I Am Legend (1954)

I Am Legend is far different to the film of the same name (starring Will Smith in a slapping role-see what I did there?) which while popularizing it also mitigated it. Matheson charts the rise of an airborne virus which is transmitted through immense dust storms leaving a trail of destruction and risen undead in its wake. Sardonic as this might be given that just about every other science-fiction story follows the same beaten trail; Matheson goes further. The undead are hybrid zombie-vampires.

The entire narrative is relayed through the eyes of an omniscient narrator witnessing the battle for life waged by sole survivor of the pandemic: Robert Neville. By night he fortifies himself in his house and keeps the monstrous undead at bay using the traditional paraphernalia of crosses, garlic and holy water as well as pumping lead into the more daredevil types forcing entry. By day he races against time to slay as many of the sleeping offenders as possible while discovering a cure.

Contrary to his expectations (and there are many of those); Neville soon discovers a far more considerably fatal mutation than the one he is battling. A mutation which leads to the rise of a new species destined to supplant both humans and hybrids. Given Matheson's simplistic bluntness in relaying the tale, the title I Am Legend signals that just like cryptids humans too will be reduced to the fringes of existential memory. ( )

This books holds up and still maintains a powerful ending even though it's been spoiled by numerous book reviews. The world is *slightly* sexist but seems to try to do the right thing by the one woman with any real role in the story. (The narrator only considers the men who resisted burning their wives, not the wives who had to think about burning their husband's body.) ( )

La trama supera a la de la película, tiene cambios mas inesperados, es un libro solido, de buenas explicaciones, que te hace pensar en los cambios generados por la violencia, la capacidad de comprenderse que tenemos los seres humanos en un sin fin de ocasiones, la soledad y lo que esta provoca. Los personajes que aparecen están bien construidos. ( )

This is a tedious book, about a tedious protagonist, in a highly traumatic situation. It took me a very long time to read, because I found motivating myself to deal with said protagnist for any amount of time was really hard. Interesting in a 'history of a story trope' kind of way, and I think that the ending was good. Preferred it to the movie of the same story. ( )

A vampire apocalyptic future world where a virus has ravaged mankind. Robert Neville is the last human man remaining and the vampires are after him. Every day he goes out to hunt and scavenge amidst the ruins of his city and at night he barricades himself inside and hopes he'll live.

I couldn't get into the writing on this one, though this is right up my alley. I am surprised by that! There is also a movie by the same name starring Will Smith that took liberties with the story for Hollywood. I watched that so maybe I ruined my experience of the book.

I'm glad if you enjoyed this book; please continue to support the author in any way you can!

**All thoughts and opinions are my own.** ( )