Review of Man Mission
Posted: 21 Jul 2022, 04:24
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
The journey through adulthood has never been an easy one, and to navigate it in the best way possible you will need the right equipment, namely: some hiking boots, a tent (along with the instructions to pitch it up), sufficient food supply, and three of your closest friends that will always be there to help you get out of the trouble you will inevitably find yourself in. Man Mission is a brilliant adventure novel that humorously narrates the exciting adventures and relatable life struggles of four men over fifteen years. Their adventures take them to all corners of the globe including New Zealand, Hawaii, South Africa, Iceland, Japan, and Spain. Although visiting all these culturally diverse countries has no shortage of adventure, it is clear that the greatest adventure they could ever embark on is the journey into manhood.
Sam and the unnamed narrator struck up a friendship over their love for exotic food during their university’s food fair. They have a lightbulb moment and suggest the two of them along with their friends, Alec and Daniel, should visit a different country for one week every year. As the years pass, the idea of an annual trip is almost completely buried under the growing pile of responsibilities. The idea is only revived when Sam calls the narrator at work and urges him to take the very first ‘man mission’ to New Zealand with him. Not long after they arrive at the Harper’s Pass hiking trail in Christchurch, are they confronted with the reality of their under-preparedness to survive the great outdoors. On the very first night, they are woken up by the startling sound of an animal outside. When the narrator musters up the courage to go out and defend himself and his friend, he is met with a large pair of glowing eyes. Gulp! As they continue with their adventures filled with unprecedented events, it becomes apparent that there is nothing they cannot overcome with determination, a good sense of humour, and the support of their pseudo brothers.
I applaud Eytan Uliel for writing such a well-rounded novel equally balanced with humour, adventure, and real-life struggles. The fact that the novel takes place over fifteen years allows the reader to grow with the four characters and witness their personal development. This novel illustrates the individual paths we must journey into adulthood through the four characters. We see them each make challenging career choices, navigate romantic relationships, and raise their own families. I also enjoyed the excerpts, quotes, and scriptures placed at the beginning of each chapter as they excited my appetite for what I was about to read.
The only thing that I disliked about the novel was the layout. I had to convert the EPUB to PDF to make it easier to read, but there were still inconsistencies with the sizing of the pages. However, I do not fault the author for this at all.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Man Mission as it was a unique and refreshing take on the journey of adulthood; therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys suspense, adventure, and general fiction. This novel contains profane language throughout that some readers might not enjoy.
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Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
The journey through adulthood has never been an easy one, and to navigate it in the best way possible you will need the right equipment, namely: some hiking boots, a tent (along with the instructions to pitch it up), sufficient food supply, and three of your closest friends that will always be there to help you get out of the trouble you will inevitably find yourself in. Man Mission is a brilliant adventure novel that humorously narrates the exciting adventures and relatable life struggles of four men over fifteen years. Their adventures take them to all corners of the globe including New Zealand, Hawaii, South Africa, Iceland, Japan, and Spain. Although visiting all these culturally diverse countries has no shortage of adventure, it is clear that the greatest adventure they could ever embark on is the journey into manhood.
Sam and the unnamed narrator struck up a friendship over their love for exotic food during their university’s food fair. They have a lightbulb moment and suggest the two of them along with their friends, Alec and Daniel, should visit a different country for one week every year. As the years pass, the idea of an annual trip is almost completely buried under the growing pile of responsibilities. The idea is only revived when Sam calls the narrator at work and urges him to take the very first ‘man mission’ to New Zealand with him. Not long after they arrive at the Harper’s Pass hiking trail in Christchurch, are they confronted with the reality of their under-preparedness to survive the great outdoors. On the very first night, they are woken up by the startling sound of an animal outside. When the narrator musters up the courage to go out and defend himself and his friend, he is met with a large pair of glowing eyes. Gulp! As they continue with their adventures filled with unprecedented events, it becomes apparent that there is nothing they cannot overcome with determination, a good sense of humour, and the support of their pseudo brothers.
I applaud Eytan Uliel for writing such a well-rounded novel equally balanced with humour, adventure, and real-life struggles. The fact that the novel takes place over fifteen years allows the reader to grow with the four characters and witness their personal development. This novel illustrates the individual paths we must journey into adulthood through the four characters. We see them each make challenging career choices, navigate romantic relationships, and raise their own families. I also enjoyed the excerpts, quotes, and scriptures placed at the beginning of each chapter as they excited my appetite for what I was about to read.
The only thing that I disliked about the novel was the layout. I had to convert the EPUB to PDF to make it easier to read, but there were still inconsistencies with the sizing of the pages. However, I do not fault the author for this at all.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Man Mission as it was a unique and refreshing take on the journey of adulthood; therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys suspense, adventure, and general fiction. This novel contains profane language throughout that some readers might not enjoy.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes