If ever there was a book written that captured me from the turning of the very first page, this was it. That’s what I love about the power of well written fiction. Up until that point, I had only watched the 2007 movie starring Will Smith (although there were two further adaptations being 1964’s The Last Man on Earth and 1971’s The Omega Man). All of these, while perfectly acceptable in their own right, don’t hold a candle to the original apocalyptic classic written by Richard Matheson back in 1954. And given the spate of “disaster” type movies released in the last couple of decades or so, he may well have been the inspiration behind almost all of them.

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The Synopsis:

The plot itself throws you into the thick of things right from the get go. A contagious virus has arisen to cause a dreadful worldwide pandemic. The catastrophic aftermath results in one sole survivor being left stranded on our planet, referred to only as Nevile. He spends his days trapped within the confines of his small, derelict house and finding new ways to stay alive. Add to that his constant struggle to create an antidote and vanquish the scourge rampaging on the outside of his tiny enclosure. Because the effects of the virus have managed to transform the earth's inhabitants into blood-thirsty rabid vampires.

Each day, before the arrival of dusk, he must scavenge what he can with a means of minimal survival, locating supplies and any other necessary requirements. Then as the sun sets, it’s a race against the clock to get home and away from the deadly infestation that prowls the streets at night. He keeps them at bay by spreading garlic and crucifixes at various entrance points of the house. Legions of them gather outside his abode, led by head vampire Ben Cortman, having known Neville in his former life before he changed. Though the fact of the matter is every night, without fail, they attempt to outwit him and catch the last of their human prey.

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The Review:

OK, let’s get this out of the way right now. The vampires featured in the book are not “actual” vampires based upon traditional folklore. The infection has caused them to exhibit vampiristic traits. Such at the thirst for blood, burning when exposed to sunlight and everything else that comes with it. The disease has driven them insane and manifests these physical symptoms based on medical grounds. A fantastic twist to an “age-old” fable which grounds the story in the realms of reality.

The depiction of him living in isolation without any other human contact is expertly translated to the reader. Most of the time, with hard-hitting and gritty emotional impact. Reminiscing about the family he once had and lost due to the spread of the virus, being surrounded by artefacts of a world long gone strewn all around him and his desperate attempts to remain sane in the face of oblivion. Components that all add up to the intense atmosphere housed within the pages of the book.

The entire narrative is described in real time through Neville's eyes, providing another layer of seeming authentication to it all. Without giving away too much, there are certain sections of the book where other signs of "life" may provide some glimmer of hope for him. The portrayal of his reactions to these events and their eventual outcome, I found to be realistic and delivered with aplomb, given the contexts they are set in. Truly magnificent writing at it’s finest.

I would also like to express my praise for the conclusion of the book. Very different from any of the other three movies, this one had the best ending by far. The final payoff slots itself nicely into the underlying theme of the book and provided for an unexpected “twist” that pushed this literary work to the lofty heights of “classic” status. A gripping and unrelenting affair from start to finish.

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The Wrap:

After all is said and done, I Am Legend is a book that heavily influenced my own personal style of writing. I love the way everything has that type of “documentary” feel to it, and we’re talking a fictional piece that was written way back in 1954! Just goes to show how ahead of it’s time the book really was. I read it again recently (I’ve lost count how many times now) and still found it to have aged incredibly well, easily standing up to the scrutiny of time with ease.

I hope in the near future, a movie is released that pays this book the respect and homage it justly deserves. It would make a phenomenal adaption if done correctly as I consider this the best “modern take on a vampire tale” ever created.

A classic in every sense of the word and one that comes with the highest of recommendations.

Ezzy's Verdict: (9/10)

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*Source (1,2,3)