Update: Well, you all have convinced me - I'm going to finish Ender's Game. Just not right now. Thanks for all the comments. Keep them coming - I love to hear your thoughts!

Seriously. I want to know. Why does everyone love this book so much? And I do mean everyone. Have you ever dropped the name Orson Scott Card in a conversation? I guarantee, someone will gush, "Oh, I love him. You've read Ender's Game, right?" I've whispered, "Um, no" as shamefully as if I was confessing to torturing small animals.

So, a couple years ago, I decided I should finally read the book. It's such a cult classic that I decided to buy the thing rather than borrow it from the library. Even the cashier at Border's was enthusiastic - "You haven't read this yet? Oh, you're going to love it!" Her enthusiasm wasn't enough, apparently. I seem to have returned from the mall and promptly shelved Ender's Game somewhere in the deep, dark recesses of my game room, never to be seen again.

While I was in Utah last month, I spent the night with my friend and her family. Theirs is my favorite kind of house - one filled with books, and not just for display purposes either. Naturally, bookish conversations abound in such a fertile environment. Knowing sci fi was a favorite genre of the household, I should have been wary of outing myself as a Card ignoramus, but no, I quickly found myself on the receiving end of an incredulous, "You haven't read Ender's Game?" from my friend's younger brother. When he insisted, "It's the next book you read. No, not after that one" - with a contemptuous glance at my current pick - "The. Next. One," I agreed. It was time.

Because I hate to let anyone down, I'm really, really trying to get through Ender's Game. I'm on Page 95, even though I've been tempted to put it down several times. Now, I admit, I never ever in a million years rarely read pure science fiction (In fact, just typing the word "science" makes me want to fly upstairs and hide under my bed). Maybe that's the problem. Or maybe it's because Card can't show a story to save his life, he has to tell, tell, tell. His "style" makes me crazy. The premise of the book is interesting - the government is making kids into uber soldiers to combat a fierce alien threat - but the characters are flat (Ender's an arrogant little brat - that's about as far as his personality goes), the dialogue is stale (to say the least) and the writing is just, just ... I don't know ... irritating.

For those of you who have read and loved Ender's Game, give me a reason to keep going. Why do you love this book? Do I need to be a male sci fi geek to really appreciate Card's genius? Help me out here!

Incidentally, I'm also reading Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. It, also, has received an extraordinary amount of positive buzz. I'm not forcing myself through it the way I am with Ender's Game, but I'm still wondering, "Exactly when am I going to be blown away?"

Maybe it's just the end-of-the-school-year blues that are making me snipey. I don't know. What do you think?