I have decided to read Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card in spite of the huge variance in reviews. I can see how it would be trying for people who are reading impatiently.
I'm glad I chose to read it after I finished reading the sample bit from Kindle. At 28%, about 5 chapters into the book, I find myself still enjoying Card's strange mix of cultural curiosity and his philosophy-as-battle-of-wits discussions between his thoughtful characters.