Mysterious genetically enhanced genius children

Question

Looking for title or author of a book I read as a teen in the 90s. I believe it was possibly published in the 80s. It was medical science fiction with child prodigies. It was adult to young adult.

A man, (David?) looking for information about children raised in a laboratory. Possibly triplets, some advanced in art, math or technology, the others having reached a telepathic level. His father/aunt/uncle may have been a part of of the group. Possibly 3 sets of children, maybe red haired.

Australia comes to mind for some reason, could be false memory.

Answer 1

Brain Child by George Turner

You've got two main characters - one is David (a supposed orphan) as you mention and then there's the other that's a private detective called "Jonesey" who's employed by some very rich (and dying?) person to find the truth behind the rumour that one of the super intelligent children had found a means for immortality.

There's 3 groups of genetically enhanced children:

• A group which are scientists/engineers (head of which is Arthur - that turns out to be David's father)
• B group which are artists (head of which is Belinda I think)
• C group which are described as completely different - one of them - Conrad went out into the real world before deciding it wasn't good enough and the whole of the C group upon his return just decided to die or something like that.

The character names match and it was indeed set in Australia.

Raised in a state orphanage, David Chance is working as a journalist in rural Australia when experimental scientist Arthur Hazard reveals himself to be David's father and commands David to undertake a strange mission. Hazard explains that he is one of 12 people conceived without parents, the result of gene experimentation conducted by the government in an attempt to create geniuses. A success was scored with four of the so-called vitro kids, but they all committed suicide in 2023, shortly before David was born, possibly leaving a hidden legacy of knowledge. David is now enjoined to track down this legacy. He travels through the political and physical environments of Australia in 2047, looking for evidence and being either helped or hampered by people driven by secrets or expectations of their own.

Answer 2

Maximum Ride

It had genetic children but I only ready one book, maybe it's one from that series. The first book in the series, The Angel Experiment, gives a brief overview background into the story.

The first book in the series by James Patterson gives an overview of the Flock: Maximum Ride (the leader), Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel. These children, ages 6 through 14, are far from normal. They are only 98% human, while the other 2% is avian, giving them wings and special power, with altered body characteristics. This book covers some of the back story of the Flock, explaining how they ended up on their own in their remote mountain home. It also covered the antagonistic half-wolf, half-human creatures known as Erasers.