A nice, short punchy type of book, it deals with the common sci fi theme of benevolent societies existing through oppressive means and one man's eventual rebellion. Has similarities to Ender's Game with military training of a young child, but goes througn the child's life until middle age. The middle lacks a bit of development, especially compared to the beauty of the last 50 pages. Apparently the first of a trilogy but the story works well enough on it's own.