Telekinetic boy loses control of gift while defending himself from a bully

[Jeremy]

Howdy all,

I'm trying to remember the title of a book that I read in the early to mid-80s. The main character was telekinetic, but I don't remember whether the ability was science-based or magical, so the book could be either fantasy or science fiction.

Early in the novel, the MC has a Carrie-esque moment in which he tries to defend himself from a bully, but loses control of his gift and winds up severely injuring or killing his attacker. Immediately after the incident he is arrested, then some sort of agency steps in (can't remember if it was governmental or private), and tells him that he can either work for the agency or spend the rest of his life in prison.

Note: I read the book in the early 80s (ish), but the publication date may have been earlier.

Ring any bells for anybody?

[Jeremy]

bump

[Kris]

Jeremy, is this book for young adults/teens or older adults?

What does the agency want him to do?

Can you give a couple of examples of how he uses his powers early in the book?

Do his family or friends try to rescue him?

Location - realistic, futuristic, country/region, etc.?

[Sue]

Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey?
"Sixteen-year-old Laven Chitward's world is turned upside down when his mother is selected as a textile guild representative in the small rural community where he was raised. Moving to the capital city of Haven rips him away from his friends and boyhood pleasures, and nothing in Haven seems to fill that void. Unable to fit into the nouveau riche society, and unwilling to follow his parents into the textile guild, he finds himself adrift and depressed. His father enrolls him in a special school that will allow him to choose a trade that interests him, rather than be apprenticed against his will. There he finds himself terrorized and tortured by the boys in the sixth form until, with an awful roar, the gift of fire awakens deep within him and extracts revenge for his sadistic treatment."

[Kris]

Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey for Sue's suggestion.

[Jeremy]

Kris:

Sorry, I really can't recall much more background info than I already posted. As I mentioned in my original post, I can't even remember whether the book was fantasy or sci-fi.

In the initial confrontation with the bully, the MC telekinetically throws the other boy into a wall, and the bully dies from head trauma.

It definitely wasn't Brightly Burning (there was no pyrokinesis involved), but the bully confrontation scene in Brightly Burning had a similar feel to it as the corresponding scene in the book I'm trying to recall.

[Kris]

No problem. We like to ask questions because you never know what might trigger a memory, or sometimes the person assumes certain facts about a story that might not be obvious to others.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Jeremy, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Rouan]

Could it be Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card?

Ender's Game

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Rouan wrote: "Could it be Ender's Game"

No TK, MC was already working for the military (conceived by their request, to be more precise).

[Jeremy]

yes, still looking for this.
bump

[0possum]

It's not science fiction or fantasy but a late 70's thriller or horror called The Fury has a telekenetic boy taken by a nefarious agency.
The Fury

[Jeremy]

Hmm. It could be that one.
I did read The Fury sometime in the 80s, but I'm not sure that it included the scene I'm thinking of.
I'll have to re-read it and try to figure it out.

[Kris]

Here's the Google Books preview of The Fury by John Farris - Opossum's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=aqr... There are different cover images.