by Jason Davis

Viewed strictly on its merits as a work of fiction, Michael Maddox's novel The Ten Shirt: How The United States National Soccer Team (Might Have) Won The 1982 World Cup leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps as a function of driving towards its predetermined climax within its 319 pages, too many characters are introduced only to be thinly drawn and too many story lines are left unexplored.  The story moves rapidly, but without much real depth, as Maddox chooses to only briefly rest in each moment before rushing us down the road that leads to US National Team World Cup glory in his re-imagined American soccer history.  Luckily for Maddox, American soccer fans who have certainly dreamed a version of his story and are the natural audience for his book will find more than enough to keep them entertained.