Player Manager: A Sports Progression Fantasy Audiobook By Ted Steel cover art

Player Manager: A Sports Progression Fantasy

Player Manager, Book 1

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Player Manager: A Sports Progression Fantasy

By: Ted Steel
Narrated by: Luke Francis
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $49.90

Buy for $49.90

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Could a seemingly average Premier League fan oversee a football club better than a top manager? Max is starting to think so . . .

Max Best is not living his—ahem—best life. His job's a drag, his home's a shooting gallery, his hopes are nil, and lately, even his beloved game of football has devolved from a chaotic, ecstatic delight into a cold, calculating equation complete with stats, tech terms, and mindless lingo. But then Max rescues a mysterious old man from a mugging. "Nick" seems friendly enough . . . until he innocently asks his savior, "Would you sell your soul to be a top football manager?"

Naturally, Max says yes, and in that instant, everything changes. Suddenly, whenever he watches a footie match, the skills and attributes of every player are visible to him within an eyes-only display. While he's terrified at first, he quickly learns to appreciate his abilities—even embracing them to gain his own level-ups and experience. And he's going to need them.

Because his otherworldly talent is about to have a massive effect on his real-world existence, catapulting him from small local matches to the insanity of top-tier football. But the more he succeeds, the more he's torn between the simple, happy fanatic he once was and the master of the pitch he's becoming. Soon Max will have to ask himself: Is football really a matter of life or death? Or is there something more important worth fighting for?

The first volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 700,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!

©2023 Ted Steel (P)2023 Podium Audio
Action & Adventure Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Paranormal Sports Urban City Soccer Royalty

What listeners say about Player Manager: A Sports Progression Fantasy

Highly rated for:

Engaging Storyline Well-written Characters Unique Setting Excellent Pacing Compelling Progression
Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    79
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    65
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    63
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Just try it

I almost never write reviews, and I really am not the type of person to give a perfect score to anything, ever. but this book is just so unbelievably good.

I have never cared about sports of any kind, I don't know the rules, my local teams, who plays in what tournaments, or who any of the big names are. I just don't care, and this book hasn't changed that, but it has made really understand the mindset of someone who does care. The author so clearly has a deep intense passion for the sport, and not only that, I'm certain they'd make an excellent teacher or coach or whatever the role is called themselves. I came in to this knowing literally 2 things about soccer: don't touch the ball with your hands, and get it in the other teams goal. I'm not exaggerating, that's it. And despite that massive deficit of all but the very very most basic knowledge, and the fact that this book gets way down into the weeds and little bits of minutia about and surrounding the sport, I was never once even a little bit lost. I swear, if you're having trouble writing a coherent smooth action scene, read this book. It doesn't have any swords or fireballs, but it is astonishing how easy it is to follow, while still feeling highly technical and advanced.

Luke Francis, while I wouldn't care to listen to him read many other books, is the perfect casting for this role. Truly a match made in heaven if ever there was one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

this is what good looks like

this has quickly become one of my favorite series. it's unique in its setting and systems, very well written, but the key is Ted gets us to care about the characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This book made me love soccer!?

I have never been a soccer fan, I’ve always been an American football fan. But this book made English soccer seem like the greatest sport in the world! I am now fascinated by the sport, and I am following it through the Internet. The book is well written, the characters are all great, and the story is just engrossing. Well done!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unique litrpg? Whatever this is called

Love this series the story is way better than you expect. The progression is some of the top in genre albeit unconventional. Top notch job as others have said I don’t even like soccer but love this series. Oh and the narration is outrageous. I’ve written all 5 reviews in my 400 books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Scratched an inch I didn't know I had

If you like Football Manager and Litrpg books this is for you. Can't wait for more. Luke Francis does a great job narrating this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Truly amazing

First off, I’m not a soccer fan. I’m such a non soccer fan that I am going to keep calling it soccer. Having said that, absolutely love this book. If you like LitRPG, then this book is like a palette cleanser. It washes away the bad taste of all the redundant isekai stories about some guy who suddenly is a prince in a run down town.

The level of detail in this story is addictive. The author paints a picture of football that sucks you in. On top of all that, it’s clever and funny and passionate. It’s just good quality writing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

When did Football get this much fun?

I was a bit sceptical, since I've not been much of a football fan since the turning of the millennium, but holy heck did I have a blast.
Everything I didn't already understand was explained, and football is simply the medium of carrying the story, not the focus, that's the managing part and holy heck, I might need to go pick up a football manager game after this...
So much fun

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story

I read this story earlier this year and the audiobook is even better than the written version! I had a fantastic time listening to how this story unfolds and I can’t wait to get into the next one. Max Best curses, cajoles and charms his way into the world of Footie. Highly recommended and I don’t want to spoil a single minute.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

one of the best LitRPGs out there

I don't Iike reading much LitRPG. The writing is... uh, it lacks. A lot. Even the guys making 6/7 figures a year. In this genre, earings doesn't equal writing chops. Fact.

I'm not interested in spending time on something that reads like English Comp 101 (which is 98% of the genre).

I grew up reading Stephen King and Clive Barker. I need authors who know their craft. Know how to tell a story. Don't drag shit out because they're desperate for sales or have no clue how to finish something they started. The world has enough of that lame crap with Marvel movies and the Fast and Furious garbage.

For LitRPG, I've basically only found Matt Dinniman (a god among authors), Damien Hanson of "Buymort" fame (check it out, but warning, the narrator grows annoying after book 1), and now I've found a solid #2 behind Matt's "Dungeon Crawler Carl."

"Player Manager" by Ted Steel. This guy can write!

Yes, it's a sports-based LitRPG. But not all of us are dorks who hate "sportsball." Some of us were athletes and still enjoy the competition of sports.

This guy is funny. Clever. Has a great narrator. And it's football. Real football. Not Murican throwball.

I've devoured book 1 and bought the other three available books based on this listen.

Even if you're not a football (soccer) fan, check it out. Read the reviews if you don't believe me. Plenty of non-soccer fans enjoyed it, not just us "socialist anarchists," or whatever you Murican throwball haters are using to insult soccer fans now.

So glad to have found this series. I actually have something in the world to make me laugh while I wait on Matt's next audiobook to drop.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Skeptical at first, but loved it

I never thought I could be entertained so much. Brilliant and I would recommend anyone to try it out. I laughed out a few times, no need to understand football, but definitely helps.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful