I loved those books when I was younger (still do). They're good stories regardless of age. Lord of the flies is about a bunch of young kids having to play real life survival after a plane crash and devolve into some pretty crazy people during it. How could that be boring?
And Besides a bit of Orson Scott Card and LoTR I didn't get into fantasy until later in life.
No lasers or dragons -> I skipped the book at that age.
Today-me would agree with you about all those books, teenage me would not.