Review by fmd1821 -- Man Mission by Eytan Uliel

[fmd1821]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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If you like adventures, then Man Mission is the book for you. Written by Eytan Uliel, this delightful piece of literature will keep you good company as you discover the adventures of four men around the world. This close-knit and brilliantly portrayed group decides to make one trip every year and continues this tradition for fifteen years. They visit many countries and go hiking, trekking, biking, kayaking, paddling, and cycling. Of course, not everything goes smoothly during the trips, and often the group risk both physical and moral injuries, summarized at the end of each chapter.

Man Mission is one of the most amusing books I have read in recent times. Its conversational and spontaneous tone is its best feature. I cannot imagine it written in any other way. It is one of the four men who narrates the story and recalls many funny episodes, like the unusual way they took a train in Japan and the inconveniences of kayaking. Ironic remarks and wisecracks make the reading entertaining. I laughed often, and Man Mission really gave me a good time.

One of the strongest points of Man Mission is that Uliel puts the climax of each adventure at the beginning of the chapter. The reader already knows that some hilarious or unforeseen event is going to happen, so he/she is even more committed to discovering how the characters come to that. I have never been disappointed by what I read. Even the most bizarre adventures are realistic, including the one with the drug dealers in New Zealand. Is it not true that holidays are the times of the year when the most incredible things happen? Man Mission assents.

Even though the adventures are the most significant part of Man Mission, there is another side of the story. The parts connected to daily problems as jobs and family are amusing too, but often they are reflective. Anyway, you never have the impression that they are unrelated to the main theme. On the contrary, they help to understand it better. Each trip can be considered a distinct tale, but the daily life of the four men creates the framework. We learn about the four men’s jobs, families, and problems. Therefore, the trips become a way to take a break and reflect on what is happening. This is clearer in the last adventures when the protagonists are ten or more years older than at the beginning, and not everything in their lives has gone as they expected. I think that this aspect makes the book more profound than it seemed at the beginning and adds value to the story.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I am glad to add to the other positive aspects that Man Mission is well-edited and that I have found only small typographical errors while I was reading. I do not think there is a single downside in this book, and I recommend it to readers who like adventures and who believe in friendship. They will not be disappointed.

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Man Mission
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[Erin Painter Baker]

This is a well written review. I like how you connect the adventures and the daily life of the men, and your comments about how the author is able to make it all thematic and work as a whole.