China Miéville and Keanu Reeves Collaborate on a Secret Novel

Meeting the Internet’s Boyfriend: Keanu Reeves

On a recent Friday afternoon, I had the pleasure of interviewing Keanu Reeves, often referred to as the Internet’s Boyfriend. This was a unique experience as Reeves was not the main focus of the story. Instead, the spotlight was on his collaboration with the renowned writer China Miéville. Together, they have co-authored a book, which is an extension of the comic series BRZRKR. This type of project is known as a “tie-in,” and it could potentially lead to various merchandise like toys and lunch boxes.

“I was really afraid China would say no,” Keanu told me. “Why?!” I exclaimed, convinced nobody could possibly say no to working with this man. “Because,” Keanu replied, “he’s a big deal!”

Who is China Miéville?

China Miéville, aged 51, is a celebrated writer of speculative fiction, or as he prefers to call it, “weird fiction.” His works are known for their depth and complexity, both in narrative structure and sentence construction. Miéville is not just a literary figure; he is also a political activist, a communist, and a staunch supporter of Palestine. He even ran for office once. His political life is as vibrant as his literary career.

In 2021, Keanu Reeves asked China Miéville to write a book with him.

Photograph: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Keanu’s Take on China’s Politics

Curious about Keanu’s understanding of China’s political stance, I asked him, “What do you make of China’s politics?” Keanu responded that he wasn’t fully aware of China’s political views. However, he did mention that he had recently read and enjoyed the Communist Manifesto.

Inside Miéville’s World

Visiting Miéville’s multilevel apartment in Kilburn, London, felt like stepping into a steampunk paradise. The quasi-Victorian decor, complete with skull-themed litter boxes for his cats, reflects his unique personality. Miéville himself sports a shaved head, five earrings, and tattoos that include a skulltopus and a set of flies on an ampersand.

The Secret Collaboration

China and his partner, Season, kept their collaboration with Keanu a secret, referring to it as the project with their “very dear friend.” The initial meeting took place in Berlin, where China learned about BRZRKR and Keanu’s vision for its novelization. The comic centers on B., an 80,000-year-old warrior who seeks the secret to his immortality.

Nonnegotiables and Creative Freedom

China needed to understand the nonnegotiables for the project. Keanu’s team had only one main requirement: the protagonist must remain B., an immortal warrior who desires the ability to die. China was given creative freedom to explore the universe of BRZRKR, leading to a unique and compelling narrative.

China’s Approach to Writing

China takes his craft seriously, adhering to the principles and conventions of each genre he explores. He described his approach as “pulp OuLiPo,” a reference to the French literary group that used constraints to create art. For BRZRKR, he followed two rules: stay within the same universe and avoid cheating the audience.

“If you come in wanting horrible violence and a helicopter chase, you’re going to get it, because it would be cheating to not give you that in a BRZRKR novel.”

### China Miéville’s Unique Take on Tie-In Novels and Freud

A Passion for Helicopters and Literature

China Miéville, an author with a deep love for helicopters—so much so that he has a tattoo of two of them—was thrilled to take on the assignment of writing a tie-in novel. He acknowledges that tie-ins are often seen as “vulgar” by traditional literature standards but quickly adds, “Some of them are really great.”

This notion that, like, utopia is the irreducible core, and everything else is a function of that, I respectfully disagree.

Exploring Human Relations Through Genre-Hopping

Miéville’s works often explore human relationships in various timelines—past, future, and present. His latest book, The Book of Elsewhere, is no exception. Surprisingly, this collaboration between a movie star and a titan of weird fiction focuses more on Sigmund Freud than Karl Marx, making it almost like Freudian fan fiction.

Freud’s Last Letter in the BRZRKR Universe

In September 1939, as Freud faced the end of his life due to oral cancer, he wrote his last letter in Miéville’s BRZRKR universe. This letter, addressed to the future, reflects on the past and foresees the death of his sister Dolfi. Freud writes about his own impending death and introduces a case study of a patient he met during wartime.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!

The patient, an immortal warrior named B., presents Freud with a riddle about his endless cycle of killing and dying. B. seeks to understand his condition, and Freud attempts to explain it in psychological terms. B. becomes a metaphor for the death drive, a concept introduced by Freud to explain humanity’s pursuit of “unpleasure” alongside pleasure.

The Death Drive and Its Implications

Freud’s theory of the death drive emerged as a counterpoint to the pleasure principle, especially after witnessing the horrors of war and personal loss. In Miéville’s narrative, B. embodies this death drive and seeks a cure from Freud. This interaction allows Freud to extrapolate a universal theory from B.’s condition.

Miéville’s Personal Struggles and Inspirations

Miéville was introduced to the original BRZRKR comic by Keanu Reeves. Writing this book was a way for him to grapple with his own depression. He mentioned that his recent works, including The Book of Elsewhere and an upcoming magnum opus, were completed as he emerged from a difficult period.

Immortality and Its Consequences

Miéville reflects on the concept of immortality, which he doesn’t believe will ever be achieved. However, he argues that its implications would depend on the context—communism and immortality might be acceptable, but neoliberalism and immortality would be a nightmare.

A Poetic Journey from Depression to Hope

To celebrate their wedding, Miéville and his partner took a helicopter ride in Iceland. Their taxi driver recited an Icelandic poem about the return of the Lóa bird, symbolizing the end of suicidal thoughts during winter. This poetic moment encapsulates Miéville’s journey from depression to a more hopeful outlook.“`html

The Return of the Lóa Bird

It was an unexpected headline in the Icelandic news that day: the Lóa bird had returned. This event, seemingly minor to outsiders, held significant cultural importance in Iceland.

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Excerpt from The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville, copyright © 2024 by 74850, Inc. Used by permission of Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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