Review by Laura Lee -- Man Mission by Eytan Uliel

[Laura Lee]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Aspiring writers are often told, “Don’t start at the beginning. Start in the middle.” Boy, oh boy did Eytan Uliel ever take those words to heart! He doesn’t just politely invite you into the midst of the action. He drop-kicks you off the high dive to plunge into the icy depths of adrenaline, unsure if you’ll make it back to safety or not.

Man Mission opens with the author huddled in the back of a speeding truck, surrounded by loaded guns and kilos of illegal drugs. The author is sure he’s going to die and, in that moment forgetting that you’re reading words obviously penned well after the fact, you share his fear.

There’s adrenaline and humor from the very beginning. At first, I thought the book was going to be nothing more than an enjoyable, comedic romp. And it is. But it is also much more. Man Mission follows the lives, loves, adventures, and misadventures of four friends as they go on annual for-the-men-only holidays. The trips start almost as a tongue-in-cheek way to pit their youthful virility against the elements and the hardships of “roughing it.” Over time, though, the trips become opportunities for reflection and personal growth. It is here that the true genius of this book shines.

Uliel’s style of writing is a testimony to his skill as an author. After opening with a description of the author huddled next to guns and drugs, he leaves you hanging in anticipation while he takes you to a flashback of the events that brought him to that point. This is a pattern that continues throughout the book: trip, flashback. Adventure, misadventure, flashback. It’s a style of writing that is difficult to do well. Often when an author attempts this, the reader is left confused or more invested in one storyline than the other.

Uliel, however, interweaves the flashbacks with the latest adventure so adeptly that the reader is never lost or confused. Indeed, the events discussed in the flashbacks serve as catalysts for the personal growth and epiphanies discovered on their trips. Woven together, they present a rich tapestry of humor, wisdom, and life lessons.

While Man Mission is by turns humorous and inspiring, it does have some swearing and sexual content. Those who are offended by these things should be aware of that before reading the book. That said, the swearing and sexual content are not gratuitous. The language fits the occasion, and the sexual references are integral to the story.

The text is exceptionally clean copy. I didn’t find a single typo or grammatical error anywhere in the book. (Although to be strictly honest, I was so engrossed in the story that I had to keep reminding myself I was supposed to be on the lookout for mistakes.) I could find nothing in Man Mission that could be improved. Maps of the various mission destinations were an added visual bonus. Eytan Uliel’s Man Mission is definitely worth every single star in four out of four stars.

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Man Mission
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[Laura Lee]

For those of you thinking of reading the book, there are some great discussions on it here: viewforum.php?f=197

It really is a great book and I'm currently reading his next one, Head Waggling in India. How can you not like a book with that title? LOL

[djr6090]

Namaste, Laura. This is a superior review. I loved the book, too.

[Laura Lee]

Namaste, Laura. This is a superior review. I loved the book, too.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading it. I really appreciate the feedback.

[Maria Esposito]

Great review, Laura, I love your writing style! And you find me in complete agreement with you, at times I was so absorbed in the story that I forgot I was supposed to be on the lookout for inconsistencies! I loved the book and gave it my first 4/4 stars on here

[Laura Lee]

Great review, Laura, I love your writing style! And you find me in complete agreement with you, at times I was so absorbed in the story that I forgot I was supposed to be on the lookout for inconsistencies! I loved the book and gave it my first 4/4 stars on here

Thank you so much, espo! I'm currently reading his next one, Head Waggling in India. LOL It's great, too!

Thanks for reading my review and leaving a comment.

[Ariely 20]

Forgetting you were supposed to look out for mistakes, that was funny moreso because i can relate. Very nice review.

[Laura Lee]

Forgetting you were supposed to look out for mistakes, that was funny moreso because i can relate. Very nice review.

Thanks, Ariely, for taking the time to leave a comment? Have you read this book yet? It's a really fun one.

[Bigwig1973]

This was such a fun book to read - I giggled a few times! I agree with you in saying that he did a nice job transitioning from writing about the voyages and writing about more personal issues. I don't write fiction, but I can imagine that this would be difficult to do so, nice call on that one! Nice review on this fun, informative, and sometimes insightful book!

[Ahñ Mèiã]

Totally agree! One of the best books I have ever read in my life. It made me fall in love with travel fiction novels Thank you for the amazing review