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Ten Sigma Paperback – April 9, 2019

by Aaron W Wang (Author), Crystal Durnan (Editor)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 204 ratings
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Mature readers only: intense combat, graphic violence, horror elements, some sex, some language.In future America, the downloaded consciousnesses in the Ten Sigma Program fight endless battles. The struggles span all possibilities: face-offs with knives and clubs, skirmishes as Roman legionaries, pitched WW1 trench warfare, duels with ultra-modern hypersonic weapons, and everything in between. The combatants who live are rewarded with another battle until they reach the unreachable score of ten sigmas. Those who die are expunged from the system, gone forever. The methods, so harsh they go beyond anything possible in the real world, are necessary for the end goal: violent evolution to produce the greatest warriors in all of human history.Who would choose such a fate?Those with no hope.On a wintry night, a government representative presents Mary, who is dying of incurable cancer, with the offer: a second chance at life and for those completing the requirements, a return to the real world in a fresh, healthy body. To save her family from bankrupting medical bills, she accepts.After her consciousness is transferred into the virtual universe of the program, her essence is ripped apart and her memories shattered. She’s reassembled as the perfect killer.As the life-and-death contests begin, she discovers the true nature of what lies ahead. But, she won’t surrender to the impossible and grimly embarks on the journey to return to her family while trying to save her soul.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    Ten Sigma
  2. Print length
    420 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 9, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.05 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1950519015
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1950519019
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Aaron W Wang (April 9, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 420 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1950519015
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1950519019
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.56 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.05 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 204 ratings

About the author

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A. W. Wang

A. W. Wang

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A. W. Wang is an enthusiast for studying military history and enjoys reading all genres, especially science fiction and fantasy. In his adolescent years, he exercised his mind by playing strategy games and his body by running around a soccer field.

He really should have shown Course 21 more love.

After letting his small amount of talent in computer programming hijack his post-college years, his life’s journey has taken him back to his first true dream - writing science fiction and fantasy stories.

Besides the usual forms of mundane entertainment, his scant time outside of writing is spent going on ocean cruises and entertaining the cat, whom he is (of course) allergic to.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
204 global ratings
An Undiscovered Gem
5 Stars
An Undiscovered Gem
I love to read, but seldom give reviews. I like to talk about books and movies with people who have seen them, because I don't like to spoil someone's enjoyment. It's going to be tough for me to not spoil the book for you, because I liked it so much , and want to blather all about it.The first comparison I will allude to is Old Man's War by John Scalzi. But Ten Sigma goes where Scalzi feared to tread. It quickly veered away form any possible direct comparison, to become its own novel.I felt character development was conducive to the story, and not overly embellished where it was unwarranted. I think the protagonist is an everywoman that can be related to by most people.I thought the use of foreshadowing was good. It also came from unexpected sources in the book. A seeming throw away line becomes an important point to the main character. Sometimes life is like that.In many ways this novel reads like it was written within the genre of American Detective Fiction. So I rather expect to read a detective novel from the author in future. I wish I could say more, but that would shove me into spoiling the book for you.The combat scenes were well written. The actions of the fighters were fluid, and fairly easy to follow along with the blows. Some authors leave me behind, and I'll have no idea who was doing what in which direction.The action moves along, there isn't much time spent wool gathering. Sentences are constructed well for an action novel.Best short version of why you should read this book, is that if you like military science fiction, and enjoy watching people make the hard choices, you should read this book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Aeryn Boleyn
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book that partially wasn’t exactly for me.
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2020
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Don’t get me wrong. I said it’s great right?
There are no partial stars. So. This is definitely a mid 4 im rounding to five

Here’s the reason. I tended to fall behind/out during the ‘scenarios’. I don’t do military history (despite a great love of history otherwise) so I felt I was missing out. This isn’t completely fair to knock the book for. It’s my blind spot. And the author has clearly done their research. Maybe I also thought I was coming into a military scifi which would have other kinds of future tech battles? I found myself wondering at times why the Ten Sigma program needed to battle the Huns, for example. Or rescue what appeared to be the approximation of a 16th century royal family? Some of that didn’t exactly add up for me. I fully admit that not having ever been able to sit through a war movie pretty much means I wasn’t the intended audience for these segments.

Military history disconnects aside,
There’s so much to love here. I did enjoy the black and red thread angle. Clever and a great visual.
Being in Brin’s mind is a treat. She’s hanging on and fighting hard and I adored her. She’s snarky, dry and definitely a hero/survivor despite her own reservations.
Syd is just an insanely good antagonist. Enough so that I kind of regret not spending chapters in his mind as well. Maybe next time (is there a loophole? Please say there’s a loophole)
The avatars add a level of both creep factor and fun.
I grew deeply attached to the other characters as well as seen through Brin’s eyes and feel her loss (and my own) as they dwindle.

The 7 sigma with the names in her arm moved me more than I want to admit.

The mysteries are revealed with the panache of a solid mystery writer. Even if one of the answers was mildly disappointing. That’s life though, some things simply are, and they aren’t some shocking twist.

I’m definitely on board for the next book. And will come into it with the proper expectations.
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The Two Doctors Review
4.0 out of 5 stars Boldly Literal Military SciFi
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2020
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Ten Sigma: A Military Science Fiction Novel by A. W. Wang, tells an intriguing story based on a simple premise at its core. It asks: “What if the military could train supersoldiers by putting human minds through a virtual gauntlet of thousands of battles inside a super-computer?”

Science fiction is designed, as a genre, to ask questions like this one. Consider a real (or hypothetical) technology, and explore human interaction/reaction to it. In Ten Sigma, Wang identifies a compelling SciFi idea, crafts a character and story to fit the mold, and focuses the narrative for over 400 pages.

At this point in the review, I should provide Content Warnings. Not for the review, but for Wang’s book. The story includes intense violence and sexual content, including sexual violence. So if the question posed intrigues you, be prepared to deal with some particularly visceral scenes.

So let’s talk about Brin, the central character of Ten Sigma. Thrust into a virtual world in an effort to escape pain—in an effort to give her family a better life—she must navigate a world where the goal is to become the best. A Ten Sigma. Moving up the ranks, fighting battles, that’s the only choice anyone has.

But not everyone in the virtual world has the same goals. She wants to find a way out to reach her family again. Others revel in the violence.

I don’t want to spoil too much of the book, but here’s what I’ll say overall before moving on to my scores. Ten Sigma is a brutal story. It’s raw. And it’s long. For my tastes, maybe a tad too long, but I understand the need for length in a tale like this. Brin’s journey isn’t supposed to be easy, so if the story started and ended in 200 pages, the stakes wouldn’t feel real. For 400 pages, the narrative drags Brin through these fights and scenarios, ensuring the reader understands, almost painfully so, how gruesome and harrowing her situation truly is.

Here’s the real highlight of Ten Sigma.

The words. The writing. The prose.

Wang has a talent for close-first-person-present-tense. I loved it. You’re in Brin’s head the whole time, and the words flowed on the page naturally and cohesively. The writing flows with the length of the book—readers will feel the pain of Brin stuck in this world for what feels like forever because you’re always in her head.

On to the scores!

Writing: 9/10. Loved it. As an editor, this is the type of writing a crave to see!

Plot: 7/10. I loved the core SciFi question, but I didn’t particularly enjoy how it pushed the question toward sexual violence.

Setting: 7/10. The virtual world as a place for military training is cool!

Characters. 8/10. In addition to Brin, a few really awesome characters stand out, and you’ll get attached to them quickly. Be wary—being attached to a character in Ten Sigma is dangerous.

Overall: 7.75/10. Four stars! I highly recommend for anyone looking for an AI/Virtual World/Military SciFi Thriller!
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Gerald Barber
5.0 out of 5 stars Ten Sigmas!
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2023
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One hell of a story! Wasn’t sure when I checked it out but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
If you like well written books with lots of action sequences and a good plot then you’re in for a lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading the book and am going to read the rest.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Javid Best
4.0 out of 5 stars fun and fast paced
Reviewed in Canada on March 23, 2023
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A fast paced assault of a book. Want know how to write an action scene. I’ll keep going in this series.
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T. Dar
5.0 out of 5 stars Great, no holds barred Military Sci-Fi
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2021
Verified Purchase
If you like Military Sci-Fi, you'll love 'Ten Sigma' by A. W. Wang.

Part Hunger Games, part Ready Player One and part The Matrix, 'Ten Sigma' takes you on a brutal and unforgettable journey into a virtual military training program designed to find a peerless warrior.

Despite its brutal and explicit nature, 'Ten Sigma' opens with an all too relatable human story of love and loss. From there, Wang takes us into a virtual world through the eyes of the protagonist, Mary, who has to accustom herself to an entirely new body and an entirely new existence.

This book probably won't be for everyone, but if you enjoy action, suspense, intrigue and a determined heroine, you'll definitely find a lot to like here. Although Cyberpunk in concept, it is more military in content. But I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end (and the ending was very well done). May well pick up more books in this series...
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Lyaeus
4.0 out of 5 stars Eine spektakuläre Reise...
Reviewed in Germany on February 7, 2021
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... in eine neue Welt. Ich liebe es neue Autoren und Welten zu entdecken - diese fand ich durch eine Kurzgeschichte in "Neo Cyberpunk: The Anthology".

Sofort habe ich mir dieses Buch besorgt und es innerhalb kürzester Zeit verschlungen. Es ist ein gutes Buch mit einer interessanten Geschichte sowie toller Heldin und ich werde mir definitiv auch das nächste Buch der Reihe kaufen. Dennoch hat es nicht ganz die Erwartungen erfüllt, die zumindest ich nach der tollen Kurzgeschichte hatte.

Zum einen sind Sprache und Inhalt mitunter recht hart und grausam beschrieben, besonders gegenüber den weiblichen Charakteren. Da dieses Buch dem Military-Science-Fiction zugehörig ist, ist ein gewisser Grad an Gewalt vielleicht notwendig oder zumindest realistisch, dennoch wird es nicht jedem gefallen und auch ich habe mich manchmal unwohl beim Lesen gefühlt.

Darüber hinaus hat sich das Buch aus meiner Sicht unnötig in die Länge gezogen. Das erste und letzte Drittel sind wirklich toll gewesen, aber den Mittelteil empfand ich als zu lang und hinziehend, da musste ich mich mitunter ein wenig zusammenreißen, um dran zu bleiben - das hätte man sicher noch mehr auf den Punkt bringen können.

Trotzdem hat mir das Buch mit der Geschichte und der Heldin gefallen, sodass ich es dennoch für Fans des Genres empfehlen würde und schon gespannt auf den nächsten Teil bin.
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Andy Green
4.0 out of 5 stars Add a sprinkle of the Matrix, a dash of Hunger Games and a can of whoop-ass
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2021
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Ten Sigma is set in the near future and told from the point of view of Mary, a somewhat reserved and reticent individual who hides within herself a steely resolve and mental toughness. And she needs every ounce of it for Mary is dying from one of the few incurable cancers left in the world. She is offered the chance by a mysterious man of a new life but it would mean leaving everything of herself behind. Her life, her family and loved ones, even her memories. She resists until she is left no choice but to die or try, even though it means losing who she is.

Mary wakes up in a virtual world as Brin, a participant in the Ten Sigma program. To survive and reach the real world she will need to achieve the designation of ten sigmas by winning scenarios. Dying in a scenario means dying in the real, losing in the scenario means going back to zero. Winning means advancing your score. To reach ten sigma she will need to win countless scenarios back to back. The only problem is, the scenarios are packed with other virtual people all trying to achieve the same thing. Her death or defeat.

Ten Sigma however is more than that simple premise. There is something else going on and Brin is determined to find out what. Determined to keep her memories and determined to re-join the real world and reunite with her family. But, is she willing to pay the price?

The story is wonderfully told and evocatively written. It is an action-packed military romp from the moment Mary/Brin arrives in the ten sigma program until its vicious, bloody conclusion. It is psychologically bruising and physically brutal in the extreme and A.W. Wang doesn’t pull any literary punches.

There is a passing nod to the Matrix with a genuine ‘I know Kungfu’ moment in it and set similarly in a virtual world where there are consequences for every action. There is also a hint of Hunger Games to it as well with its deathmatch style competition but it is neither of those two stories and stands on its own metaphorical legs.

There were a few niggles, and I mean a few. The biggest hole in the story for me was why? Why the ten sigma program? Why was the win condition so draconian and impossible? Its goal was identified but I never really understood the purpose of it. It created a slight disconnect for me because of the sheer attrition rate and the mathematical impossibility of any participant ever reaching ten sigmas, which, as conveyed in the story meant that no one could reach the end, could they?

There were also a few scenes where I got dragged out of the story because I just could not believe how they unfolded. I was like, ‘Really. That really happened?’ Then I kept right on reading, shelving my disbelief and incredulity and going with the story.

I am not normally that charitable but see, I know something….I know a great storyteller when I read one because it never feels to me like I am reading pages and I believe A W Wang can tell a story. His descriptive narrative is not formulaic or over garnished. It conveys enough to sketch a picture and colour it in whilst leaving plenty that my imagination got drawn in.

There is one other massive, glaring error (he says, tongue-in-cheek). This is not a military adventure. It is a military survival story.

Thoroughly enjoyable. If you love military sci-fi with epic combat then do yourself a favour and pick up a copy.
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Elizabeth Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars A well drawn, compelling story with a wonderful narrative voice.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2019
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This book hooked me in right from the first Chapter -- I completely identified with the lead character, and her ‘ordinary world’ problems before her journey begins are both heartbreaking and completely relatable for (I would think) the vast majority of the population.
The author’s vision across this story is crystal clear thanks to his beautiful narrative style, but it doesn’t feel pretentious -- which to me, is winning.
Plot wise, the story really moves and doesn’t feel like reading the large volume it is and seeing this story from what I consider a unique character viewpoint for this genre was a genius move as far as I’m concerned.
It kept me on my toes throughout and I completely love this book, these characters and the heart and message on these pages.
Ten Sigma is without a doubt the best independently published novel I’ve read and I hope it will go on to get the recognition it deserves which is why I have taken the time to write this review. Kudos Mr Wang -- I look forward to reading more of your work.
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