Helpful Score: 16
The book version of "I am Legend" was much better than the recent movie version. Also, be aware that the story "I am Legend" only takes up the first half of this book. After that is a collection of short stories.
The short story I Am Legend was wonderful. The recent movie starring Will Smith has VERY LITTLE in common with this story, except for the basic premise, that there are a lot of vampires and one man left in the world, and the main characters name, Robert Neville. Aside from that, nothing. This is a story about the gradual mental breakdown that occurs in the mind of the last man on Earth and his fight against both the external threat of vampires and the more serious internal threat of insanity. This is not the touching Hollywood story that brought in hundreds of millions of dollars, but the sad story of the life and death of the last human on Earth. But if you want a novelization of the movie, you are going to be disappointed.
Helpful Score: 9
The book is nothing at all like the movie that was supposedly based on it; it is a completely different story, and a very good one. You can't go in expecting to see any of the character portrayed by Will Smith in the protagonist at all--I was pleasantly surprised that i hadn't gone in knowing what to expect. It is VERY brief; the title story was 160 pages in my copy, but the short stories that follow carry the same dark-but-to-the-point feel. The main character is clearly tortured by his situation, but there is none of the "emo" drama that has become so popular in modern horror stories. Just a man that does what he must to survive another day. I enjoyed this book as a whole, and may have just found my new favorite author.
Helpful Score: 7
This book is a collection of short stories. Most readers will be familiar with the 'I Am Legend' movie with Will Smith and 'The Omega Man' with Charleton Heston. The first story in the book is 'I Am Legend' which has the feel of both movies but the story is different. Another story was adapted to horror film 'Trilogy of Terror'. Most of the stories are about human survival and what it can cost the soul. If you want a quick read with out alot of detail, this is it. Richard Matheson's writing style is simple and to the point which may put some readers off or it could be the truth of circumstance.
Helpful Score: 7
This book contains serval of Richard Matheson's horror stories, and the best one in my opinion is "I am Legend". This story is reason enough to get this book; the vampire legend is turned on its head and the protagonist is someone to feel for and root for, all the way to the bitter end. WOW!
