This new addition to the Star Wars series feels everything like the original trilogy, and nothing like the prequels. To me this is a fantastic thing, as I consider the prequels to be horrible in general.
Memory and 'popular opinion' can play tricks on you. Some of the prequel stuff isn't half bad and is actually quite fun.
You might want to watch 'Revenge of the Sith' again. The light-saber fights and battle scenes are actually quite thrilling, and it tells the story of the fall of the Jedi in an engaging and entertaining way. True, it wasn't a masterpiece, but IMHO it was a fun Star Wars movie, and I still enjoy watching it multiple times.
The second prequel 'Attack of the Clones' wasn't too bad either (I can sit through it), it's just very average and tedious.
I agree the first prequel 'The Phantom Menance' was a mediocre movie (I admit its so average that I can't sit through it again). But even that one has one great scene- a light saber fight (Darth Maul versus Obi Wan & Qui Gon Jinn). I've left a link to that fight below...watch again, qualifies as the best light saber fight of the series IMHO.
Just watch the fight at the link below and ask yourself whether your memory is playing tricks on you. Were the prequels really all that bad?