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Nataliya's Reviews > I Am Legend
I Am Legend
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by
"I am legend". These words make me shudder. But if you have only seen that Will Smith movie that went 180 degrees on the book's message, the soul-crushing impact of these words will be lost on you.
To quote Stephen King, "I think the author who influenced me the most as a writer was Richard Matheson." This was enough of a recommendation for me to go and dig up this book. And it's great.
We witness the years of deep depression, alcoholism, and the suffocating isolation, loneliness and despair. Then one day he meets Ruth who may be another survivor of the pandemic. And that's where any similarities to the movie stop, and the story becomes less of a lone-hero-tale and more of the soul-crushing-hopeless-revelation-tale.
This is not a traditional vampire story in any shape or form. There is no supernatural element - unless you think so of germs. Instead it involves evolution - of the hero and the monsters alike, and not in the ways that are comforting to the reader. The horror lies in its unsettling revelations about the human nature. It is also a story in which happy ending is impossible by default - which Hollywood, of course, promptly 'fixes'. At least Will Smith got a blockbuster out of the butchered story.
Given the number of the cinematic adaptations of this book, it continues to fascinate Hollywood. I'm just waiting for the day when they make one that actually captures the intended impact of Matheson's story.
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The writing is a bit dry, the science sections drag on a bit, and the protagonist is rather unlikable, but I forgive all this for the punch-in-the-gut impact the story had on me. 4 stars.
To quote Stephen King, "I think the author who influenced me the most as a writer was Richard Matheson." This was enough of a recommendation for me to go and dig up this book. And it's great.
(view spoiler)Robert Neville, as you may already know from the countless cinematic adaptations of the story, seems to be a sole survivor of a vampirism-like pandemic. (The old-fashioned burn-in-the-sunlight stake-through-the-heart vampirism, none of that newfangled emo sparkliness.) Neville stakes vampires by day, and researches the cause of the plague in his spare time. The long segments of the story are devoted to the relentless monotony of his scientific pursuit of the vampirism mystery - which he does figure out, by the way. And it's quite neat.
We witness the years of deep depression, alcoholism, and the suffocating isolation, loneliness and despair. Then one day he meets Ruth who may be another survivor of the pandemic. And that's where any similarities to the movie stop, and the story becomes less of a lone-hero-tale and more of the soul-crushing-hopeless-revelation-tale.
(view spoiler)The story of the lone righteous hero, the brave vampire hunter has a sure guaranteed readers' appeal (I, for instance, adore Stephen King's Salem's Lot). Matheson, however, brilliantly decides to take the road less traveled and turns the legend on its head. He introduces an unexpected perspective that forces the protagonist and the reader look at things in a new - and shocking - light. After all, the line between a hero and a horror is very thin, and usually very subjectively drawn.
This is not a traditional vampire story in any shape or form. There is no supernatural element - unless you think so of germs. Instead it involves evolution - of the hero and the monsters alike, and not in the ways that are comforting to the reader. The horror lies in its unsettling revelations about the human nature. It is also a story in which happy ending is impossible by default - which Hollywood, of course, promptly 'fixes'. At least Will Smith got a blockbuster out of the butchered story.
Given the number of the cinematic adaptations of this book, it continues to fascinate Hollywood. I'm just waiting for the day when they make one that actually captures the intended impact of Matheson's story.
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The writing is a bit dry, the science sections drag on a bit, and the protagonist is rather unlikable, but I forgive all this for the punch-in-the-gut impact the story had on me. 4 stars.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
May 2, 2010
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 60 (60 new)
You've officially made me want to check this out.
![[Name Redacted]](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1347082397p1/287915.jpg)
I think his unlikable nature is part of what makes the story work, honestly. The last "normal" man on Earth isn't miraculously saintly -- or if he ever was, his years of isolation and fear have warped him beyond that state -- he's unpleasant and self-involved! How delightfully human!Also, say what you will about its merits and flaws, but the Vincent Price version does not have a happy "Hollywood" ending. Possibly because it was an Italian production, but also possibly because Matheson himself helped write it (under a pseudonym).
Okay, okay. I really will get around to pulling this down off the shelf one day. REALLY.I love the Vincent Price film, but I can't comment as to how well it reflects the book.
Trudi - yes, parts of the Will Smith movie were well-done - the visuals of him in the empty city were really touching and sad. But that ending - it disappointed me so much that it was hard to enjoy that movie in retrospect.Kat, Jason and Ruby - I hope you all will read this book and like it as much as I did!
Swapnil - Sheldon Cooper rocks! Even if he is only once accident away from becoming a supervillain ;)
Ian and Ruby - that movie was not bad, but I can't help but compare it with Matheson's book and see how it does not live up to the original.
Of all the film adaptations, the Vincent Price one is definitely the best. It's not as good as the novella, but it would be hard to faithfully adapt something that's 90% internal monologues.The Will Smith one was just...ugh. They filmed a lot of it near where I lived in NYC and it was painful being around it and hearing about it and then seeing the drek that came out of it.
As far as post-apocalyptic New York goes, I can't go past The World, The Flesh and The Devil. I LOVE this movie. The scenes of deserted NY are unbelievable, and Harry Belanfonte is amazing in it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDRAAt...
Plus, this song's pretty damn catchy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9fEGF...
-Done Laid Around (Travel On), Harry Belafonte
Nataliya - I have a Gollancz special edition of I Am Legend sitting on my shelf, (albeit with another 500 or so books) so I'll get to it soon I'm sure!
I have not seen "The World, The Flesh and The Devil", but now I'll check it out for the post-apocalyptic New York scenes. Thanks for the link!
The first half of the Will Smith movie captures the feel of the book. Which it's a shame when the movie veers off in the second hour and becomes, well, a Will Smith action movie.You may want to look around on-line for the alternate ending for the film. It's far more bleak and true to the spirit of the book.
And Matheson is one of my favorite writers. The best thing this movie did is bring his stuff back into print.
Michael wrote: "You may want to look around on-line for the alternate ending for the film. It's far more bleak and true to the spirit of the book."I had no idea there was an alternate ending. I guess I will look it up on youtube. Did it end the same way Matheson's story did?
I haven't read that much by Matheson - just this one and "What Dreams May Come" (which I really disliked). I was planning to read more, but as usual I got distracted by other books. Now I think I'll give his other works a shot as well.
The alternate ending is a bit more in the spirit of Matheson, yes. It's not necessarily similar to the ending in the novella.I highly recommend The Incredible Shrinking Man and just about any collection of Matheson short stories that includes Rage and Terror at 20,000 Feet.
I was intrigued to hear that his story Steel was a starting point for Real Steel, the movie. I've got the movie but haven't had time to see it yet.
And Matheson wrote a lot of great Twilight Zone episodes.
Thanks Michael. Your mention of Twilight Zone got me checking my copy of The Television Late-night Horror Omnibus, which has a lot of TZ stories in it. There is indeed a Matheson story - The Doll.
Michael wrote: "And Matheson wrote a lot of great Twilight Zone episodes. "In fact, iirc, he wrote more episodes of Twilight Zone than any other author.
Derek wrote: "Michael wrote: "And Matheson wrote a lot of great Twilight Zone episodes. "In fact, iirc, he wrote more episodes of Twilight Zone than any other author."
I knew there was a reason why I should check out that show again.
Ruby wrote: "Thanks Michael. Your mention of Twilight Zone got me checking my copy of The Television Late-night Horror Omnibus, which has a lot of TZ stories in it. There is indeed a Matheson story - The Doll."Glad to help.
And while I don't know the exact number, I'd expect either Rod Serling or Matheson to be the writer of the most TZ episodes.
I pulled out my Twilight Zone Companion to see if I could get a count on the Matheson scripts, but it looks like I'd have to count them myself :-) Matheson and Charles Beaumont were the original in-house writers (along with Serling), but Serling was (at least originally) contractually required to write 80% of the scripts.Interestingly, Ruvy, The Doll is not actually a TZ story. Matheson wrote the script for TZ, but when they changed producers in mid-season of 1963, the new producer scrapped the script. Serling ran an episode called The Doll in Night Gallery but it doesn't look like the same one.
Thanks guys. I really should start reading some of these short story anthologies!
You should! I love well-written short stories because they give you a satisfactory pay-off so much faster than novels. It works for an impatient person like me.
It's funny, because I'm not in any way a patient person myself. But I just can't seem to get as invested in short stories. There are a few exceptions of course, but I can rarely motivate myself to read short stories.
I think it's because short stories are actually difficult to write, given the very limited space in which you develop the idea, and so there are not that many of well-written short stories out there. Hemingway perfected the art, and he is a tough act to follow.
I think too that there's not enough time for you to get attached to the characters, or too invested in the plot. It's hard to care deeply about characters you've just met. I find I often have the same problem with comics and animated films.
Ruby, that's exactly the problem i have with them too. I can't become invested as fully unless the protagonist/narrator is not the focus (that's why Poe & Lovecraft & Bradbury work for me).
Ian, you bring up a good point about the narrator not being the focus. Good short stories indeed seem to be focused on the events rather than people due to lack of space for proper character development.And yes, Bradbury is definitely another short story master.
Goodreads, you confuse me. How did this review pop up in my news feed? I clearly do not remember resubmitting it... Am I sleep-surfing GR or something?
Same thing happened to me. Seems like there was some kind of mass auto-submission of reviews for _I Am Legend_ for some reason.
I hold my hand up and say that I am one of the people who only saw the Will Smith version and has yet to read the book. But it was worth it for that shower scene non?
Shovelmonkey1 wrote: "I hold my hand up and say that I am one of the people who only saw the Will Smith version and has yet to read the book. But it was worth it for that shower scene non?"Hehe. It may have redeemed the movie just a bit.
Please. Even Emma Thompson couldn't redeem that movie, and I ADORE her.
Ian wrote: "Please. Even Emma Thompson couldn't redeem that movie, and I ADORE her."I loved the movie. Like most of my age, I saw The Omega Man first, and only very recently found Vincent Price's Last Man on Earth, so admittedly we're well conditioned to see poor adaptations of the book. But as a film, it was fine - it just wasn't true to the book - but imo more true than Omega Man.
Anyway, I had to go to IMDB to figure out where on earth Emma Thompson appeared - she'd have to do more than that to redeem ANY movie!
[Shower scene? I'm getting old...]
I'm so glad I saw the film before reading the book. If I'd known what those words “I am legend” really meant before seeing Hollywood utterly trivialise them then I'd probably have wept rage-flavoured tears right there in the cinema. Great review, Nataliya!
Lee wrote: "I'm so glad I saw the film before reading the book. If I'd known what those words “I am legend” really meant before seeing Hollywood utterly trivialise them then I'd probably have wept rage-flavour..."Thanks, Lee! Lucky for me, I saw it on DVD, so I was free to comment and rage all my heart desired without ruining the movie experience for anyone (I mean, those who have not read the book).
Will be checking out this book for sure!
Glad the movie didn't hold up so if have a reason to read this one... Is it as scary as they say?
Jason wrote: "Glad the movie didn't hold up so if have a reason to read this one... Is it as scary as they say?"It is scary in a very specific way - nothing to do with gore but more with the anticipation of hopelessness, if that helps at all.
Thought I'd leave a comment in regards to the first few lines of your review:I started with the Will Smith movie, got about halfway through Omega Man, and finally read this. Those last words still had quite a weighty impact. :)
PK wrote: "Thought I'd leave a comment in regards to the first few lines of your review:I started with the Will Smith movie, got about halfway through Omega Man, and finally read this. Those last words still..."
Well, I'm glad to hear that. I assume you're referring to the book, since in that Will Smith movie the dreadful irony was taken for the face value.
Nataliya wrote: "PK wrote: "Thought I'd leave a comment in regards to the first few lines of your review:I started with the Will Smith movie, got about halfway through Omega Man, and finally read this. Those last ..."
Oh definitely. The last couple chapters in the book blew my mind.
Nataliya, thank you for your review. I completely agree with your take on the book and with your comparison to the Will Smith movie. I thought the main character was likable, though. Anyway, I just wanted to suggest that you put some kind of spoiler warning because you basically give away the ending, which as you noted is probably the best part.
Grant wrote: "Nataliya, thank you for your review. I completely agree with your take on the book and with your comparison to the Will Smith movie. I thought the main character was likable, though. Anyway, I just..."Thanks, Grant.
You are right - I think it's the quote I used that can give the ending away. I'll put in the spoiler tags, I guess.
Just noticed this is the upcoming read for one of my GR groups and first I groaned cause I saw the film and while I enjoyed it didn't feel like reading the story again but your review made me actually try to get a hold of it, looks interesting!
Jeanette (jema) wrote: "Just noticed this is the upcoming read for one of my GR groups and first I groaned cause I saw the film and while I enjoyed it didn't feel like reading the story again but your review made me actua..."Jeanette, I hope you like this book. To me, the movie and the book were completely different experiences with different tone, pace and, of course, message.
The Will Smith version of the film was nothing like the book at all. If you want to see a proper adaptation of this great novel, than I suggest "The Omega Man" starring Charlton Heston. Also, consider the film "The Last Man on Earth" which was made in the 60s I believe, starring Vincent Price. Even though they don't share the same title as the book, they were both based on it.
Personally, while I loved Omega Man (but then I loved I Am Legend, too) I don't think it's much closer to the novella than I Am Legend. The Last Man on Earth is closest, and holds up quite well considering when it was made.
Another giant has gone,to the big library in the sky.Wonderful review, Nataliya.
I NEED to read the book. Wonderful review!
I will tell you I'm excited to read this book because I have seen all 3 film adaptations and did not realize there was a book. Interesting how I missed this. It's interesting to see how isolation and the apparent hopelessness is forced upon the character, but he continues to persevere. I'm only a few chapters in.
I didn't even know this was a book before movie, and had NO clue it was altered. Great review. I shall read it soon...
The last man on earth with Vincent Price I thought was a great adaptation of the book. It gets the point across and doesn't stray too far. The omega man was just weird I thought. I am legend was a great movie on its own and it was what got me to read the book but it had nothing to really do with the book.
While the direction they chose to go in with Will Smith's blockbuster version was disappointing, there are parts of that movie that work extremely well. I also thought is was visually stunning (when they weren't relying on CGI).
I'm still waiting for that one movie that's going to get it right, and do the title justice in the way Matheson meant it. I'll wait, but I won't hold my breath!