Robert Neville is the last human living on earth. But it does not mean he is alone. Every night Robert has to retreat to his fortified house because of hordes of vampires roaming in the street, a result of devestating vampire plague killing everyone and turning them to vampires. During daytimes Robert roams in the streets of empty New York, searching supplies, killing dormant vampires and getting ready for next night. 

 

The solitude

One thing that striked me reading the book was that the story itself is ageless. Long before stories about viral outbreaks and prepper novels were a thing, Richard Matheson wrote a book that is 100% relevant still today’s age. 

 

The book was written in 1954 and the story takes place in imaginary 1970’s. Still there is nothing retrofuturistic in the story when read today. Actually all the themes and story settings work perfectly.

Because of his unique immunity, Robert is the only one left alive. Still he is not alone with all the vampires roaming around his house, yearning for Robert’s blood. In the times when we are more lonely than ever this correlates very strongly. Robert struggles with feelings of despair, alcohol abuse and depression, trying to find reasons to continue living. This is something that many post-apocalyptic books fail to take into account. We as humans long for touch and interaction with other people.

 

One other theme of the book is that what is normal? When everyone else has changed into undead, Robert tries to maintain his reality by working around his house, searching supplies and killing vampires. But who is abnormal in this new normal, Robert or vampires? Who is the monster?

 

And don’t let the age of the book turn you away. Despite it’s age the writing is intense, whether it describes the protagonist’s fits of despair or violent confrontations with the undead. Compared with scientific explanations about methodology of vampire virus, the book is really enjoyable reading (if you can use that expression about book full of bloodthirsty vampires).

 

Whether you are sci-fi, horror or apocalypse fan, I Am Legend is absolutely something to read. The story is quite short so it is a quick read. Nevertheless it’s quick reading, it is masterfully written and longer story would actually have diluted the message. 

The book has multiple movie adaptations: The Last Man On Earth (1964), The Omega Man (1971) and IAm Legend (2007). Especially compared to the last version starring Will Smith, the book and movie have really significant differences in the storyline. So even if you have watched the movie, grab a book to know what I Am Legend, including title is originally about. 

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