The first invasion of Earth was beaten back by a coalition of corporate and international military forces, and the Chinese army, but China has been devastated by the Formics' initial efforts to eradicate Earth life forms and prepare the ground for their own settlement. The Scouring of China struck fear into the other nations of the planet; that fear blossomed into drastic action when scientists determined that the single ship that wreaked such damage...

Parallel story to Ender's game. An orphan named Bean is found on the streets of Amsterdam and taken to Battle School, where he becomes both friend and rival to Ender Wiggin.