Review of Man Mission
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Obi Egbuniwe
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Review of Man Mission
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey by Eytan Uliel is a non-fiction travel adventure book. As can be inferred by its title, it chronicles the globe-trotting adventures of four friends over many years. Eytan, the main character, and his three buddies institute the yearly custom of taking a guys' trip to a different and interesting part of the world. The result is often a dangerous but fulfilling experience. Their journeys take them to climb high peaks, canvass rough landscapes, and brave dangerous waters. Oceania, South East Asia, the Arctic, and Africa are but a few of the points covered in their travels. Concurrently unfolding are the personal lives, joys, and struggles of the characters. Purpose, adventure, self-discovery, love, heartbreak, family, and friendship lie at the heart of this story.
Let me start by saying that I loved this book. It has many positives for me. The author did a magnificent job with his storytelling. The narration flowed seamlessly and almost effortlessly. What struck me most was that I didn't realize that this was a work of fiction until halfway through the book. This is because the tempo was upbeat and vibrant. The overall tone was witty and humorous. Eytan Uliel's descriptive ability is top-notch. He was able to capture the essence and emotion of his adventures, which made them a very immersive experience for me as a reader. I also like how educative this book is. I felt better informed about the places he visited, so much so that it felt like I had watched a travel documentary.
The premise of "Man Mission" is simple: four guys go on a yearly adventure. That alone was enough to get me excited about the book. What I didn't expect was an additional narrative about the characters' life journeys. We see the characters in many phases of their lives, facing challenges involving marriage, relationships, parenthood, and careers. Eytan's story is the most prominent, but the others are given sufficient attention. The result is that the book becomes very character-driven and nuanced. It added more depth to the plot. The yearly missions then became more of a metaphor for self-discovery and healing. I appreciate how this book treats masculinity and the idea of what it means to be a man. It's a potent struggle for the protagonist and forms a definitive part of his character arc. Men's mental health in light of societal expectations was also treated respectfully and honestly.
All in all, Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey was a massive score for me. There's nothing I would change about the book. It resonated deeply with me. Everything from the pacing to the writing style and character journeys was well executed and combined to form a gem of a story. I found only one instance of a spelling error. Hence, it was professionally edited. For these reasons, I give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend this book to those who appreciate a good adventure book with a lot of heart and humor. The only demographic I would exclude from reading this book is younger readers, mainly because of the high profanity and adult themes of a sexual nature it contains.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey by Eytan Uliel is a non-fiction travel adventure book. As can be inferred by its title, it chronicles the globe-trotting adventures of four friends over many years. Eytan, the main character, and his three buddies institute the yearly custom of taking a guys' trip to a different and interesting part of the world. The result is often a dangerous but fulfilling experience. Their journeys take them to climb high peaks, canvass rough landscapes, and brave dangerous waters. Oceania, South East Asia, the Arctic, and Africa are but a few of the points covered in their travels. Concurrently unfolding are the personal lives, joys, and struggles of the characters. Purpose, adventure, self-discovery, love, heartbreak, family, and friendship lie at the heart of this story.
Let me start by saying that I loved this book. It has many positives for me. The author did a magnificent job with his storytelling. The narration flowed seamlessly and almost effortlessly. What struck me most was that I didn't realize that this was a work of fiction until halfway through the book. This is because the tempo was upbeat and vibrant. The overall tone was witty and humorous. Eytan Uliel's descriptive ability is top-notch. He was able to capture the essence and emotion of his adventures, which made them a very immersive experience for me as a reader. I also like how educative this book is. I felt better informed about the places he visited, so much so that it felt like I had watched a travel documentary.
The premise of "Man Mission" is simple: four guys go on a yearly adventure. That alone was enough to get me excited about the book. What I didn't expect was an additional narrative about the characters' life journeys. We see the characters in many phases of their lives, facing challenges involving marriage, relationships, parenthood, and careers. Eytan's story is the most prominent, but the others are given sufficient attention. The result is that the book becomes very character-driven and nuanced. It added more depth to the plot. The yearly missions then became more of a metaphor for self-discovery and healing. I appreciate how this book treats masculinity and the idea of what it means to be a man. It's a potent struggle for the protagonist and forms a definitive part of his character arc. Men's mental health in light of societal expectations was also treated respectfully and honestly.
All in all, Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey was a massive score for me. There's nothing I would change about the book. It resonated deeply with me. Everything from the pacing to the writing style and character journeys was well executed and combined to form a gem of a story. I found only one instance of a spelling error. Hence, it was professionally edited. For these reasons, I give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend this book to those who appreciate a good adventure book with a lot of heart and humor. The only demographic I would exclude from reading this book is younger readers, mainly because of the high profanity and adult themes of a sexual nature it contains.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Zona: The Forbidden Land by Fred G. Baker
