry, I must have been a proof reader in a past life. The current story and the only one that matters is told in third person. B in the past was told in second person while stories in the past from random people who knew B / Unute were in first person. The latter two were all pretty much pointless and I guess added to get to 300 pages. That's the only reason I can see they exist.

The story is mainly about how some people see B as a god while others see him as a devil or death versus life if you will. This entire book inspired a lot of eyerolling from me as I was constantly counting pages until the end of each chapter so I could force myself to finish this in chunks because I certainly wasn't digging it.

The story was good but the writing style and overall the end result was a little bit less than what I wanted out of it.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Del Rey and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

I've never read the comics but couldn't resist getting this book seeing Keanu listed as co-author. There's a great story and fascinating characters in here that I would love to follow on further adventures. As a realtor might say, it's got "good bones". Unfortunately, the prose is often too purple. It made the reading experience very stop-start. I'd still recommend it and look forward to future stories set in this world. Hopefully better written

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free e-book of The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Mieville. Considering the powerful author combo, I couldn't resist reading this one. I recommend this book for fans of weird fiction (and I use the word weird in a positive connotation here), as a combination of fantasy and science-fiction concepts. The authors took a lot of risks, jumping around in time and relying on the reader to make some cerebral links of their own, but I felt it worked for me; I'm willing to allow for some confusion and mystery while I'm reading, as long as I'm enjoying the ride. I can only assume, had I read the comic series BZRKR, I might not have felt as lost at times. If you're looking for an intense, action-packed, heroic story, don't skip this one.

This genre bending book is based off of BRZRKR comic books! I love when I read something completely brand new to me and this was that!

Thank you #randomhouse and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one has been sitting on my shelf for a while. I really wanted to like it. I did. But it was super hard to get into and I kept putting it down for me interesting titles.
It honestly felt like it was trying too hard to be deep and intellectual. And it fell flat.
This book would appeal to those who annotate, and ponder, and philosophise over deep meanings, it just wasn't for me.

I could not get through this book I am so sorry. To me it was boring and I struggled to push through

Not for me. Definitely a specific type of book and would take a specific type of reader. I couldn’t really get in to the story but also the writing style was confusing and hard to follow. Love Keanu Reeves but this one was too heady for me.