Ender's Game

Orson Scott Card

Finally got round to reading this a couple of days ago, mainly because of the almost unanimously rave reviews it receives everywhere you look. It won two Hugos and two Nebulas, but that didn't stop me chucking it today after 84 pages, approx. a quarter of the way in.

I know that tastes differ, and it's obvious that Ender's Game has struck a chord with very many readers, but....................why? Honestly, why?

In this boy's eyes the writing is bland and the characters are so stereotyped it's not true. The "action" (at least up to p.84) is cliched and predictable. I kept going yesterday on the grounds that it must start to pick up real sooooooon, but the towel went in today. I just couldn't take any more. Maybe it all suddenly takes off and becomes sh*t hot after p.85, but, to be honest, I couldn't care less.

I didn't like it or dislike it. Those imply an emotional hook which just never occurred. I'm assuming we'll have some Ender's fans (or otherwise) in the Barn. Could one of them maybe explain to me the appeal of this tedious and not-very-well written book? (Hell, it even became a series!!) Is there anyone willing to tell me I'm not alone?