[i] Man Mission [/i] chronicles the trips that Eytan, Daniel, Sam, and Alec went to different countries every year for fifteen years. Starting from when they were in their late twenties, the four would organize a trip that offered them a release from the stress at work and home back in Australia. During the first man mission (MM I), the four men went to New Zealand for hiking and camping. During the second trip, they went riding mountain bikes and crossed nearby the Japanese Alps. MM III involved kayaking on the Murray River in Australia while MM IV involved riding bikes from the top of Mount Kosciuszko in Australia down to the seaside in Victoria. In the fifth edition of Man Mission, the team cycled along the abandoned rail track from the seaport to the inland gold fields in Otago Province, New Zealand. Meanwhile, the story of their lives is told, for example, Eytan Uliel dated Rachael and then later got married and had three children. The author also changed his job from a corporate lawyer to an investment banker and later shifted to other jobs. Daniel, Sam, and Alec also got married, had children, and built careers over the course of fifteen years. The other adventure trips involved kayaking in Fiji, hiking in Spain, biking in South Korea, and sailing in Thailand. The team also visited South Africa where they watched giraffes, buffaloes, and lions. On the other trips, the four chaps went riding bikes in Vietnam and Taiwan, ice climbing in Iceland, and hiking in Peru. During these trips, they engage in humorous conversations, eat together, sleep in the same places, and discuss their career and marriage lives. Over the course of fifteen years, many things change for them and they also learn new things from the annual getaways that are filled with humor and adventure.
One of the things I liked about the book is that it describes the outdoor activities in detail. When you are reading it, you can visualize the environment, the weather, and the time of day when these adventure-packed activities take place. Also, the jokes and humorous conversations that the team had together make you feel actively engaged in the story. Another positive aspect is that the author has developed a main plot that runs throughout the book while the plots of the annual trips branch out from it. In other words, besides reading about the trips, readers also gradually learn what is happening in the characters’ lives from chapter to chapter. It is also interesting how the author describes the trips in general language but eventually takes you to the enjoyable part, for example, joking while eating at a dinner party, seeing the lions in South Africa, riding with drug dealers in New Zealand, and watching the sunrise from a mountain summit in Peru among others. Lastly, each chapter of the book discusses one of the fifteen man missions. This means that readers can have a quick review of the book by choosing a trip and reading the vital statistics included at the end of each chapter.
Regarding the negative aspects, I noticed the use of casual and slightly vulgar language in the book, but that was expected given that the four gentlemen were age mates going to enjoy themselves. Another thing is that the trips involved the use of alcohol and other substances, but again that is what brought them fun and enjoyment. Lastly, there were a few spelling mistakes that the author probably did not notice when writing the book.
By considering the positive aspects versus the negative aspects and the editing of the book, I would give the book a rating of [b] 4 out of 5 stars. [/b] The weaknesses of the book were there, but they seem to be justified because this is a book about adventure, romance, and enjoyment. I tend to believe what made the book enjoyable is partly how the characters spoiled themselves and released some “steam” while on those vacations. Despite having a few grammar mistakes, the book was professionally edited and the descriptions of the structure, plot, and characters were clear.
I would recommend this book to the usual travelers and those who would be interested in going on vacations in other countries. They would be amused by the stories of the four men as they engage in outdoor adventure activities and find fun in them. Also, tours and travel companies can find a lot of insight from this book that can help them in marketing their services.
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