What did you think of how this book constantly switched between the "present" action of the missions and flashbacks?

[Laura Lee]

I had the feeling that a very real person was reviewing his own travel logs and commenting about how he arrived at a life lesson in retrospect.

That's a really good description. Yes, the book reads like that, doesn't it? It gives it more punch, in my opinion, making everything said much more immediate.

[Laura Lee]

I enjoyed the flashbacks and thought the author did a beautiful job of incorporating the characters' home/family life with their "man" time. I also liked the inclusion of events from all four of the men's lives. He showed how the group bonded and matured over the fifteen years of their various missions.

Yes, I liked that, too. Sharing details of the other men's lives gave a depth to their personalities that helped me see (and value) them as individuals. Thanks for sharing!

[Laura Lee]

I loved the flashbacks. I think that sometimes when authors try to write that way it becomes very choppy or confusing, but I think his transitions were very smooth and also made me more interested in both storylines. I feel like it would have been much more boring if they had been separated out.

What part of the transitions in and out of the flash back struck you as smooth. And what consistent patterns would you say brought about these smooth transitions?

For me, what helped give it a "smooth" feeling was how each flashback contributed to whatever epiphany the author was experience on the next man mission. Thus, the flashbacks became a form of foreshadowing. It was really brilliantly done, in my opinion.

[DorcasToo]

Very true the author is definitely an expert as evident in how he handles the back and forth. I never lost track or felt that I was picking up from somewhere, it felt consistent.

[Patrick Nandi]

Yes the flash back brought the life of the four friends to the present state this made the reader flow seamlessly. A great book to read.

[micoleon13]

It really does show the skill level of the writer to be able to achieve a well flowing storyline when it jumps from flashbacks to the present constantly. I've read some books where this didn't work and it made for very disjointed reading. Luckily, this was not the case here, and it made the story fuller as it tied to aspects in the present.

[Patrick Nandi]

Yes the flash back brought the life of the four friends to the present state this made the reading flow seamlessly. A great book to read.

[gschauer]

Actually, I loved the way the story line switched between the Man Missions and the flashbacks of the past year. The author did a great job transitioning. I noticed that each chapter started with the four characters in action in their Man Mission. Then it flashed back to the past year where they planned for their Man Mission and the reader caught up with what was going on in their daily lives. Very well done.

[Frannie Annie]

I liked it overall, but there was one point where I desperately wanted to read more about their relationship but instead got a snippet of the guy capsizing in a kayak.

With the way the author wrote this, it was like two stories in one but they were connected. There was a lot of variety.

[Laura Lee]

I liked it overall, but there was one point where I desperately wanted to read more about their relationship but instead got a snippet of the guy capsizing in a kayak.

With the way the author wrote this, it was like two stories in one but they were connected. There was a lot of variety.

I know, right?? That incident in the story was riveting. Would have been nice to have some more detail. Thanks for your response!

[Magnify3]

I thought the flashbacks served as a foreshadowing. I didn't mind the constant jumping forward and backwards. I too thought that Uliel pulled it off brilliantly.

[Laura Lee]

I thought the flashbacks served as a foreshadowing. I didn't mind the constant jumping forward and backwards. I too thought that Uliel pulled it off brilliantly.

Isn't that an interesting use of flashbacks. Uliel is a very adept and skilled writer.

[Jordan12334]

I agree with timur777 because the author use this technique to get the reader at the edge of there seats

[sevillagirl18]

I loved it! I especially loved how clear it was when the time was switching...I've definitely read books that have made it much more confusing. But I honestly really enjoyed learning about the major events in the characters' lives that happened in between man missions, and I thought it was a nice break from some of the long descriptions of the man mission locales.

[Laura Lee]

I loved it! I especially loved how clear it was when the time was switching...I've definitely read books that have made it much more confusing. But I honestly really enjoyed learning about the major events in the characters' lives that happened in between man missions, and I thought it was a nice break from some of the long descriptions of the man mission locales.

I agree. It really enriched the books because, through the flashbacks, we became more invested in the characters. I don't think it would have been as powerful a book were it reduced to being merely a travelogue of nothing more than just the man missions.