Review of Man Mission
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Review of Man Mission
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
When a story begins with two Australian men rashly deciding to embark on a forgotten adventure, you should know that you are in for a wild ride. Eytan Uliel invites us into his extensive travel experience and creative imagination with Man Mission. The book is about a group of young men who go on a joint vacation every year and partake in highly challenging and dangerous activities. Man Mission describes their interactions with residents of their host communities, natural forces, and frequent mishaps.
The first idea for the Man Missions was by the narrator, who shared it with his law school buddy, Sam. Years later, stuck in a low-level corporate job at a law firm, he receives a call from Sam to implement the concept. Their first trip was to New Zealand, where they engaged in ill-fated hiking. After this, they teamed up with the two other friends to create the highly thrilling routine that makes up this book. Over fifteen years, these men visit many exotic countries such as New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, Peru, Vietnam, Thailand, Fiji, Iceland, Japan, and Hawaii.
Man Mission is a story about friendship, family, and the challenges of adulthood hidden beneath tales of adventures, strange encounters, fabricated challenges, and hilariously recurring failures. Uliel, using captivating narration, tells the story of an honest and supportive relationship between the four main characters. The stories shared in their dialogues were just as engaging as the adventures themselves.
I enjoyed many aspects of the novel, the first of which is how the author describes their experiences in each Man Mission. Uliel’s narrative and descriptive skills were epic throughout the book. Some of my favorite accounts were when they came across a shark in the Pacific Ocean and their encounter with Communist Party officials in Vietnam.
Amidst the entire thrill of the trips, the story does not fail to highlight the private lives of these young men. As the story develops, it becomes more difficult for them to keep their families structured. As they age, more responsibilities appear, and the adventures become more than just fun-filled rides. They become tools for reflecting on their lives and breaking away from the strain of adulthood by engaging in boyish acts. For me, the book is more than just a story of fictional travels and near-escapes. It is more like an insight into the human experience and how our dreams contrast with the painful reality.
I did not find much to dispute with the book except for how the author described nationals of the Man Missions host countries. While I know it is hard to discuss people from other countries without being stereotypical, I feel the author could have been more cautious. I did not enjoy the dialogues in which personal principles were generalized to represent national culture. Things like this can easily misinform the average reader.
In conclusion, I rate Man Mission 4 out of 4 stars because it is one of the best books I have read about fictional travels. The author’s narrative style ranks with the great novelists. I also hold the emotional quality of the novel in high regard. Finally, I can confirm that the book underwent exceptional editing.
I recommend Man Mission to any reader intrigued by knowledge of foreign countries. As well as being the perfect playbook of fun, this book also has that descriptive quality that can make anybody fall in love with any place.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
When a story begins with two Australian men rashly deciding to embark on a forgotten adventure, you should know that you are in for a wild ride. Eytan Uliel invites us into his extensive travel experience and creative imagination with Man Mission. The book is about a group of young men who go on a joint vacation every year and partake in highly challenging and dangerous activities. Man Mission describes their interactions with residents of their host communities, natural forces, and frequent mishaps.
The first idea for the Man Missions was by the narrator, who shared it with his law school buddy, Sam. Years later, stuck in a low-level corporate job at a law firm, he receives a call from Sam to implement the concept. Their first trip was to New Zealand, where they engaged in ill-fated hiking. After this, they teamed up with the two other friends to create the highly thrilling routine that makes up this book. Over fifteen years, these men visit many exotic countries such as New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, Peru, Vietnam, Thailand, Fiji, Iceland, Japan, and Hawaii.
Man Mission is a story about friendship, family, and the challenges of adulthood hidden beneath tales of adventures, strange encounters, fabricated challenges, and hilariously recurring failures. Uliel, using captivating narration, tells the story of an honest and supportive relationship between the four main characters. The stories shared in their dialogues were just as engaging as the adventures themselves.
I enjoyed many aspects of the novel, the first of which is how the author describes their experiences in each Man Mission. Uliel’s narrative and descriptive skills were epic throughout the book. Some of my favorite accounts were when they came across a shark in the Pacific Ocean and their encounter with Communist Party officials in Vietnam.
Amidst the entire thrill of the trips, the story does not fail to highlight the private lives of these young men. As the story develops, it becomes more difficult for them to keep their families structured. As they age, more responsibilities appear, and the adventures become more than just fun-filled rides. They become tools for reflecting on their lives and breaking away from the strain of adulthood by engaging in boyish acts. For me, the book is more than just a story of fictional travels and near-escapes. It is more like an insight into the human experience and how our dreams contrast with the painful reality.
I did not find much to dispute with the book except for how the author described nationals of the Man Missions host countries. While I know it is hard to discuss people from other countries without being stereotypical, I feel the author could have been more cautious. I did not enjoy the dialogues in which personal principles were generalized to represent national culture. Things like this can easily misinform the average reader.
In conclusion, I rate Man Mission 4 out of 4 stars because it is one of the best books I have read about fictional travels. The author’s narrative style ranks with the great novelists. I also hold the emotional quality of the novel in high regard. Finally, I can confirm that the book underwent exceptional editing.
I recommend Man Mission to any reader intrigued by knowledge of foreign countries. As well as being the perfect playbook of fun, this book also has that descriptive quality that can make anybody fall in love with any place.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
