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The dream factory meets fantastic prose: China Miéville and Keanu Reeves are publishing a novel together. What is unique about it?
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Keanu Reeves is known for his roles in The Matrix and John Wick. Now he is breaking new ground and publishing the novel The Book Elsewhere together with British author China Miéville. This collaboration combines the creativity of a Hollywood star with the literary genius of a celebrated fantasy author. What makes the book special?
Keanu Reeves’ “The Book Elsewhere”: What sets it apart
Keanu Reeves and fantasy author China Miéville have created a remarkable book with “The Book Elsewhere”. What makes it special? © Graham Holt FocusXS/Imago/Gutkind (montage)
The Book Elsewhere is more than just another fantasy novel. It is a profound exploration of the themes of immortality, existentialism and metaphor. Reeves and Miéville have created a world that is both brutal and fascinating, so Deutschlandfunk Culture. The plot revolves around Unute, an immortal warrior who is Kind of lightning and has lived for 80,000 years. The story is a mixture of action, philosophy and surreal elements that take the reader to another dimension.
There have always been rumors about him. Legends. He has seen thousands of civilizations rise and fall. A warrior who cannot be killed. He has many names: Unute, Child of Lightning, he was even called Death. Today we know him as “B”. And he wants nothing more than to be able to die. In a world close to our reality, “B” accepts an offer from a secret unit of the US military that promises to help him solve the riddle of his immortality. “B” finds himself in a web of intrigue. Everything points to a power that is even more mysterious than the immortal warrior. One that is at least as strong – and has its own goals.
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The collaboration between Keanu Reeves and China Miéville is unusual and fascinating. Reeves, who has already made a name for himself as a comic book author, came up with the idea for “The Book Elsewhere”. He was a huge fan of Miéville’s works and contacted him with the request to write a novel about his comic book hero. Miéville, known for his complex and intellectual fantasy novels, was immediately enthusiastic about the idea. Read here what defines the fantasy genre.
In an interview with Zeit.de Miéville explained: “People who approach fantasy literature in this way are not even interested in real metaphors. They just want analogies that can be resolved one-to-one. That is, of course, reductionist and boring.” Reeves added: “Just a few pages later, the hero has to admit that he is becoming a metaphor after all. There is no escaping that.” This creative dynamic and the different backgrounds of the two authors have resulted in a work that is both profound and entertaining.
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“The Book Elsewhere” tells the story of Unute, an immortal warrior who was born as the child of lightning. His existence is characterized by eternal struggles and the desire for redemption. The story begins with the patient story of a doctor who ponders the death drive. Unute fights not only against external enemies, but also against his own existence. He is captured by a powerful opponent, Vayn, and must die and be resurrected millions of times. The story is a mixture of action, philosophy and surreal elements that take the reader to another dimension.
The book is characterized by profound metaphors and existential questions. Unute comments laconically: “Sometimes I wish I could somehow avoid becoming a metaphor,” says Welt.deThese reflections on human existence and the nature of immortality make The Book Elsewhere a unique work in the world of fantasy literature.
“The Book Elsewhere” by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville: What makes it special
- Special features of the book: The Book Elsewhere is a profound exploration of the themes of immortality, existentialism and metaphor that stands out for its mix of action, philosophy and surreal elements.
- Creative partnership: The collaboration between Keanu Reeves and China Miéville combines the creativity of a Hollywood star with the literary genius of an acclaimed fantasy author, resulting in a unique dynamic.
- Plot and central themes: The story of Unute, an immortal warrior fighting against his own existence, is marked by profound metaphors and existential questions that take the reader to another dimension.
Keanu Reeves, China Miéville “The Book Elsewhere”
Translated from English by Jakob Schmidt
2024 Gutkind, ISBN-13 978-3-989-41044-2
Price: Hardcover 24 €, 528 pages
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