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injeniouslife's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.0
received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book with these authors, I was already familiar with Keanu as an actor but didn’t know him as an author. This book is not like anything I’ve read before. A non-linear story about gods and science, death and war. I was fascinated. I give this 4 out of 5 stars. The writing is amazing and while the story can be confusing, each chapter made me want to read more.
This was my first book with these authors, I was already familiar with Keanu as an actor but didn’t know him as an author. This book is not like anything I’ve read before. A non-linear story about gods and science, death and war. I was fascinated. I give this 4 out of 5 stars. The writing is amazing and while the story can be confusing, each chapter made me want to read more.
andalicesays's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jeannelynne24's review against another edition
I really wanted to like this. The idea was interesting but thw flow was....rough, I guess? I think it would be great as a graphic novel. Or a movie/tv series. But the cadence was just off as a book.
calhale1989's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book is a bit like eating a fresh pineapple. It's very dense and at surface level hard to break through, and you may have to wash it with a little salt, but after that, it's very worth it. Reeves and Mieville's voices blend very well and I very much enjoyed learning about the world they crafted. Reeves' characters are interesting and I very much want to read more in this world.
The Book of Elsewhere is a prime example of the surreal nature of non-linear storytelling. I found myself thinking a lot about Samual Beckett's work while reading.
The Book of Elsewhere follows 'B', a man who can't be killed and has seen the rise and fall of many civilizations. But what happens when a deathless man craves death? Better yet, what happens when a spec ops group offers to help kill him in exchange for work on a mission to save one of their own?
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for giving me early access to #TheBookofElsewhere.
The Book of Elsewhere is a prime example of the surreal nature of non-linear storytelling. I found myself thinking a lot about Samual Beckett's work while reading.
The Book of Elsewhere follows 'B', a man who can't be killed and has seen the rise and fall of many civilizations. But what happens when a deathless man craves death? Better yet, what happens when a spec ops group offers to help kill him in exchange for work on a mission to save one of their own?
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for giving me early access to #TheBookofElsewhere.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
mcnadroj's review against another edition
2.0
Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy. Unfortunately, I can't say I enjoyed this book. It took me a 3rd of the book for me to figure out what was actually going on, and who this story was about. I probably would have caught on a little quicker if I had realized this was basically a novelization of Reeves' comic book series "BRZKR." At least I could've looked up what that was about to give me some clue about the book. Once I figured it out, though, there was still the slow pace and confusing writing style. This is a problem I've had with Mieville before, so I wasn't surprised. But, for a story about an immortal, unbeatable warrior, there was very little action. While I may check out the comic in the future, I won't be recommending this book.
maeday_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
4.0
The synopsis for this book is technically accurate, but I don't think it gives a realistic expectation of what you're about to read. There are chapters that feel irrelevant in the moment, and some still feel irrelevant now that I've finished the book. Some of the chapters feel like there might be a secret third author because the writing style seems to change with every flashback. You're going to get confused, but don't let that distract you. It's a weird book that gives a unique view of immortality. It deals with death and grief, love, and loneliness.. it was more emotional than I expected.
I really liked B, I liked all of the characters. I liked how the author flipped back and forth between the main plot and Bs memories as a way to slowly tie everything together. Overall, this book was enjoyable and thought-provoking. I haven't read any of the graphic novels Keanu wrote, and I wonder if reading them prior to this would have changed my opinion at all.
This book isn't going to be for everyone, but if you can handle weirdness, dont mind being confused, then this book might be for you!
I really liked B, I liked all of the characters. I liked how the author flipped back and forth between the main plot and Bs memories as a way to slowly tie everything together. Overall, this book was enjoyable and thought-provoking. I haven't read any of the graphic novels Keanu wrote, and I wonder if reading them prior to this would have changed my opinion at all.
This book isn't going to be for everyone, but if you can handle weirdness, dont mind being confused, then this book might be for you!
fiendfull's review against another edition
4.0
The Book of Elsewhere is a novel about a man who cannot die whose quest for a mortal life turns into something far more complex. B has been known by many names and guises, and as a warrior who cannot die, but now he's looking for a mortal conclusion. An American black-ops group wants his help and in return, they'll help him, even though the devastation he can cause sows discord. When one of the soldiers suddenly comes back to life, it seems that the previous logic of B's existence is more complicated, and there might be another force after something.
Just the very fact of the two authors will draw people into this novel, as it did me (mostly asking "what on earth must that be like?"). As reviews have already pointed out, this is not an easy book: it immediately pushes you into the world without mercy or explanation, there's a range of interludes that even afterwards you can't always be sure about, and the writing style is definitely on the literary end of sci-fi. However, being braced for this difficulty going in, I actually found The Book of Elsewhere far more readable than I was expecting. Sure, there were sections where I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but I don't read that much sci-fi anyway because I don't like confusing world-building, so I wasn't going in expecting to get every moment and plot point.
Given Keanu Reeves' involvement, it was impossible not to picture B as the actor, but for me that made it easier to engage with the character's story quickly, without needing to build up a picture of him. I'm aware that the character comes from Reeves' comic books, but I didn't necessarily feel like I needed more knowledge of the character, particularly as the novel is meditative and not really about action (there are a few action sequences, but not many). The other characters were at times forgettable, but by the end I felt like I understood everyone's place in the narrative.
This is a book that has the existentialism of immortality sci-fi, the timeline-playfulness of literary historical fiction, and the memorable main character of John Wick, combined into something that is sometimes confusing, pretty gripping, and generally much more of an enjoyable read that I was expecting.
elaineg's review against another edition
3.0
Stylistic ornamentation and philosophical ruminations with a fragmented storyline and many many flashbacks hide the fact that there's not a lot of there, there.
The immortal protagonist is distanced and affectless, the other main characters are ciphers, the actual lives affected in the flashbacks are well-drawn but do not amount to a story.
The immortal protagonist is distanced and affectless, the other main characters are ciphers, the actual lives affected in the flashbacks are well-drawn but do not amount to a story.
justineason's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Innovative story telling, not your normal narrative, intriguing fantasy.
nvblue's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the Advance Reader Copy
I was given an ‘uncorrected proof’ and asked not to provide direct excerpts, hence, the lack of quotes. I will gush about Miéville’s prose nonetheless.
A man who cannot die, or rather, a man who can die, but is stuck in an endless cycle of hatching reincarnations. The plot of this book is a little cliché, a government agency studying a semi-immortal person in order to further research with the ostensible aim of creating weapons. It burns slowly, and as it does, there are flashbacks and alternate storylines that introduce new puzzle pieces and bits of information around our pupating protagonist, Unute, B, etc. etc. (Yes, I just needed an excuse to alliterate that p. Can I get a pass on using extravagant words please? I’m coming down from a Miéville high, but unlike Miéville, who could make a car repair manual ooze with beautiful prose, and I’d just like to be selectively pretentious.) The Book of Elsewhere can be read as a standalone novel (as I did) but it is situated in a larger world that Keanu Reeves put together in the BRZRKR comics. Larger world is perhaps a wrong phrase, as B seems to be the main character in that series. B’s trying to figure out his place in the world (because, after 80,000 years of life you can still have existential crises), is he the protective figure of a tribe of people? Is he a demi-god? Is he death incarnate? Is he just an average joe excepting the fact that he occasionally goes on battlefield killing sprees?
I really struggled with the first couple sections of the book. Miéville drops you entirely In medias res and leaves you to struggle through it, gasping for air and a reaching for the closest dictionary simultaneously. I completely floundered through that bit, and ended up re-reading the opening scenes after they kept being referenced later on in the text. The book hits its stride after that, becoming more interesting and readable. There are a lot of flashbacks and historic scenes, and there are points at which they overshadow the main storyline. I feel like Miéville got handed a short story and made it into a full-length novel. The side stories are never not interesting, they just don’t fuse entirely well into a coherent narrative. Sure, they reflect different aspects of Unute’s character through time, but they felt like page padding to a certain extent.
B is the only character who is really fleshed out well. Keever and Diana, a soldier and a scientist, respectively, who fraternize with B, are somewhat developed, but never reach full potential. To be fair, anyone’s personality and personhood would be dwarfed by someone who’s been alive since before the earliest known bits of prehistoric art, but I would have liked to have seen more of the other characters, as I didn’t harbor any overly fond feelings for B.
As for the writing, Miéville is of course, a master of prose. I actually enjoyed how the second person narration was used, a first for me. Normally, I’m also a stickler for punctuation and grammar, there are plenty of ways for an author to be creative without tampering with basic linguistic structures (José Saramago you get a pass). Miéville created cramped prose that actively contributed to the atmosphere of the scene, rather than simply being flashy. The writing in this book was all Miéville, and accordingly, it was a delight to read, however the plot was simultaneously confusing and lacking. I was able to follow along well enough, but wasn’t ever fully invested. As always Miéville threw in a bunch of thought provoking bits of philosophy, but this was no Embassytown.
All in all, I liked this more than The Last Days of New Paris, a little more than This Census Taker, but a lot less than Embassytown, Railsea, and the Bas-Lag books. If you’re a Miéville fan, read this book, but its not his best. The plot was the weak link, but it’s smashed between stimulating themes and excellent writing.
I was given an ‘uncorrected proof’ and asked not to provide direct excerpts, hence, the lack of quotes. I will gush about Miéville’s prose nonetheless.
A man who cannot die, or rather, a man who can die, but is stuck in an endless cycle of hatching reincarnations. The plot of this book is a little cliché, a government agency studying a semi-immortal person in order to further research with the ostensible aim of creating weapons. It burns slowly, and as it does, there are flashbacks and alternate storylines that introduce new puzzle pieces and bits of information around our pupating protagonist, Unute, B, etc. etc. (Yes, I just needed an excuse to alliterate that p. Can I get a pass on using extravagant words please? I’m coming down from a Miéville high, but unlike Miéville, who could make a car repair manual ooze with beautiful prose, and I’d just like to be selectively pretentious.) The Book of Elsewhere can be read as a standalone novel (as I did) but it is situated in a larger world that Keanu Reeves put together in the BRZRKR comics. Larger world is perhaps a wrong phrase, as B seems to be the main character in that series. B’s trying to figure out his place in the world (because, after 80,000 years of life you can still have existential crises), is he the protective figure of a tribe of people? Is he a demi-god? Is he death incarnate? Is he just an average joe excepting the fact that he occasionally goes on battlefield killing sprees?
I really struggled with the first couple sections of the book. Miéville drops you entirely In medias res and leaves you to struggle through it, gasping for air and a reaching for the closest dictionary simultaneously. I completely floundered through that bit, and ended up re-reading the opening scenes after they kept being referenced later on in the text. The book hits its stride after that, becoming more interesting and readable. There are a lot of flashbacks and historic scenes, and there are points at which they overshadow the main storyline. I feel like Miéville got handed a short story and made it into a full-length novel. The side stories are never not interesting, they just don’t fuse entirely well into a coherent narrative. Sure, they reflect different aspects of Unute’s character through time, but they felt like page padding to a certain extent.
B is the only character who is really fleshed out well. Keever and Diana, a soldier and a scientist, respectively, who fraternize with B, are somewhat developed, but never reach full potential. To be fair, anyone’s personality and personhood would be dwarfed by someone who’s been alive since before the earliest known bits of prehistoric art, but I would have liked to have seen more of the other characters, as I didn’t harbor any overly fond feelings for B.
As for the writing, Miéville is of course, a master of prose. I actually enjoyed how the second person narration was used, a first for me. Normally, I’m also a stickler for punctuation and grammar, there are plenty of ways for an author to be creative without tampering with basic linguistic structures (José Saramago you get a pass). Miéville created cramped prose that actively contributed to the atmosphere of the scene, rather than simply being flashy. The writing in this book was all Miéville, and accordingly, it was a delight to read, however the plot was simultaneously confusing and lacking. I was able to follow along well enough, but wasn’t ever fully invested. As always Miéville threw in a bunch of thought provoking bits of philosophy, but this was no Embassytown.
All in all, I liked this more than The Last Days of New Paris, a little more than This Census Taker, but a lot less than Embassytown, Railsea, and the Bas-Lag books. If you’re a Miéville fan, read this book, but its not his best. The plot was the weak link, but it’s smashed between stimulating themes and excellent writing.