Undead Week: I am Legend by Richard Matheson

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I Am Legend by Richard Matheson is a classic science fiction/horror novel about the undead. It’s been made into multiple movies and each has changed the premise slightly. There have been hopeful endings, despairing endings and the villains have been changed from vampires to mutants to zombies. But the power of the underlying story has remained. Unlike Interview With a Vampire, this view of the vampire is more dangerous and evil than misunderstood and romantic. So let’s see who the legend is.

Robert Neville is the sole survivor of a vampire epidemic. As far as he can tell, there are no other non-vampires around him. He has protected his house with wooden slats, garlic and other vampire repellents. By night, Robert stays in his house and avoids the vampires. By day, he goes out fixes his house, gets food, gas, supplies and kills some vampires while they are sleeping. After a drunken night (and hangover morning), Robert realizes that he’s not doing himself any good and starts reading, studying and analyzing as much as he can about vampires. After a brush course in biology, Robert discovers a bacteria that might be responsible for the epidemic.

Then he finds Ruth out wandering during the day. A fellow survivor who had been hiding out with her husband until his death. Robert brings her home and is excited to have another human with him. But when red flags about Ruth start popping up, Robert starts wondering if he was mistaken about her. And when the truth finally comes out, Robert realizes what his place in history will be.

The book is a classic and deservedly so. The characterization of Robert is the key to the whole book, since he is the main character (and the only character in 90% of the book). Matheson does a great job getting inside Robert’s head and showing the reader what Robert is going through, both the good and the bad. The ending follows wonderfully from the rest of the book and is perfect for the character and the situation. Since the book was written 50+ years ago, there are a few anachronisms and things that might not make as much sense to the modern reader, but the basic plot and character shine through. Highly recommended (especially for people who want to see evil vampires, not gothic/romantic ones).

One thought on “Undead Week: I am Legend by Richard Matheson”

  1. Congrats on a very nice survey of this enduring and influential classic. The first film version, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, has its problems (Matheson put his “Logan Swanson” pseudonym on the screenwriting credit after another writer altered his work), but is by far the most faithful adaptation. It should be noted that the novel also inspired George A. Romero’s original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, which has had such an impact on the entire undead subgenre as we know it today. For further information, see my book RICHARD MATHESON ON SCREEN (http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-4216-4).

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