Review of Man Mission
Posted: 15 Apr 2022, 03:58
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
Two friends share their dreams while in law school, but they are soon forgotten when they jump on the never-ending treadmill of life after campus. Eventually, the annual outdoor activity trip was realized when one of them, Sam, reminded his friend about the aspiration. Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey was born. The first expedition was hiking the Harper’s Pass Trail in New Zealand. During subsequent missions, two other friends, Daniel and Alec, joined, and Man Mission became an annual adventure spanning fifteen years.
From memorable adrenaline-fueled outdoor activities, such as kayaking and biking, to drinking kava juice in Fiji and riding with Kiwi drug lords, there is not a dull moment in the book. One of the most humorous additions to the mission was the pink bracelet, as one does not know who will wear it. The author sagely weaves the other aspects of the four men's lives, including marriage, parenting, and work, into the travels, resulting in a holistic view of the four friends.
The routes they take in their annual missions mirror the vicissitudes of life. As the narrator discovers during the outdoor trips, he is not walking on the trail of life alone. Eventually, he ponders on all the expeditions they have undertaken. Which was the most authentic mission and why? Which was the greatest adventure of them all? You learn about these and more during a moment of reflection at the end of it all.
During the Man Mission, the men can connect with the boyhood in them and find time to savor and live in every precious moment. In the wild, there is so much that could happen unannounced. In the first mission, I laughed my lungs out when Sam and the narrator were woken up at night and thought they were under attack by ferocious beasts. It was scary and ridiculous at first, particularly not knowing how a can of beans would help, but what happened next will have every reader roaring with laughter.
I rate the book four out of four, as it was exhilarating and thought-provoking. The brotherhood portrayed was inspirational. I disliked absolutely nothing about or in it. Apart from the interesting missions, the narration was top-notch, and I liked that the author employed a non-linear approach. Consequently, I was able to follow both the expeditions and learn about other aspects of their lives. I recommend the book to ardent fans of men’s adventure fiction. Readers should be aware it contains some cuss words.
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Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Two friends share their dreams while in law school, but they are soon forgotten when they jump on the never-ending treadmill of life after campus. Eventually, the annual outdoor activity trip was realized when one of them, Sam, reminded his friend about the aspiration. Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey was born. The first expedition was hiking the Harper’s Pass Trail in New Zealand. During subsequent missions, two other friends, Daniel and Alec, joined, and Man Mission became an annual adventure spanning fifteen years.
From memorable adrenaline-fueled outdoor activities, such as kayaking and biking, to drinking kava juice in Fiji and riding with Kiwi drug lords, there is not a dull moment in the book. One of the most humorous additions to the mission was the pink bracelet, as one does not know who will wear it. The author sagely weaves the other aspects of the four men's lives, including marriage, parenting, and work, into the travels, resulting in a holistic view of the four friends.
The routes they take in their annual missions mirror the vicissitudes of life. As the narrator discovers during the outdoor trips, he is not walking on the trail of life alone. Eventually, he ponders on all the expeditions they have undertaken. Which was the most authentic mission and why? Which was the greatest adventure of them all? You learn about these and more during a moment of reflection at the end of it all.
During the Man Mission, the men can connect with the boyhood in them and find time to savor and live in every precious moment. In the wild, there is so much that could happen unannounced. In the first mission, I laughed my lungs out when Sam and the narrator were woken up at night and thought they were under attack by ferocious beasts. It was scary and ridiculous at first, particularly not knowing how a can of beans would help, but what happened next will have every reader roaring with laughter.
I rate the book four out of four, as it was exhilarating and thought-provoking. The brotherhood portrayed was inspirational. I disliked absolutely nothing about or in it. Apart from the interesting missions, the narration was top-notch, and I liked that the author employed a non-linear approach. Consequently, I was able to follow both the expeditions and learn about other aspects of their lives. I recommend the book to ardent fans of men’s adventure fiction. Readers should be aware it contains some cuss words.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes