Shadow of the Giant

As a teenager, it seems that the whole world revolves around your personal relationships. What if it really did? What if teenagers did control the world? What if the smartest kids in the world were all identified ("nature") and then given specialized training ("nurture"). And after that, they all go on to save the world before hitting puberty.

What would their life be like as teenagers? They know they are smarter than their elders. In war, they even have more experience than their elders. But, they still lack some of the experience with personal relationships. They can find themselves manipulated by others that seem to be working in their best interest.

But what about a chance to just have fun?

In Shadow of the Giant, Card continues the Ender's Shadow series with a story of great world wars. Nearly all major leadership positions are held directly (or indirectly) by teenage graduates of "Battle School". They all seem to be "perfect" in their military thinking (unless they let things get to their head.)

In the end, the eruption of war is the impetus needed to create a global overseer ("The Free People of Earth") that creates world peace. (Though, perhaps having colony ships being sent out could serve as an even more important factor in enabling them.)

The most significant fault in this book is the "perfection" of the Battle School grads. They all know they are the best, and their plans just don't fail. On the other hand, they are idiots. Petra gives birth to a child, and finds two of her kidnapped in-vitro infants. She is extremely attached to them. However, when they find more of their children and their husband leaves, she stays away from her infants for a year. How can somebody be that vindictive?

Bean's departure sets out a scenario for a potential sequel. He goes on a long near-light speed voyage in an attempt to prolong his life. He has a genetic defect which causes him to be extremely intelligent and keep growing, but also die around age 20. Thus he traveled with their children that had the defect in an attempt that there would be a cure in the 'relativistic time' that he was gone.

On a side plot, the evil scientist that "created" Bean was also attempted to create a virus that would inflict everyone with Bean's "symptom". That could create the ultra-teenage world. Everyone would be super intelligent, but would die at the end of their teenage years. Society might actually gain intelligence, while limiting population. Hmm... A world of kids and teenagers. I guess that would make the 19 year olds the "geezers" in the society.