Publication
Orion Publishing Group (2010), 162 pages
Original publication date
1954
Collections
Subjects
Awards
Geffen Award (2008)
The Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (Science Fiction and Fantasy)
501 Must-Read Books (Emma Beare, 2006) (Science Fiction)
Description
An acclaimed SF novel about vampires becomes a stunning new movie starring Will Smith. The last man on earth is not alone . . . Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth . . . but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are hungry for Neville's blood. By day he is the hunter, stalking the undead through the ruins of civilisation. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn. How long can one man survive like this?
User reviews
LibraryThing member kainlane
I listened to this book not having watched the movie, and boy am I glad I did. This book is a phenomenal view into the loneliness of the last survivor of humanity. A massive plague has hit the world (or at least southern California) taking not only Robert Neville's wife and child, but the rest of
It's rather short, only 5 1/2 hours in the audio version, which is probably a good thing. The voice actor is exceptional, with a small variety of character voices and really acts out the scenes. I highly recommend the audio version, but I am also going to have to read the novel myself as well.
The only reason this isn't a full five stars is that some of the dialogue could have been improved, though not by much. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading it again many times in the future.
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the world. He holes himself up in his house, protecting it from the vampires with garlic, crosses, and planks over the windows. He only goes out in the day, and even then only when there is no cloud cover, so that he can be home in time for dark, when the vampires attack his house. He eventually gets extreme cabin fever, driving him to drink and going mad. He tries to cope by looking into the cause of the disease when he really just wants some kind of companionship. He at one point obsesses over trying to catch a surviving, though feral, dog. I really felt sorry for Robert Neville. I don't want to give away any more of the plot, though that is really secondary to this character driven story.It's rather short, only 5 1/2 hours in the audio version, which is probably a good thing. The voice actor is exceptional, with a small variety of character voices and really acts out the scenes. I highly recommend the audio version, but I am also going to have to read the novel myself as well.
The only reason this isn't a full five stars is that some of the dialogue could have been improved, though not by much. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading it again many times in the future.
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LibraryThing member elliepotten
It's hard to know what to say about this book without spoiling the unfolding narrative for future readers, so I'll keep it fairly brief! Robert Neville is the lone survivor of a mysterious plague that has killed everyone he loves and turned his friends and neighbours into vampires. He spends his
This book is many things. It is an accomplished, atmospheric and well-paced dystopian novel, in which Matheson excels at ripping the rug out from under the reader every time they become too complacent. It is a reminder of the ease in which a simple biological mutation could begin a pandemic with the ability wipe out a species and destroy humanity as we know it. It is a sly jab at the changing nature of society, in which one day's normality may become the next day's abomination. It is an exploration of loneliness, of the human need for companionship and the way the mind copes with enforced solitude. And it is a homage to courage, to the will to survive, and to the struggle for knowledge and understanding.
I'm not sure yet that this will be keeper for me - would it, I wonder, yield more on a second reading, or would it lose its sparkle with foreknowledge of the way the narrative unfolds? I'd definitely recommend it anyway, for anyone who enjoys a pacy dystopian thriller with some deeper questions thrown in for good measure...
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days repairing his home, making garlic strings to protect his property, and staking vampires where they sleep. When darkness falls he must barricade his door and steel himself to a night of his neighbours calling to him from the garden, the men heaving rocks at his house as the women expose themselves in an attempt to lure him outside.This book is many things. It is an accomplished, atmospheric and well-paced dystopian novel, in which Matheson excels at ripping the rug out from under the reader every time they become too complacent. It is a reminder of the ease in which a simple biological mutation could begin a pandemic with the ability wipe out a species and destroy humanity as we know it. It is a sly jab at the changing nature of society, in which one day's normality may become the next day's abomination. It is an exploration of loneliness, of the human need for companionship and the way the mind copes with enforced solitude. And it is a homage to courage, to the will to survive, and to the struggle for knowledge and understanding.
I'm not sure yet that this will be keeper for me - would it, I wonder, yield more on a second reading, or would it lose its sparkle with foreknowledge of the way the narrative unfolds? I'd definitely recommend it anyway, for anyone who enjoys a pacy dystopian thriller with some deeper questions thrown in for good measure...
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LibraryThing member crazybatcow
This book is as similar to the movie of the same name (with Will Smith) as The DaVinci Code book was to its movie (in other words, not at all).
The book is much darker, much more dated (obvious that it was written in the 50s), and much more "internal". About half the book is a discovery of the main
There is a lot of Robert Neville talking to himself or reading books out loud (so the reader will be able to follow the "science")... I guess since he's the last human left, it's not like the story could be told through dialogue so this is the only other way.
There is not nearly enough action to keep the story interesting; and it's so hard to relate to Neville that it's not really a very interesting "character study" either... not sure if this is because he's very "set in his ways" or because it is dated and/or sexist or something... I can't put my finger on why, but the story is just too dry.
The book is much darker, much more dated (obvious that it was written in the 50s), and much more "internal". About half the book is a discovery of the main
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character's mental breakdown. i.e. He spends so much time alone that his own humanity is questionable. There is a lot of Robert Neville talking to himself or reading books out loud (so the reader will be able to follow the "science")... I guess since he's the last human left, it's not like the story could be told through dialogue so this is the only other way.
There is not nearly enough action to keep the story interesting; and it's so hard to relate to Neville that it's not really a very interesting "character study" either... not sure if this is because he's very "set in his ways" or because it is dated and/or sexist or something... I can't put my finger on why, but the story is just too dry.
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LibraryThing member Raven9167
Although I have seen a lot of zombie/vampire movies in my time (including The Omega Man, one of the movies based upon this book, but not the Will Smith film of the same name), this was my first time reading such a book. And I have to say, this was simply incredible. The book delved into all of the
I should mention that I never had much of a feel for science, and this book leans heavily on the scientific explanations for the vampiric phenomenon at times. I was able to more or less understand where the book was going with it, but I was also lost during some of the passages. Who the heck besides a doctor or scientist understands what the lymph system is? But I did appreciate that Matheson explored a supernatural concept and looked at how science could explain it.
I think what I found most striking here was the ending. It is rare that an author can surprise with the perfect ending while also not having that ending be obvious to the reader. I'm not sure if it's just that I'm dense (certainly a possibility), but I never saw the resolution coming and when it was upon me it was absolutely the best way to end a book. The last paragraphs in particular tied together nicely much of the work's themes, and indeed the story comes "full circle" just as Matheson writes. This was my first Matheson title, and I'm sure it won't be the last.
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typical themes one finds in works of this type, but it examined them in a much more profound and complex way than probably any medium besides literature could. Whether it be the obvious isolation one would inevitably experience when no others survive a plague or the conflicted feelings behind killing things that represent such a direct threat to one's own existence, Matheson has imagined a world of vampires and one man in a realistic way. The inner monologue of Robert Neville is pitch perfect and demonstrates a keen understanding of human emotion. The setting of an apocalyptic city ravaged by disease was also described better than I've seen anywhere else.I should mention that I never had much of a feel for science, and this book leans heavily on the scientific explanations for the vampiric phenomenon at times. I was able to more or less understand where the book was going with it, but I was also lost during some of the passages. Who the heck besides a doctor or scientist understands what the lymph system is? But I did appreciate that Matheson explored a supernatural concept and looked at how science could explain it.
I think what I found most striking here was the ending. It is rare that an author can surprise with the perfect ending while also not having that ending be obvious to the reader. I'm not sure if it's just that I'm dense (certainly a possibility), but I never saw the resolution coming and when it was upon me it was absolutely the best way to end a book. The last paragraphs in particular tied together nicely much of the work's themes, and indeed the story comes "full circle" just as Matheson writes. This was my first Matheson title, and I'm sure it won't be the last.
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LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
The story suits Matheson's spare style. It keeps it short, maudlin without being overly melancholy, and it keeps Matheson's lesser tendencies in check (trying reading some of his other work, and you'll get the picture).
The book itself is now somewhat a legend in its own right, and is the template
The book itself is now somewhat a legend in its own right, and is the template
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from which so much has been copied. The story of the creatures of the night - be they vampires, zombies, or anything else nocturnally evil inbetween - is humanely told, with sympathy, and one comes to feel as sorry for those that are lost as for those that have survived. Show Less
LibraryThing member pescatello
I really liked the book. It is a quick and entertaining read - especially for being written in 1954. I’m not really in to vampires, but this isn’t about vampires. It’s about a man who is the last man on earth and he’s trying to deal with being alone, and trying to figure out what has
There are periods when Neville’s coping with his solitary existence - sometimes he drinks himself into a haze and other times he just zones out for months at a time. It reminded me of Cast Away when Tom Hanks was just dealing with being all by himself. It is interesting to read and to get inside the head of a character like that. Cast Away had over 40 minutes of silence, but in I am Legend you a exposed to the inner thoughts of the survivor. I can only imagine what it would do to a man - but it sure makes for good reading
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happened to the rest of his race. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for some light summertime readingThere are periods when Neville’s coping with his solitary existence - sometimes he drinks himself into a haze and other times he just zones out for months at a time. It reminded me of Cast Away when Tom Hanks was just dealing with being all by himself. It is interesting to read and to get inside the head of a character like that. Cast Away had over 40 minutes of silence, but in I am Legend you a exposed to the inner thoughts of the survivor. I can only imagine what it would do to a man - but it sure makes for good reading
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LibraryThing member worldsedge
It had been years since I last read this work, and I'm surprised how well it has held up. Very entertaining, whether as a work of horror or of science fiction. Robert Neville flat out works as a man alone surrounded by Matheson's variant of vampires.
The vampire novels of today are garbage by
Robert Neville, Ben Cortman, Ruth, so few named characters, yet it worked so well.
The vampire novels of today are garbage by
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comparison.Robert Neville, Ben Cortman, Ruth, so few named characters, yet it worked so well.
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LibraryThing member nohablo
I am absolutely spineless, but I AM LEGEND is beautiful and very, very grim. It also date-rapes biology, but who doesn't?
LibraryThing member othersam
You are alone, surrounded by blood-sucking mutants who will stop at nothing to turn you into one of them. Well, maybe /your/ schooldays aren’t or weren't quite that bad, but as a back to school read I reckon I Am Legend by Richard Matheson would be pretty much unbeatable. ;p
It’s hard to believe
I reread I Am Legend recently. It was even better than I remembered. Stake yourself a copy today.
It’s hard to believe
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it was first published in 1954. Why? Because when you read it, you’ll realise that every game, film, comic, novel or story about being trapped by monsters and fighting for your survival was directly influenced by this book. I Am Legend came first. And here’s the thing: it’s still absolutely amazing. It’s been filmed a couple of times, but neither version came close to capturing this book’s relentless tension, its psychological insight or (especially) its perfect, courageous, logical but at the same time utterly unexpected /ending/.I reread I Am Legend recently. It was even better than I remembered. Stake yourself a copy today.
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LibraryThing member Archren
Written in 1954, “I Am Legend” was one of the first books to address the possibility of scientific vampirism. Although more modern readers of horror might roll their eyes (especially as things obvious to the modern reader take our hero by surprise), it all seemed fresh to me simply because I
The hero is not the stereotypical Competent Man hero of the 1940s and 50s. He has survived the plague of vampirism through something like dumb luck. He has been successful in fending off his past neighbors and defending his house, but he has become more or less insane in the process. This insanity makes the book almost unpleasant to read, since the main character becomes less and less sympathetic and even less human as time goes on. The descriptions of his inner torment being expressed in violent and self-destructive acts are vivid and intense.
The main strength of the book is that sense of teetering on the edge of insanity. There is also a mythic quality to the tale, having the force and the quality to later spawn so many imitative horror stories and movies. The twist at the end that completely redefines both the hero and the entire story in an instant is particularly brilliant, something lacking from many of the works that follow after. Again, it is particularly forceful because it was something completely new at the time. If you enjoy many horror stories, read this one as the progenitor of a form. If, like me, you generally avoid the genre, read this so that you can say that having read some of the best, you don’t have to read too many more. This is a brief tale that undisputedly deserves the “Classic” label.
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don’t read or watch much horror. While it starts out much like any zombie tale, with the hero defending his property from the seeming undead, it develops in ways that, although possibly clichéd now, are intense.The hero is not the stereotypical Competent Man hero of the 1940s and 50s. He has survived the plague of vampirism through something like dumb luck. He has been successful in fending off his past neighbors and defending his house, but he has become more or less insane in the process. This insanity makes the book almost unpleasant to read, since the main character becomes less and less sympathetic and even less human as time goes on. The descriptions of his inner torment being expressed in violent and self-destructive acts are vivid and intense.
The main strength of the book is that sense of teetering on the edge of insanity. There is also a mythic quality to the tale, having the force and the quality to later spawn so many imitative horror stories and movies. The twist at the end that completely redefines both the hero and the entire story in an instant is particularly brilliant, something lacking from many of the works that follow after. Again, it is particularly forceful because it was something completely new at the time. If you enjoy many horror stories, read this one as the progenitor of a form. If, like me, you generally avoid the genre, read this so that you can say that having read some of the best, you don’t have to read too many more. This is a brief tale that undisputedly deserves the “Classic” label.
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LibraryThing member brakketh
Really enjoyed this novel. Consistently enjoyable, and thoroughly different from the recent movie "I am Legend". Especially liked the sense of futility and settling in throughout the novel, hope from a hopeless situation by losing all hope.
LibraryThing member towo
An interesting jab at horror stories, trying to combine them with the science fiction genre. Rather interesting how the protagonist disseminates fact from fiction, overcoming his own problems in the pursuit of the knowledge.
Matheson also manages to nicely portray how essentially logic a narrow view
Matheson also manages to nicely portray how essentially logic a narrow view
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of the world can seem to be, so that noone notices the twists in the perceived experience until, at last, resolution arrives. Show Less
LibraryThing member JapaG
A first-class novel about a zombie (or, to be more accurate, vampire) apocalypse. The single man's struggle against the horde and the disease that caused all his loved ones turn into monsters.
Easily read, the book has a nice flow. It moves with a good pace, and comes to an interesting ending, which
Easily read, the book has a nice flow. It moves with a good pace, and comes to an interesting ending, which
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is not cliched. Show Less
LibraryThing member tpi
Nice, short book. Shows modern writers that it is possible to tell good story, which doesn't have to span 4 parts 500 pages per piece.
There are some starnge things which are a bit unlogical. For example in the beginning of the book the protagonist is so horny that he is almost raping vampires.
There are some starnge things which are a bit unlogical. For example in the beginning of the book the protagonist is so horny that he is almost raping vampires.
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Well, what's wrong with some "selfmade" help to that craving? :-) Show Less
LibraryThing member snat
Two points I want to make: A) the movie was crap, especially when compared to the book, and B) this is so much more than just a vampire novel.
First, the whole movie thing. In both, Robert Neville is the last human alive on Earth--and that is where all similarities end. If you've seen the movie, it
Second, sure it can be classified as a vampire book, but the vampires are somewhat in the background. What takes center stage in the book is Robert Neville's aching loneliness as he confronts the reality that he is destined to live the rest of his life without the hope of human contact or companionship--what's outside his door at night isn't nearly as terrifying as that prospect. The portrayal of his progression through the stages of acceptance is heartbreaking (the dog chapter was almost more than I could bear). Moral issues abound: what's the point in trying to survive if you know you're the last of your kind? Does it matter if you live to see another day? There are no easy answers, especially as his situation is given complexity by human nature's innate tenacity and stubborness. There's a lot to think about here, which makes it more satisfying than your run of the mill horror novel.
First, the whole movie thing. In both, Robert Neville is the last human alive on Earth--and that is where all similarities end. If you've seen the movie, it
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won't ruin the book for you as the two are nothing alike. The setting is different, the protagonist is different (except for a shared name), the creatures are different (vampires in the book and nocturnal zombie-like creatures in the movie), and the plot points--don't even get me started on the plot points. I can understand why diehard fans of the novel were upset by the movie. This is a case of film ruining a superior narrative. Robert Neville's pain, perfectly captured by Matheson, just doesn't translate to the screen.Second, sure it can be classified as a vampire book, but the vampires are somewhat in the background. What takes center stage in the book is Robert Neville's aching loneliness as he confronts the reality that he is destined to live the rest of his life without the hope of human contact or companionship--what's outside his door at night isn't nearly as terrifying as that prospect. The portrayal of his progression through the stages of acceptance is heartbreaking (the dog chapter was almost more than I could bear). Moral issues abound: what's the point in trying to survive if you know you're the last of your kind? Does it matter if you live to see another day? There are no easy answers, especially as his situation is given complexity by human nature's innate tenacity and stubborness. There's a lot to think about here, which makes it more satisfying than your run of the mill horror novel.
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LibraryThing member pauliharman
A downbeat but somehow right portrayal of a man left alone when the whole world turns vampire.
LibraryThing member JonArnold
As perfect a fusion of SF and horror as there's ever been, given one deals in explanation and the effectiveness of the other lies in mystery, that's no mean feat. Stephen King's quoted on the cover of my copy and it's not difficult to discern a direct influence.
It's about the effects of solitude,
Short, powerful and terribly beautiful , in SF and horror terms it, justifiably, is legend.
It's about the effects of solitude,
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the ineffectiveness of the doctrine of 'rugged individualism' and, in the end, the ineffectiveness of fighting progress, even pursuing that logic to one of the bleakest endings in modern fiction. Matheson's explanation of the vampiric phenomenon is thorough and inspired, to his credit that explanation's well integrated into the story and never detracts from the oppressive atmosphere generated.Short, powerful and terribly beautiful , in SF and horror terms it, justifiably, is legend.
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LibraryThing member mephit
Fascinating combination of vampire fantasy/science-fiction and despite being written in the '70s, it didn't seem particularly dated.
LibraryThing member theboylatham
Eight out of ten.
Robert Neville is the last living man on earth... but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of
Robert Neville is the last living man on earth... but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of
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civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn. How long can one man survive like this? Show Less
LibraryThing member danborden
This was one of the sf books I was weaned on, and one of the best. I have never seen the many mediocre film adaptions, and don't want to spoil those wonderful emotions of nobility and loss and a new age dawning that I get from this book. Given the popularity of all things vampiral, this was the
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first book (for me) which positioned vampires as a part of humanity. Show Less
LibraryThing member gavieb
This is what the film should have been, without the overtones of God at the end, and a great grim ending instead. If only Hollywood hadn't seen fit to take a great story and add their own rubbish in (like they do with most conversions I suppose). As an example - the story with the dog is totally
If you were as disappointed by the ending of the film as I was, discovering this book after (as I did) makes for a delightful experience, but one where you wonder at whoever wrote the Hollywood script and butchered this great tale.
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different here, as is the woman and child who find Neville.If you were as disappointed by the ending of the film as I was, discovering this book after (as I did) makes for a delightful experience, but one where you wonder at whoever wrote the Hollywood script and butchered this great tale.
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LibraryThing member npl
Robert Neville is the sole survivor in a world where the vampires of legend have become real. Although these vampires were created by a bacteria, Robert's only defenses are the stuff of superstition -- mirrors, garlic, sunlight, and wood stakes. He must fight constant battles against his former
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friends and neighbors, against his own loneliness, and against hopelessness. Although written in 1954, and set in 1976, the dense writing in unadorned language still builds suspense, as well as provoking introspection, as the plot twists in this bleak, chilling, and stark future. Matheson created a world where "before science had caught up with the legend, the legend had swallowed science and everything." Although significant plot elements were changed, the Charlton Heston movie Omega Man was based upon this novel. The 2007 movie I am Legend with Will Smith provides a closer, albeit unique, rendering of the original work. Show Less
LibraryThing member manque
Flawed but worth reading for its dark vision and its re-imagining of the vampire legend, translated into mid-20th century society as a global plague. The characterization of the central figure, Robert Neville, is often weak and inconsistent; the alcohol-fueled bouts of doubt and self-loathing in
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particular feel thin and contrived, and Neville's experimentation and dabbling with scientific method is depicted in what now, from the perspective of the early 21st century, seems an almost grade-school level of laughable unsophistication. All that aside, however, the novel does manage to create a good deal of suspense and horror, and rewards the reader with a satisfying and thought-provoking ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member penwing
Spoilers ahead, so to summarise: a good book about Zombie-like Vampires or Vampire-like Zombies and the last human's fight for survival.
People describe this book as a Vampire book. I don't know that that's entirely accurate. It's last man, massively overrun by hordes of undead tale reads closer to
Robert Neville's loneliness leads to his own great cycles of hope and despair. Hope with the companion of a dog, despair at the loss. Hope of finding the "cure", despair of finding his distrust of Ruth to be justified. All this leads naturally to his understanding and acceptance of his place as a legend - the last vampire hunter as the new society takes over. All is there. All is good
Some have criticised the "scientific" explanations Neville finds whilst others point out the level of expertise he quickly gathers. OK, some science may be shaky when viewed under today's light, the story of his immunity is suddenly dumped on us and seems implausible. But the fact that he is an amateur, he is relying on public library text books and "civilian" resources means that he isn't going to grasp the full effects of the science he finds. It means he is grasping at theories which make most sense given his data and understanding. He has to work on guesswork. That this comes through in some of the psuedo-science helps to reinforce the character and the story.
People describe this book as a Vampire book. I don't know that that's entirely accurate. It's last man, massively overrun by hordes of undead tale reads closer to
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Zombie tales than the Vampire novel's classic solitary, or small group within humanity's vast ocean. Robert Neville's loneliness leads to his own great cycles of hope and despair. Hope with the companion of a dog, despair at the loss. Hope of finding the "cure", despair of finding his distrust of Ruth to be justified. All this leads naturally to his understanding and acceptance of his place as a legend - the last vampire hunter as the new society takes over. All is there. All is good
Some have criticised the "scientific" explanations Neville finds whilst others point out the level of expertise he quickly gathers. OK, some science may be shaky when viewed under today's light, the story of his immunity is suddenly dumped on us and seems implausible. But the fact that he is an amateur, he is relying on public library text books and "civilian" resources means that he isn't going to grasp the full effects of the science he finds. It means he is grasping at theories which make most sense given his data and understanding. He has to work on guesswork. That this comes through in some of the psuedo-science helps to reinforce the character and the story.
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LibraryThing member sabrefencer
I first saw the movie adaptation and then read the book. The movie was great. The book is 10 times better
Media reviews
NBD / Biblion
Matheson maakt op een briljant-ingenieuze wijze gebruik van de Vampiermythe voor Essef doeleinden
knjigainfo.com
Glavni junak romana, Robert Nevil, poslednji je čovek u svetu zaraženom vampirizmom. Zabarikadiran u svom domu, on svake noći vodi bitku da preživi do svitanja, pri čemu mu neprijatelji nisu samo krvožedni stvorovi napolju, nego i sopstveni nagoni, ludilo koje vreba i uspomene na lepšu
Prvenstvena tema Metisonovog dela je „opasna različitost”. Njegovi vampiri su sivi i istovetni, simbol vladavine populizma, dok je Nevil večiti pojedinac u borbi protiv neprijateljskih sila prirode i društva.
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prošlost. Sudbinu Roberta Nevila na kraju zapečatiće jedna žena čija će ga izdaja suočiti sa istinom da se shvatanje normalnosti preokrenulo i da je sada sam na njenoj drugoj strani. Na onoj strani na kojoj se stupa u legendu. Prvenstvena tema Metisonovog dela je „opasna različitost”. Njegovi vampiri su sivi i istovetni, simbol vladavine populizma, dok je Nevil večiti pojedinac u borbi protiv neprijateljskih sila prirode i društva.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780575094161
Physical description
162 p.; 7.87 inches
Pages
162