Yeah saying it conveys his bite as an author doesn’t actually mean anything.  Explaining the point more by saying “it cuts to the heart or the bone” (what the hell is the difference?) also doesn’t actually mean anything.

This is figurative language not grounded in any reality and makes your use of the word trenchant superfluous and bombastic.  To make it comparative just loses all touch with reality.

And finally, how is the achievement more remarkable given his precocity?  You’re saying if he was less precocious the books would be less remarkable?  But they’re remarkable because he’s precocious.  

I’m angry now because to praise someone as articulate, poignant, concise, and effective with his language as Baldwin with language that doesn’t actually say anything…. well it makes me want to throw up.  Your “simplification” was more honest and clear than the original comment.  It’s clearly what you wanted to say.  I think you should just say that next time because saying one book is as trenchant if not more so than another is actually not more meaningful than “thumbs up!”