Player Manager 4: A Sports Progression Fantasy

Player Manager, Book 4

De: Ted Steel

Narrado por: Luke Francis

Footie's number-one fanatic continues his climb to become number-one manager in the fourth installment of this fast-paced, electrifying LitRPG series.

Football is a game of steps: Quick steps. Trick steps. Even sneaky, slick steps. Whether you're on or off the pitch, you best know your footing. And for Max Best, that's no problem at all. He has the ability to read players to a T—thanks to the sentient stat-tracking display he received after saving an elderly man in the streets.

Now, as director of football for Chester FC, everything's falling into place for Max. His team is climbing the ranks. He's executing great transfers and hired a literal old hand for his brand-new women's team. Plus, his no-holds-barred attitude and unorthodox way of working the league systems is making a serious impression. What could go wrong?

Well . . . everything actually. First, a top-notch prospect gets snaked out from under him. Then, an old adversary starts playing dirty behind the scenes so Max can't play on the field. And his wheeling and dealing has landed him in the wrong kind of spotlight. But the worst part is that he's beginning to suspect the one behind all the chaos is the increasingly devilish old fellow he rescued so long ago . . .

The fourth volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 800,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!

©2024 Ted Steel (P)2024 Podium Audio

makes me laugh!

this book series is fantastic! I can't wait to get up to listen and fall asleep listening!

Masterful Storytelling

I don't follow football. I'm more knowledgeable about the rules of American football. Despite that, I picked up this series because it was an interesting premise for a LitRPG. Through Ted Steel's writing and Luke Francis's performance, Max Best's football journey is charming, easy to follow, and even easier to be enthralled by. The quick lessons, character dynamics, quick wit, and heartfelt moments create such a romantic vision of football that I couldn't help but fall in love with the sport. Book 4 continues to reinforce my love for the series and doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. I eagerly await the next installment.

there are 3 ways to do things

the right way
the wrong way
and the Max Best way

I know what you're thinking, "isn't that the wrong way?"
well, yes. but faster 😎

Fantastic story telling. Love the characters

Great 4th book in a great series. Really good to find in the litrpg genre but even those who aren’t necessarily interested in Litrpg would find it enjoyable. Can’t wait for the 5th book. Come on Chester!!!

tasty

so much tasty football...
I love this story in the way it combines slice of life with sports in a way that makes me want to start up a manager game again

Best LitRPG next to DCC

This series is so much fun. Besides DCC, this is the only progression series I can't get enough of. The writer knows his stuff and this is another if his books that is full of clever humor. Highly recommend.

Excellent plot, very good character work

This is a more plot-driven book than the previous books in the series. There is still good character development, but this book is more about trying to save Chester from relegation.

The relationship between Max and Satan(?) is becoming more complex, and we see more consistent (if indirect) interaction than previously.

Max is still a sympathetic protagonist, and his ties to his associates are becoming better developed.

I'm not a big fan of the conclusion of this volume, which seems a bit facile, but it does advance the storyline rapidly.

Not as good as the previous books, but still a very good read. The series is highly recommended.

LOVE

Obsessed! Greatly written & just all around fun to listen to! My new favorite series! I played growing up & currently coach. Would 10/10 recommend.

Ok, I dropped the series here, and here's why.

I am not going to be poo-flinging nor am I trying to demoralize the author, but for a while now there have been easily ignorable background issues with the story that have been dragged into limelight in this, 4th entry.

I'm pretty tired, so please excuse that I'll be making this review a bit of a thought stream rather than something more structured and easier to read, with neat bullet points and all.

Let me start with the good, and the reason I've been paying for these audiobooks in the first place. The writing is pretty crisp, the text flows well, the story is interesting, even for someone that doesn't care for football all that much (which is heretical where I live, but still true).

Also, please note that I gave the narrator 5*, and I meant every star. Despite generally finding most British accents more difficult to follow, Luke's voice and accent fit this specific narrative so well, I can't imagine it voiced by anyone else. Great job, I mean it.

Now for the promised reason I dropped the novel. It's the snowflakery dialed up to immersion breaking levels. The author even made some self-aware jokes about it, which I supposed was an attempt to soften the hit. I am guessing that he did the math and accepted the possibility of these kinds of reviews.

It was fine for as long as author was trying to score some cheap good-boy points for the MC, with him having some fun coaching kids, disabled, women, fighting for them. Nothing in the world wrong with it, I enjoyed it, in fact. Approved fully! But the moment he started going into these protracted DEI monologues and made a full arc out of canceling a set of football refs for not giving special considerations to a disabled girl in a competitive sport I was sooo out.

There were so many routes to take with the story, that ruffling through the dirt for the lowest of the low hanging fruit made me feel dirty for listening to it. I have little interest in politics in general. And what few stances I do have are only half-informed and subject to change when and if I decide them important enough to learn more about. So I promise you that my dislike had anything to do with the politics of it. It's just that I mourn the waste of potential.

I'll probably won't be refunding the novel, but I won't be back for more. I am sad to say that I have lost the faith in the process the author's process. I can't be rewarding soap-boxery in my fiction. Using real life issues as a touch-stone or an inspiration is fine, and one could argue unavoidable. But being this tone-deaf isn't something you slip and fall into.