i am legend book review

Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations

Reviews of vintage science fiction (1945-1985), book review: i am legend , richard matheson (1954).

Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend (1954) is an influential SF vampire/zombie novel that spawned three film adaptations (I’ve watched the first two) and inspired directors such as George A. Romero and Danny Boyle, game designers such as Tim Cain ( Fallout ), and countless authors. The subject of the novel–man attempts to survive an onslaught of vampires, caused by bacterial infection, that act like smart(er) zombies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland–normally isn’t my cup of tea. I’m the first to admit that I picked up the novel entirely due to its historical importance. And I’m somewhat glad I did! While the physical onslaught of vampiric zombies didn’t interest me, the main thrust of the narrative concerns the mechanisms of grief and sexual frustration in the burning wreckage of one-time domestic bliss.

The Rituals of Solace and the Path out of the Haze (*spoilers*)

Richard Neville, a tattooed war veteran mysteriously immune to the vampiric affliction sweeping America, spends his days lathing stakes, traveling short distances from his home killing vampires, hanging garlic, listening to Beethoven, and drinking. The female vampires attempt to cajole him from his house with lewd acts: “there was no union among them. Their need was their only motivation” (12). The facts about the vampires seem straight from gothic legends of the past: “their staying inside by day, their avoidance of garlic, their death by stake, their reputed fear of crosses, their supposed dread of mirrors” (16). Intermixed with Neville’s daily ritual are intense moments of disillusion and sadness as he remembers the domestic happiness before the disease within the same walls he still occupies. He deeply loved his wife Virginia and his young baby Kathy. When he dreams about Virginia his “fingers gripped the sheet like frenzied talons” (11). He remembers their final conversations. Her death. His grief. And her return… And when the despair builds he slips back into the routine again: “reading-drinking-soundproof-the-house” (21).

Two ideas jolt him from his alcoholic malaise: 1) the faint possibility that “others like him existed somewhere” (18). 2) a growing desire to uncover the scientific rationale behind the vampires, and perhaps, an ability to more effectively kill them. Neville, little educated in science, throws himself into his studies (i.e. an excuse for Matheson to divulge extensive mind-numbing passages of rudimentary bacterial theories that never make the “reality” of vampires any less scientifically inane). He uncovers the reason behind how the disease is spread, why vampires need human blood, and how they are able to animate a dead body.

The narrative gains intense emotional heft, if it didn’t have it already, when Neville comes across the emaciated shape of a dog in the middle of the day (vampiric dogs bark at night): “Why pretend? He thought. I’m more excited than I’ve been in a year” (82). He spends days and days domesticating the beast–which has developed its own ways to survive the predations of the vampires at night. And at its death, he is again crazed by grief. And then a woman appears on one of his voyages…

The Male Sex Drive in the Wasteland

I enjoyed I Am Legend as an allegory of nuclear terror. Matheson makes clear that the vampiric disease–spread by bacteria in dust clouds (i.e. paralleling fallout)—is a metaphorical (and mythological) manifestation of humanity’s fears of the end present in the 1950s. Virginia asks Richard whether the bombings caused the disease and Richard answers, “and they say we won the war” (43). Matheson implies a limited nuclear conflict in the near future that reflects growing knowledge of fallout after Americans learned about the “Ivy Mike” Hydrogen bomb tests in 1953 [1]. The vampiric disease represents America’s existential dread present in a rapidly changing post-WWII world and how the suburban American way of life is under threat. Neville’s discoveries of the nature of vampirism after the apocalypse suggests we too might understand the true impact of nuclear weapons on the wrong bank of the Rubicon.

Lima de Freitas’ cover for the 1958 Portuguese edition (below), and to a lesser degree John Richards’ cover with its staked nude female for the 1956 edition (above), reflect an omnipresent thread of sexual chaos amidst the incomprehensible horror of vampiric holocaust that runs through the novel [2]. Lima de Freitas’ figure of Richard Neville does not have his eyes on the burnt buildings of the surrounding city but on the suggestively splayed nude female body of a vampire. At night that body with rouse itself and mill around Neville’s house attempting to cajole him out with macabre parroting of female sexuality: “The women, lustful, bloodthirsty, naked women flaunting their hot bodies at him. No, not hot” (21). Neville, alone, is possessed by perverse sexual desires. In one instance he ponders why he always experiments on female vampire bodies he collects while they sleep during the day: “Why do you always experiment on women? […] What about the man in the living room, though For God’s sake! He flared back. I’m not going to rape the woman!” (48). But he can’t help but notice her “torn black dress” with “too much [..] visible as she breathed” (48). In another instance, consumed by the heat of his loins Neville finds himself removing the bars of his door in an effort to run out into the night–“Coming, girls, I’m coming. Wet your lips now” (21).

Elaine Tyler May analyzes the juxtaposition of sex symbols with nuclear devastation in American popular culture–think bikini bathing suit, an attractive woman as “bombshell” or “Bill Haley and His Comets singing about sexual fantasies of a young man dreaming of being the sole male survivor of an H-bomb explosion” [2]. The home provided a form of “sexual containment” [3] that would be released in terrifying forms in the case of apocalypse. If the home falls, society falls. And Richard Neville attempts to preserve his home in I Am Legend and avoid the endless temptation of flesh in the burnt wreckage of suburbia that surrounds him. And when he gives in to his sexual desires and lets a new woman into his house in a confused attempt to recreate what he had lost, the end has already been spelled out.

[1] For more on what Americans knew about nuclear testing–and saw on TV–and when they knew it, check out Robert A. Jacobs’ concise and fascinating The Dragon’s Tale: Americans Face the Atomic Age (2010).

[2] As I read I Am Legend as an allegory of nuclear fears, I used Chapter 4 “Explosive Issues, Sex, Women, and the Bomb” of Elaine Tyler May’s Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era (1988, revised edition 2017). I am riffing of some of her ideas.

[3] May, 107.

[4] May, 108.

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36 thoughts on “ book review: i am legend , richard matheson (1954) ”.

I didn’t realise this story was as strong as you pointed out. Fantastic read and I will definitely pick up a copy now.

It’s a short novel. I read it in an afternoon. Definitely more transgressive in its sexual content than I was expecting!

I can’t wait to read to it now.

I have read and reviewed better books recently — P. C. Jersild’s After the Flood (1982) and Tevis’ Mockingbird (1980).

The historical context (right after the Hydrogen bomb tests in the US) fascinates though — and you can see it clearly in Matheson’s paranoid last man novel.

I’ve read Matheson’s collection “Steel” and disliked it enough that I was never tempted to try this book.

The first Matheson collection I read — Third from the Sun (1955) — had a collated rating of “Average” but a handful of worthwhile stories: https://sciencefictionruminations.com/2015/03/22/book-review-third-from-the-sun-richard-matheson-1955/

Matheson is an interesting case. The Matheson stories I’ve read showed a talent or skill — though either word is too strong, really — for writing a kind SF/fantasy/horror that entirely dispensed with the bother (for normie readers) of any science-fictional conceptualization — that in fact had dumb premises that didn’t make any sense at all and didn’t care about it.

It became a very successful genre in itself via Matheson’s — and his peer Charles Beaumont’s – adaptations of their stories for 1960s television series like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits .

It’s the genre that Stephen King, who counts Matheson as a primary influence (though King is a far better writer) operates in today, and that Harlan Ellison (who actually sold some scripts to those shows) was also an upscale example of. Literally, there are King and Ellison short stories that are clearly re-writes of specific episodes of those shows.

So:significant from the POV of the history of the SF genre and culture as a whole. Not my thing, though.

I’ve never seen an episode of 1960s television series like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits! Haha.

I mean, he tries to generate “science-fictional conceptualization” and those are definitely the passages that are far less impactful than the emotional toll Neville experiences. At its heart this novel tries to provide a scientific explanation of a historical myth.

But I do agree with the novel’s importance in the history of SF genre and culture. And how it’s not entirely my thing either…

“The vampiric disease represents America’s existential dread present in a rapidly changing post-WWII world and how the suburban American way of life is under threat.”

I prefer to think of the suburb itself as the true wasteland, made possible by the vampire of capital (to use one of Marx’s telling phrases): the American Dream as vapid, denatured, empty, etc. This, I feel, is the real fear of so much 1950s and 60s culture, that capitalism “at its best” is the end not the pinnacle of material want and success. Philip K Dick nails this sense of the doom of suburbia in works like “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch”.

But it’s already there in “I Am Legend”–a novel I love by the way (how can you give it a measly “good”?!). In particular, it’s end–which has been botched by all of the film adaptations–underlines the dead end of the American Dream, and Neville’s hopeless wish to hold on to it.

Neville only remembers the suburban life fondly within the matrix of the story. Of course, he focuses his memories on the love of his wife and child. Hence the phrasing I used. But I take the point that Matheson’s critique might be directed at the suburb itself as in other stories of his I’ve read from around the same time — for example, the spectacular “Mad House” (1953) which I reviewed in his collection Third From the Sun (1955).

But the end… it fails because its not the genuine love he experienced before. It’s a charade and he knows it. And yeah, I guess a macabre charade of the American Dream in the last house standing. But could this not be a warning of what is to come if everything collapses? Neville’s final posturing is a final attempt at normality as it all fades away. I do feel the story does fit within common contemporary views of the dangerous sexual landscape that emerges after the apocalypse. The subversive sexuality isn’t really subversive in the context of fears of what would happen if the institution of the American family collapsed.

As for my rating, I adore the historical context of the novel and I point out its historical importance. But the entire let’s come up with some ridiculous point-by-point scientific explanation for Vampirism and revisionist interpretations of the Black Death and past plagues…. grated on me and muted its allegorical impact. There are counter arguments of course — Matheson is essentially stating that scientific knowledge won’t save us in the end. But everything else rates much higher in my book. And I HATE VAMPIRES AND ZOMBIES! hahahahaha. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would.

Don’t get me wrong, I like your review and think your argument about “sexual chaos” is right on the money. I suppose I was struck by the idea of the phrasing of a “threat to suburban life”, given the threat that is suburban life. Speaking of sexual chaos, I read his “The Shrinking Man” last year, and was bowled over by its wonderful take-down of 1950s masculinity. Highly recommended.

No worries. I’m all for debate and counter argument. I revised my comment extensively. I hope I’ve clarified my views.

I found the suburb critique angle more muted here than in “Mad House” (1953) so I read the threat as a more general response to nuclear fears that will impact all — including suburban life. The review probably dodges how Matheson is also critiquing suburban life… at the same time.

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the “The Shrinking Man” movie at one point. I haven’t read the book. I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you! And I’m all for take-downs of 1950s masculinity.

The film is good but the novel is great. But can you trust me? I should check out ‘Mad House’. Like yourself and others I’ve had mixed results reading his short fiction. I’m almost certainly overstating the suburbia is wasteland line. It’s been a while since I read “I Am Legend”. Your review makes me want to reread it. Meanwhile, the wasteland that is my suburb is all too present and real. Inescapable dare I say? Roll on its destruction…

You know me, I don’t only read to find great pieces of literature. I’m bound to get something out of the novel even if it isn’t my favorite thing ever. Hence why I got so excited about this novel and Moudy’s “The Survivor” even if my ratings didn’t exactly reflect my excitement. The social history surrounding it excites!

For all I know I’m misremembering “Mad House.” Most of my memory of it is tied up in the short review I wrote…

Speaking of 50s takedowns of suburbia, I finished Sturgeon’s “And Now the News…” (1956) moments ago for my media series. He even identifies how suburbia diminishes interaction between people vs. life in a city (although he has his main character take a train to work vs. drive a car which is a bit off).

I have my own built in hatred of the suburb. I moved from rural Virginia to a suburb in Texas in my teens. I remember the almost existential diminishing of horizons. I was initially less horrified as the suburb wasn’t completed and there were tracks of land to explore but those were promptly bulldozed… Which made me hate it even more.

The Sturgeon has made it’s way to the top of my to read pile. Thanks! Tho I should probably read the Moudy while discussion is still relatively fresh. I read Charles V. de Vet’s “Special Feature” a few days ago on the back of its recommendation by one of your readers. It’s definitely up your alley, if perhaps not as wonderfully speculative about urban alienation as some of the stories we’ve read over the years. Sadly, I never had your good fortune to spend some of my youth in the country. I’m a city boy born and bred. Tho maybe I am luckier than you for not having known what I’m missing. Maybe…

De Vet turned the story into a novel — his only solo novel (he wrote a few with Katherine MacLean).

I quite enjoyed this novel when I read it, but it didn’t leave any real impression on me, probably because I had already read much better novels and pieces. It’s far from being great though. I don’t think Matheson is such an imaginative or original author. I know you like it for it’s themes though, but even they weren’t strong enough to take my attention.

I think this novel is the definition of an imaginative and original work. There simply weren’t zombie/vampire novels like this one at all. But the premise definitely is original. Maybe you meant to say its delivery was imaginative or original? Even then I don’t completely buy your argument — this is an intense case study of grief, not something terribly common in genre novels at the time.

It’s delivery probably was imaginative or original, and I think you’re right, there weren’t zombie/vampire novels like this one, and the premise is original, but it Isn’t memorable. It was influential on later SF though, such as George Martin’s “Ferve Dream”, which is also about vampires of a natural origin and contains cutting edge themes

Well, I’m never going to forget the dog chapter…. or Neville relentlessly obsessed with the zombie women outside his door…

FEVER DREAM, by the way, is exceptional. I am not a fan, in general, of vampire novels, but that one is really good.

Like I Am Legend, I don’t think it’s for me. But also like I Am Legend, there’s a chance the stars align and I feel the compulsion to give it a read!

“… And Now The News” is truly a great story, one of Sturgeon’s best. Having MacLyle (famously named for two of Heinlein’s pseudonyms as a nod to the help Heinlein gave Sturgeon) take a train to work is entirely characteristic of many suburban workers at that time (and to a lesser extent up until now.) It is not easy or cheap to park in a city downtown, so you take a train. My own home town (Naperville, IL) is the second to last stop on the Burlington Northern out of Chicago, and many people take the train to work. (The neighboring unincorporated village of Eola (now, I think, incorporated into either Naperville or Aurora) was named such as it was once the “End Of the Line”.)

As one who has lived in suburbs his whole life, and who has generally positive memories of his childhood, I find the somewhat cliched standard criticism of suburbs as soulless and arid etc. etc. to be just that — a cliche, a lazy trope. But Sturgeon’s story (which is about much more than that) remains powerful.

As for I AM LEGEND, I haven’t read it, and have little to say, and indeed I barely remember the Heston movie, THE OMEGA MAN, which I saw at a very young age.

I’ll talk more about the story when I review it.

I don’t find it be a lazy trope. There are of course lazy authors who parrot the basic points without much introspection. This historical background is so fascinating. The suburbs represent white flight and the abandonment of the cities (and the people who lived there), American equation of white home ownership vs. minority ownership, increasingly limited options for women (who were often trapped at home more than before especially if the father took the car to work and there wasn’t public transit), suburbs were 99% white and thus interaction with other races decreased (the race line was real!), etc. There’s so much historical background that it’s ripe for SF to explore. I am, of course, not saying there weren’t some benefits and that some didn’t enjoy them.

I live in the first suburb of Indianapolis (built in the late 1880s) — it’s now part of the larger urban center as the city has grown so much since then. The train (I guess more a trolly) was completely removed at the behest of the car lobby in the early 20th century, and it was a direct route downtown (4 miles) that I wish still existed. Of course, there’s a ton more space in Indianapolis than Chicago. Chicago, New York, etc. = rare American cities with a functional and extensive public transit system. No such thing exists in the rest of the once-industrial Midwest. Parking is never a problem. There is no metro system. There are only in the last few years a dedicated bus lane on one North/South route and one under construction East/West. It’s really really really sad that it’s taken this long.

i.e. maybe Sturgeon is thinking public transit in New York/Chicago vs. the average American suburb in the average American city.

To be clear — there is plenty of criticism — or examination — worthy of being done of suburban life; and most acutely the divisions it exacerbated between white people and black people is one serious issue. And the whole car culture thing is interesting too — and how public transportation was actively suppressed, most famously in LA, but in other places too (and I didn’t know that about Indianapolis) is a scandal.

But my problem is not interrogations of such things. It is the sort of default view — that it seems to me is supposed to be taken as axiomatic, not even worthy of proving — that life in the suburbs is (or was) dehumanizing, and everyone there had no inner life etc. etc. I know I’m exaggerating, and I know I’m oversensitive, but that’s how it seems to me often.

I grew up in a house where I could go out my backyard and over the road behind it and walk, it seemed, all the way to Champaign without hitting signs of civilization — and that’s not possible now — it’s all subdivisions! So I did have access to open country, to creeks and field and copses and all. And lots of people didn’t.

I dunno, guys. Is there anything significant left to be said in 2022 about the soullessness of the American suburbs, given that it’s 1950s-era American mainstream lit’s primary — almost one and only — theme.

From Richard Yates’s REVOLUTIONARY ROAD and John Cheever’s stories like ‘The Housebreaker of Shady Hill’ (all the men ride the train in to Manhattan) at the high end, to Sloan Wilson’s THE MAN IN THE GREY FLANNEL SUIT and J.D. Salinger, and early Vonnegut, it’s almost like they didn’t write really write about anything else. It’s even all over Nabokov’s LOLITA, though a lot more is going on with that novel.

Cheever’s stuff is still great; he was a real artist and a weirdo, with his WASP facade covering his barely repressed homosexuality and serious alcoholism. But a lot of other 1950’s American mainstream lit comes over as a bit of a bore these days. Maybe the most interesting thing about it is what it leaves out — which is the stuff Cheever hinted at.

I came over to the US in the early 1970s because my father went to work for an American corporation. So I saw some of the tail-end years of that generation of ostensibly straight white guy executives and middle-class types. And what struck me was that many of them drank like — well, not like fish, but the three (or five) martini lunchtime every day really was a thing. My sense was that many of these men were either deeply effed-up or there was a void inside, and they drank to repress it or cover it up. In quite a few cases, what they specifically never talked about — and never wanted to talk about — was what had happened to them in WWII and the Korean War, because they had what we’d now recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder. Consider, for instance, Gene Wolfe’s hints about his condition after his return from Korea.

I’ve gone some ways away from I AM LEGEND, I admit. Sorry.

In academic study there’s plenty to be said. I recently read the Dianne Harris’ brilliant Little White Houses: How the Postwar Home Constructed Race in America (2012). And her arguments about how the American consciousness when it came to formulations of ownership were new at the time. https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/little-white-houses

Note: My parents are architects so all this stuff is extra fascinating to me.

The criticism of post-war suburban life as empty and soulless is certainly a cliché if such a “criticism” is left merely at the level of assertion. But being a cliché isn’t proof of its falsehood. Indeed, it’s often demonstrative of precisely the opposite.

I grew up in suburban Sydney in the 1970s and 80s, and by the time I was in my mid to late teens was chaffing at the bit to escape the real boredom that I experienced in this setting. Did I imagine this? Not at all. Indeed, I recall not only its representation in broader culture (this was the time of punk rock after all), but also how this experience was shared not only by many of my teenage friends, but also older and younger siblings and relatives. My experience was of a widespread malaise and frustration with suburban life, particular among youth. Which is not to say I had never enjoyed this life, nor that I had been able to find corners of it that appeared to resist this (to name only two: my nerdish discovery of role-playing games and second-hand bookstores). But such experiences, at least retrospectively, appeared to cut against the grain of suburban experience rather than exemplify it.

I think Joachim’s caveats about the structural problem of the suburb is probably the best way to try and flesh out this claim. Then we can examine suburban development empirically with an eye to its conscious and unconscious results: i.e., how the expansion of suburbs was carried out deliberately, in the sense of various states and instrumentalities trying to sculpt a particular class and racial order, and haphazardly, in the sense of the unforeseen problems that surfaced as a result of just such an ordering (unforeseen, that is, by the self-same states and instrumentalities).

Mark, you are quite right, it was a very ’50s thing — and your suggestion that it was influenced to a perhaps considerable extent by what happened in the war (especially WWII) is intriguing and probably right.

I don’t know the alcoholism stats or any of that but it sure does seem like there was a LOT more drinking in those days. (In a way, did more driving eventually reduce drinking? — much easier to pour yourself into a train car and sleep it off on the way home than to drive home drunk.)

My Dad was in Korea, got there late and spent about three months in combat, in an artillery unit. He didn’t talk much about it — he did say he was offered a chance to go to Officers’ training but he didn’t take them up on it partly because as far as he could tell the casualty rate among newly minted artillery Lieutenants was astronomical (as they were often assigned forward spotter duty.) Of course, as it turned out the War would have been over by the time the training was done, and he’d have been a peacetime Lieutenant for however long they required (I dunno? Three years?) instead of being mustered out right away. And I probably wouldn’t be here!

He was never a drinker to any extent — I saw him drunk once in my life. He would have one martini when he got home from work and that was it, maybe a (crappy — he liked bargains) beer or two on the weekend after mowing the lawn. And I never really tried to draw him out about the war — I wish I had now, but it’s too late. But he was (or seemed to me) a happy man, and stayed active in various things (civic, such as zoning boards or volunteering for the census, plus lots of travel) all his life.

I learned right before my grandfather died that he served in Korea — briefly. He finished training, was sent to Korea, and then the war ended moments later. I never figured out if he went to college because of the GI bill. Maybe his lack of actual service meant he never wanted to talk about it (maybe his friends saw actual combat).

But my grandparents were the definition of a suburban 50s family. Lived outside of Philadelphia, grandmother went to college and shifted majors to home economics (I think at the instigation of her parents but I’m uncertain), got married in college (I think)… she never held a job. Had meals on a week rotation (the 50s classics including salad with cottage cheese and jello), and was profoundly unhappy (I won’t get into it too much). She wrote poetry relentlessly–my dad still has all of her volumes–with her omnipresent box wine and cigarettes.

Born of Man and Women is one of the most brilliant debuts in the genre.

II: Vampires? Carmilla! Am in Love!

I reviewed “Born of Man and Woman” a few years back. I thought it was solid and effectively creepy. https://sciencefictionruminations.com/2015/03/22/book-review-third-from-the-sun-richard-matheson-1955/

To clarifiy about the novels of Katherine MacLean and Charles de Vet — they only actually collaborated on one novel, which I think is best called SECOND GAME. That novel appeared in three versions, each longer than the one before. These were the novelette “Second Game” (Astounding, March 1958), the short novel COSMIC CHECKMATE (Ace, 1962), and the somewhat longer novel SECOND GAME (DAW, 1981).

I don’t know who did what on those three versions, which are all the same basic story, but if I had to guess, MacLean and de Vet collaborated fully on the novelette; and they MAY have collaborated on the expansion to COSMIC CHECKMATE, but mostly likely (and this is purely my speculation) the expansion to the DAW 1981 version, SECOND GAME, was mostly or entirely by de Vet.

The sequel, THIRD GAME (DAW, 1991) was entirely by De Vet.

De Vet, as you note, published one other novel, SPECIAL FEATURE (Avon, 1975).

Thank you for the clarification. I need to read more of MacLean’s short fiction. I adored her novel Missing Man (1975) (an expansion of her Nebula-winning short fiction by the same name): https://sciencefictionruminations.com/2011/10/08/book-review-missing-man-katherine-maclean-1976/

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I Am Legend: Book Review

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Today, we will be reviewing the classic novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Find out what we thought of the post-apocalyptic horror novel that has influenced many zombie and vampire novels as we review I Am Legend below!

I Am Legend Summary

The setting is on Cimarron Street in 1976 Los Angeles in a post-apocalyptic war where dust storms are common. We meet Robert Neville, who has barricaded himself inside his home against vampires that appear outside his home at night. An outbreak has turned humanity into vampires and Neville seems to be the last human alive.

Neville hunts vampires during the day and tries to search for another living person while trying to stave off insanity and loneliness. That leads to Neville researching the outbreak as he tries to understand what it actually is. But an unexpected turn of events throws his life into chaos as everything he has done to survive catches up to him.

I Am Legend Commentary

Imagine reading this novel when it was first released in 1954. The zombie /vampire genre wasn’t thriving as it is today. But the impact of this novel has been felt ever since as it has influenced the zombie and vampire genres.

And while the creatures in the novel are vampires, they act like zombies so much that the novel is considered a zombie novel. This novel helped popularize the zombie apocalypse idea that has become common over the decades. And it also popularized the idea of a bacteria causing an outbreak, giving it a scientific explanation.

Like most people, you have seen or heard of the I Am Legend movie starring Will Smith released in 2007. The novel changes the setting from Los Angeles to New York and changes the ending as well as borrowing elements from the 1971 movie Omega man, which was influenced by I Am Legend.

I enjoyed the novel and it felt like going backwards as you realize how different the original “zombies” were. The fact that they were vampires but not in the true sense of what a vampire is makes this fall under the zombie category.

But the novel wasn’t a zombie novel as we know it. The plot is about Neville’s descension into hopelessness and loneliness as well as depression. You can feel his heart breaking in the novel and feel for him.

A Must Read Zombie Novel

If you are a fan of zombie novels, then this is worth reading. Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend has come to shape the zombie genre and while he couldn’t have predicted the impact of this novel, his influence can be seen in hundreds of books. Happy reading!

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Book Reviews

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson: Book Review

Several GR friends have read this and raved about it recently. I’ve been doing a lot of Halloween-related books this month, so I decided to give it a try.

It somehow wasn’t exactly what I expected, and I mean that in a good way. I’ve seen bits of the Will Smith movie (and what I’ve seen has very little in common with the book), I’ve read my friends’ reviews, but it’s still something that I think you have to experience for yourself to understand.

I would definitely call it a horror book, but not exactly for the reason that I expected. There are the vampires, and there are a couple of intense scenes with them, but that wasn’t what made the book scary to me. It was more about the absolute aloneness that Neville experiences. He truly is the last man in the world. How would you deal with that? Would you give up? Would you keep fighting? Would you start searching for others? Would you search for the reason behind the horror that has become your life? Matheson explores all of these avenues and more. Neville’s reactions felt very real to me. I experienced all of his emotions with him. The vampires were scary at first, and then they just sort of become background noise. Then there’s the rage, despair, curiosity, really the whole gamut of emotions that you would feel in that position. There’s even one scene that just broke my heart. It’s all in here, it all feels very real, and I am very impressed. Highly recommended.

Review of the other stories

I finished out the other stories and they were pretty good. They weren’t on a level with I Am Legend , but there were some genuinely spooky pieces in here. My favorites were

“Prey” about an insecure woman and an African doll “Dress of White Silk” about a little girl showing off her mother’s evening dress “Person to Person” about a guy who answers a phone that’s ringing inside his head

My least favorite were

“Buried Talents” about a carnival game “Dance of the Dead” which is vaguely post-Apocalyptic “Mad House” about an angry man in an angry house.

I’m glad I read them, but I Am Legend was definitely the star of this show.

Reviewed October 14 and 21, 2009

Read an excerpt .

Buy I Am Legend at

Friday Flashback Reviews are a weekly feature here on The Introverted Reader. These are old reviews I wrote on GoodReads . Thanks to Angieville and her Retro Friday Reviews for the inspiration and encouragement!

I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop’s , my local independent bookstore located in downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books . I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site.

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The loneliness in this is so terrifying and really gets under your skin. I was surprised that the creatures were vampires, because they didn't strike me that way at all in the movie. All in all I really liked it. I could not get myself to read the short stories that followed, though.

It's been a while since I've read this one but I remember it being good and creepy. A great October book indeed.

I want to get my hands on I am legend so bad I really enjoyed the movie and the book seems to have so much more to it. Thanks for your review! 😉

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Richard Matheson ‘I am Legend’ Review

Posted on May 25, 2014 in Authors M-Z // 5 Comments

Written by: Matthew J. Barbour

Richard Matheson is among the most well-known and respected authors within speculative fiction. His contributions, before passing away in June 2013, were many and varied. In addition to horror, this literary master published science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. He wrote short stories, novels, and even screenplays.  His works have appeared as motion pictures, such as Stir of Echos and What Dreams May Come , and television episodes of the Twilight Zone and Star Trek .  Among his many accomplishments and prolific career, Matheson’s greatest achievement is often cited as the post-apocalypse vampire novel, I am Legend .

Written in 1954, I am Legend follows the rather ordinary Robert Neville as he struggles to survive under some extraordinary circumstances. The old world is gone having been laid waste by a great war and the horrible pandemic which followed in its footsteps.  This pandemic has turned the remnants of humanity into vampires. Neville must confront these relics of the past while coming to terms with the future which lies before him. Is there a place for Robert Neville in this brave new world?

Some historians have noted that the framework for the setting in some ways mirrors the First Great War and the subsequent Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918. Others have examined the work in the terms of growing old, technological change, and societal collapse. The story has been referred to as the first modern vampire novel and credited for inspiring the zombie apocalypse subgenre. The novel has even been made into a motion picture on four separate occasions.

However, at its heart, I am Legend is simply a beautiful character portrait of Robert Neville. He is not a genius or a super soldier. Before vampires destroy the world, he is a factory worker. He just manages to survive. Through Robert Neville’s eyes, the reader grapples with the humanity and inhumanity of his situation and actions.  Matheson weaves a connection between Neville and reader that few authors have so eloquently done.

Most critics of the novel point to the ending. Yet, the conclusion drawn from the piece is fitting if a bit bleak. It is not surprising that they have changed the ending in three of the four movies. Such an ending probably is not digestible to mainstream America. In many ways, the ending to Night of the Living Dead is thematically more of Matheson had in mind that the films which credit his novel.

I am Legend is a classic and written by a master of the horror genre. It is the measure by which all other post-apocalypse novels are compared. If you have never heard of it, you need to get out from underneath your rock. If you never read it, now is the time to do so. You can order it right here.

Order it here .

Rating: 5/5

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5 comments on richard matheson ‘i am legend’ review.

Excellent review, and just the type of praise the late Richard Matheson deserves for his many great novels and scripts for television.

Thanks. Reading through it now, I notice all the typos, but I am happy it was well received. Hopefully everyone has read this one, but if not, they should.

Hey, sometimes I can’t even write my own name without spelling it wrong.

Cool review here. I too love Matheson. What Dreams May Come is another favorite of mine (not the film though).

Great review of a true classic. I read it some 10 years ago, but I guess it’s time to do it again.

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Book Review: Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend

Please note that this review contains SPOILERS.

Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend is a groundbreaking novel for its time (1954). It is the granddaddy of at least three different popular fiction (sub-) genres, zombie, post-apocalyptic and medical/science thriller. Mr. Matheson’s description of the ‘vampire bacillus’ echoes modern thinking on the complex behavior of parasites, as illustrated in books such as Carl Zimmer’s Parasite Rex (2000). The scientific explanation of vampirism means that I Am Legend can be read as science fiction, and such a reading would be perfectly legitimate. What makes this book horror is the protagonist’s utter helplessness, self-loathing and psychic ennui.

Mr. Matheson does many things well in I Am Legend , which is a fast read. I have mixed feelings about his writing style. He uses a lot of action verbs but is a bit sparse on description for my personal tastes. This book had more than enough material to engage me, but I recall reading his novel Stir of Echoes (1958) in about a half-hour and thinking it was written for a sixth grader.

I am assuming leaving brand names off everything was a conscious choice on the author’s part, since the action takes place in the far-flung year of 1978. This was a good choice, since one of the things that makes old science fiction so dated is its use of awful futuristic jargon (the vidscreen!). Mr. Matheson does make a reference to Oliver Hardy, a comedian many people today have probably never heard of.

The other thing Matheson does well as a writer is anticipate questions that might arise in his reader’s mind and ask them. Such as: why doesn’t Robert kill himself? Why are Robert’s ‘experiments’ always on women? Why don’t the vampires burn his house down? Note that Matheson never answers these questions, but in a way raising them is enough to satisfy the reader. It’s a great writers’ trick.

The other trick Matheson pulls off involves his protagonist. Robert Neville is not a likable man. Robert Neville is an unpleasant man. It’s a good thing I Am Legend is a short novel, because it would be tough spending a long novel in Mr. Neville’s company. Yes, he’s been through hell. Yes, the trauma of his wife rising from the dead might have unhinged him.

Still: I was struck by the fact that everything Robert touches dies, his wife (twice), his daughter, the dog. He has violent, misogynistic thoughts and impulses towards women which he acts out, at one point dragging a woman around by her hair. Many of his actions make no sense. He kills an infected woman by leaving her in the sun, and then decides to get his car and go back for her to see if she reanimates, seemingly unaware that he can replicate his experiment at any time without risking the sun setting.

Most tellingly, Mr. Neville is a murderer. Many of the vampires he kills are still alive. They are infected, but they are still living beings. Mr. Neville knows but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t wonder how they can still be alive, because he goes through life in a state of ignorance. Yes, he discovers the source of the vampire plague – which anyone with access to a microscope could do – but he doesn’t come close to discovering a cure. The society that arises post-humanity is brutal, but it is a society that he helped create. Mr. Neville did it unknowingly, but since he spends the entire book unaware of the consequences of his own actions that comes as no surprise. The fact that I read and enjoyed a book with such an unlikable protagonist is testimony to Mr. Matheson’s skills as a writer.

You may ask, could I do any better in Robert Neville’s situation? I would have killed myself, and to me the question as to why the protagonist doesn’t end his own life is one of the biggest mysteries of I Am Legend . Mr. Neville has nothing left to live for, clinging to alcohol, ancient records and his enmity with Ben Cortman, whom he seems to view as an old friend by the book’s end.

Did I enjoy Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend?  Yes, I admired this book, but must confess to enjoying the author’s short stories more than his novels. To me, Mr. Matheson’s style seems better suited to short fiction. Still, while reading I Am Legend I saw echoes of Richard Matheson in genre greats Stephen King, Michael Crichton and George Romero. He is legend, indeed!

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5 replies to “book review: richard matheson’s i am legend”.

Great review! Keep them coming!

Hey George, Great review. Neville is quite the bastard, more so than I had picked up on. I won’t try to justify his actions, because as you pointed out, when listed out they’re pretty terrible. I have a background in criminal justice though, and why no means an expert, I am familiar with what incarceration and isolation do to the human psyche. It doesn’t mean that I would ever want to be left alone with someone who underwent these conditions (and I’ll admit I was worried what was going to happen when he chased Ruth down), but it made sense to me why he was devolving as a person. From the brief glimpses in his past it can be assumed he wasn’t always such a terrible person…although I did wish Matheson had toned down just how horny Neville was throughout the book. It definitely added to his rapey vibes and hampered my sympathy for the character.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to view any of his short stories. My Kindle edition for a buck was too much of a deal to pass up, but it did not come with any short stories. From my edition of the novel I can agree that Matheson’s writing style is probably better suited for short stories. I mentioned before how I found it aggravating that he kept referring to Robert Neville by first and last name, and he does a similar thing in “The Funeral”. Fortunately, “The Funeral” is much shorter, so it wasn’t near as noticeable. I probably wouldn’t have even picked up on it had I not read I am Legend first. I’m not sure if a book of this length would even be classified as novel today, which is probably why so many editions include selection of Matheson’s short stories.

Hi Lucas, Thank you for responding! I think Matheson did a great job with Neville’s character. I can certainly empathize with what he’s going through. I think Matheson added all those negative character traits to foreshadow the twist at the book’s end. He also ends certain scenes early, leaving what happened to the reader’s imagination, probably because this book was published in 1954. If I Am Legend was published today, I’m sure it would be a very different book.

Hi George, I didn’t really think about how misogynistic Neville was until you pointed it out. I hope that’s a testament to my lack of attention, and not my acclimation to this type of person. I assumed his sexual desires kept arising not by any fault of his, but because of the naked women dancing in front of him. There were, I’ll admit, moments when I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t think anything was out of proportion, considering the circumstances. I think it is interesting that you mention the questions that Matheson raises, without answering them. It was something that I also noticed. At the end of the novel I had questions, but I didn’t think that they were “plotholes” the way I would in other novels, and I think that you hit the nail right on the head. By raising the questions, I think Matheson is able to pacify the reader’s curiosity. This is something I struggle with in my own writing, and I appreciate your analysis of this question because I think it sort of gave me a solution, or at least a direction toward a solution. Thank you!

Hi Felisha,

Thank you for commenting! I recall wondering why the vampires just didn’t burn Neville’s house down, and a few pages later Neville was wondering the same thing. After that, I just assumed the vampires didn’t like fire. It’s a great way to get away with not answering questions.

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Richard Matheson – I Am Legend review

Robert Neville is the last human alive, to his knowledge. I Am Legend follows his daily life in Los Angeles, spending the daylight hours when the ‘vampires’ are comatose boarding and protecting his house, using garlic and mirrors to keep the nocturnal attackers at bay. He’s created a mural and hooked up a generator, and has looted not just food and drink but records and books from now-disused stores. He’s also developed techniques for killing the vampires in ways that ensure they stay dead. But how long can he survive, or even want to survive, when trapped in a post-civilisation life that has no prospect of improving?

The emotional impact of Matheson’s book derives from its unflinching honesty in examining the human condition. Robert Neville is painted as no great hero – just an ordinary man who is trying to survive extraordinary circumstances – but his plight, and the psychological scrutiny of the protagonist by the author, are relentlessly compelling. Neville is prone to depression, taking solace in heavy drinking, and he often has sexual fantasies about the female vampires that he encounters. When, finally, he achieves company, he is full of distrust. The believability of Neville is what makes I Am Legend so terrifying.

Balancing this honesty with a positive view of the human condition, Neville also studies the origins of the disease that has turned the human race into feral vampires as a distraction from the solace of alcohol, replacing a thirst for self-destruction with one for knowledge. It's another credible motivation, and one that keeps the reader hooked on Neville's thought processes.

As the book unfolds, I Am Legend raises further ugly truths about humanity, such as our incessant need to eradicate difference and destroy members of other tribes, and to dehumanise those we dislike. It does so through drip-feeding revelations in a simple but finely-balanced plot. It's not a book that makes you feel good about yourself, but it asks much more profound questions than you may expect from stories of this genre.

The observations about the human condition are punctuated by some passages that are truly memorable. Neville’s encounter with a dog is a sublime case in point. Too scared to come and take food from him at first, Neville slowly builds up trust, craving companionship and warmth from the only other living creature he has found. Matheson's description is masterful. Another moment of literary brilliance is the flashback to Neville’s family life before the plague, and the horrifying account of the death of his wife, which is truly the stuff of nightmares…

Matheson writes with great economy, and I Am Legend is a relatively short book. But the author makes sure that every word counts and every sentence has earned its place. Taut and well-plotted, I Am Legend keeps the reader in the world of its main character and builds to a final fifty pages that are exhilarating and almost unbearably tense.

There are a few questions of logistics that nag: supplies of food and drink would eventually dry up, even from well-stocked supermarkets, and more acutely, fuel for the car (a vehicle that keeps going in spite of no maintenance for years) would become difficult to acquire. Although not impossible, it stretches credulity that Neville’s daily activities could sustain over a period of years. But the world of Robert Neville, which the intense and focussed plot never wavers from, is too credible for such considerations to break the spell.

Those who enjoy a spot of scientific rationale behind grand horror ideas will find plenty to ‘get their teeth into' in this story. The bacterial origins of the vampirism disease are explained, as well as the creatures' aversion to light and garlic. We were especially amused by the play on the crucifix folklore: here vampires only respond negatively to religious symbols of the faith they adopted during life. Thus Neville’s Jewish neighbour, Cortman, proves a thorn in his side…

I Am Legend is also an interesting crossroads – whilst Matheson describes the monsters as ‘vampires’ and they have many of the same features and vulnerabilities as those dating back to Bram Stoker's Dracula, their lack of agency, hunger for human blood and feral nature are much closer to what we expect from ‘zombies’, and it’s clear how, in providing further medical background to vampirism, Matheson inspired the horror genre to branch into a completely different direction. You can trace the line from I Am Legend right through to The Walking Dead.

The Folio Society’s edition of I Am Legend is illustrated by celebrated artist Dave McKean (who also worked on The Folio Society's American Gods ). Everything from the cover of the book, depicting a vampire (could it be Neville’s wife?) as described in the pages to the single and double-page paintings of key moments in the book accentuate the overall tense and frightful events of the book. McKean’s use of dark greens is suitably nauseating and unsettling, and his depiction of Neville (broken man rather than hero) chimes with the author’s characterisation.

Presented in cloth-bound hardback with brown card-slip case, and printed on quality paper to high specifications, this version of I Am Legend is a feast for the senses. You'll also find an introduction by comic book writer and novelist Joe Hill – the son of horror maestro Stephen King.

The Folio Society edition of I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, introduced by Joe Hill and illustrated by Dave McKean is available exclusively from The Folio Society .

Publisher: The Folio Society Publication Date: May 2018

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I Am Legend

By richard matheson.

'I Am Legend' follows Robert Neville, the only survivor of a worldwide plague that wipes out the rest of humanity. In this new world, he learns to thrive.

Article written by Fave

B.A. in History and International Studies from University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

Using the third-person perspective, Richard Matheson tells the story of Robert Neville and his struggle to win in a world overthrown by vampires.

‘I Am Legend’  i s a horror and science fiction post-apocalyptic novel that answers the question: “What happens if the world is taken over by vampires?” With the jaw-dropping realistic description of events and an in-depth depiction of the range of emotions felt by Robert Neville, ‘I Am Legend’ holds its place as a sci-fi terror masterpiece.

‘Spoiler Free’ Summary of  I Am Legend

‘I Am Legend’  tells the tale of Robert Neville, the lone survivor of a worldwide pandemic who finds himself fighting to exist in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. Robert is immune to the contagion that caused the plague and strives to stay alive despite a host of plague victims who turned into zombie-like vampires. Richard Matheson’s classic 1954 horror and science fiction book,  ‘I Am Legend,’  is the originator of many science fictions and horror genres.

When the vampires stay away from the sun and lie inactive, Robert Neville scavenges through the abandoned marts and malls of Los Angeles for essential supplies. He also attacks the comatose vampires, killing them by hammering stakes into their hearts. He repairs the damages done by the vampires and hangs up the garlic that repels them. At night, Ben Cortman, Robert’s friend and colleague, now a vampire, is usually the first to come to his door. The other vampires soon surround his house, throw rocks, howl at him to step outside, and try to get in through his barricades.

Curiosity leads Robert Neville to inquire about the plague and the infection that is responsible for it. He soon discovers a bacteria. He learns that this bacteria is both a symbiote and a parasite. Wounding a vampire exposes the bacteria to air, causing it to transform from a symbiote to an airborne parasite, which destroys the host. He also learns that exposing the vampires to sunlight rapidly kills the bacteria and the host vampire. He increases his daily search for vampires, dragging them out of their lairs and into the sun or cutting deep wounds into them. By studying and reminiscing, he discovers that the disease is also psychological. He remembers the mass hysteria and superstition about vampires and how they behave that swept the world at the height of the plague.

Past events that occurred in Robert Neville’s life are exposed through flashbacks. His wife and daughter get sick from the plague and die. After his wife dies, he has to kill her again when she returns to attack him. He heavily relies on alcohol to help him cope with the loneliness and despair he feels. He also relies on music and his research into the plague.

One day, he runs into a feral dog who is infected. Although Robert tries to nurse it back to good health, the dog dies. Two years later, Neville gets more comfortable with his lone survival routine. He comes upon a young woman, Ruth, wandering alone in broad daylight. Suspicious yet intrigued, Neville takes her back to his house and listens to her story. Though garlic repels her, Neville believes it when she says her reaction is only due to a sick stomach. She agrees to let Neville test her blood in the morning. After Neville shares everything he knows about the vampires with her, they share a romantic moment. In the morning, Ruth allows Neville to take her blood but begs him not to look at it under the microscope. He examines the blood and realizes she is infected. Before he can act, however, she knocks him out. Although Ruth leaves him a letter explaining the plans of the conscious vampires, Robert does not run to safety. He is eventually captured for execution but dies of the poison Ruth gives him.

Plot Summary of  I Am Legend

Spoiler alert: important details of the novel are revealed below.

‘I Am Legend’  begins on a cloudy January day in 1976. It has been six months since a plague swept through the world, turning the victims into zombie-like vampires who feed on blood. The dead return from the grave to roam the world and attack the living.

Robert Neville checks his house for damages done to it by the vampires during their nightly attacks. He repairs what is destroyed and nails loose boards. He ensures the house is ready for the attacks that will come again when the sun sets. He also harvests garlic cloves from his hothouse to use as a weapon against the vampires: garlic repels them. He hangs the garlic cloves around his house, then sharpens stakes that he uses to kill vampires. During the day, the vampires hide in their lairs, sleeping in a comatose state. By night, they hunt for human blood. And when there is no human blood available, they attack each other.

When he is not preparing for vampire attacks, Neville retreats to the safety of his house. The vampires gather outside but cannot get in. Robert Neville plays Beethoven and Brahms loud enough to drown the sound of the massive crowd of vampires outside his walls. The mob is led by his friend, Ben Cortman, who taunts him with shouts of “Come out, Neville!” Sometimes, Robert Neville drinks to deaden the pain and loneliness of being the only human in a world of vampires. He toys with the idea of surrendering to them or killing himself.

Soon, Robert wonders why things like garlic, crosses, and sunlight works the way they do. He wonders why some vampires do not hate the sight of crosses, yet others do. He reviews works like Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and makes a list that separates vampiric characteristics that are true from superstitions. He quickly gets frustrated and abandons the list falling deeper into despair and heavy drinking.

Later, he recovers from his despair and decides to continue his experiments. He tests his theories on comatose vampires he finds, dragging them into the sun to see how they react. One afternoon when he is experimenting, he realizes, to his horror, that his watch has stopped working. Knowing he is hours away from home and the sun is setting, he makes a mad dash for home. He arrives on his street to find the vampires already gathered in front of his house. Although he struggles greatly, he enters the house unharmed.

Following his close shave with death, Robert Neville throws himself into fixing the damages done to his house and replacing the appliances ruined by the vampires in anger. Robert often has memories of his wife, Virginia, and their daughter, Kathy. They get sick from the contagion sweeping across the world and lose their appetite. Kathy dies first and has to be burned in the city’s massive fire pit to prevent her from returning as a vampire. When Virginia dies, he wraps her up in a blanket and secretly buries her. He is alarmed when two days later, Virginia returns for his blood. He kills her again and reburies her in a crypt.

Proceeding his research, Robert Neville looks for the cause of vampirism and a possible cure. He begins to read books on blood, physiology, and bacteriology that he gets from the library. He quickly learns how to use a microscope. When Robert examines a drop of vampire blood under a microscope, he discovers the bacillus bacteria responsible for vampirism. The human body serves as a host for this bacteria.

Robert’s research hits a barrier when everything he applies to cure the germ does not affect it. He falls into a nearly fatal state of despair but gets saved by the presence of a frail, injured dog on his front porch. Robert spends the next few weeks gaining its trust with food. He becomes happy because he believes his lonely days are over. He even offers a prayer for its protection. He spends several days feeding the dog, trying to calm it. Eventually, Neville grabs the dog and takes it inside. The dog is infected, and although Robert tries to nurse it back to health, it dies.

Two years later, Robert is more comfortable with his life as a loner. He develops the hobby of hunting Ben Cortman, a friend who turns a vampire. One day, Robert sees a woman in the daylight walking toward him. He calls out to her, and when she runs away, he goes after her. Finally, he catches up with her and takes her to his house. He learns her name is Ruth.

Robert is highly suspicious of the woman, presuming she is infected. Still, he rekindles his hopes of restarting the human race and not being alone. He tests with the smell of garlic and believes when she says her reaction is because of a weak stomach. In the morning, he draws her blood, and at the last minute, she begs him not to view it under the microscope. However, it’s too late, and he realizes she is infected. Before he can react, Ruth knocks him to the floor with the blows of a mallet.

When he regains consciousness, he finds the house empty. Ruth leaves him a note explaining that she is part of a new race slowly forming a society. This race has found ways to limit the effects of vampire infection with daily medication. She warns him about the plans of the new society to exterminate the real vampires and the rest of humanity. She urges him to leave his house and hide in the mountains.

Robert Neville, however, does not leave his home. In the end, the new hybrid race comes to capture him, wounding him in the process. He has one final conversation with Ruth, and she slips him poison pills that will kill Neville before his execution. Before he dies, Robert realizes that he is part of an era that has passed, and he has no place in the new world or the society that fills it. He also realizes he has become a legend.

What led to the creation of ‘I Am Legend’ novel?

The book tells the story of Robert Neville, the only survivor of a germ that turned the rest of humanity into vampire-like creatures and began with simple ideas. Richard Matheson said one day, he saw Dracula, and it was so frightening he concluded that a book overcome by vampires would be worse. His thought led to the creation of ‘I Am Legend.’

What method does Robert employ to kill the vampires before he realizes the effect of sunlight?

Before Robert Neville realizes sunlight kills vampires, he drives a stake through their hearts. When he discovers the effect of sunlight, he chastises himself for missing this vital point. He had been living with the vampires for months and did not realize this was a reason they stayed hidden during the day.

Why does Ruth urge Robert to hide in the mountains?

Although sent to spy on Robert Neville to make killing him easier, Ruth realizes that he is not as horrible as the new race paints him. She also shares an emotional connection with him. After hitting him with a mallet, she leaves him a letter explaining how different she is from the dead vampires and the plans of the new race. She urges Robert to hide before they attack his neighborhood.

Why does Robert refuse to hide in ‘ I Am Legend ?’

After Ruth’s warning, Robert Neville decides several times to heed and leave for the mountains. On one occasion, he even packs and starts to leave but can not go through with it. This is because he is too used to his house.

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• Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Science Fiction

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I Am Legend: The chilling horror masterpiece that you won’t be able to put down (S.F. MASTERWORKS) Unknown Binding – 29 Mar. 2010

The iconic science fiction vampire novel, adapted into the film starring will smith. the last man on earth is not alone . . ..

• ISBN-10 9780575094161
• ISBN-13 978-0575094161
• Edition Reprint
• Publisher Gateway
• Publication date 29 Mar. 2010
• Language English
• Dimensions 20 x 1.4 x 13.4 cm
• Print length 176 pages
• See all details

Product description

Book description, about the author.

Richard Matheson (1926-2013) Richard Matheson was born in 1926. He began publishing SF with his short story 'Born of Man and Woman' which appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1950. I Am Legend was published in 1954 and has been adapted to film three times. Matheson wrote the script for the film The Incredible Shrinking Man , an adaptation of his second SF novel The Shrinking Man (published in 1956). The film won a Hugo award in 1958. He wrote many screenplays (including The Fall of the House of Usher ) as well as episodes of The Twilight Zone. He continued to write short stories and novels, some of which formed the basis for film scripts, including Duel , directed by Steven Spielberg in 1971. Further SF short stories were collected in The Shores of Space (1957) and Shock! (1961). His other novels include Hell House (1971) (filmed as The Legend of Hell House in 1973), Bid Time Return (1975), Earthbound (1982) and Journal of the Gun Years (1992). A film of his novel What Dreams May Come (1978) was released in 1998, starring Robin Williams. A collection of his stories from the 1950s and 1960s was released in 1989 as Richard Matheson: Collected Stories . He died in 2013.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0575094168
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gateway; Reprint edition (29 Mar. 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Unknown Binding ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780575094161
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0575094161
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 20 x 1.4 x 13.4 cm
• 237 in Classic Horror
• 1,237 in Post-Apocalyptic
• 1,307 in Dystopian

About the author

Richard matheson.

Richard Matheson was born in 1926. He began publishing SF with his short story 'Born of Man and Woman' in 1950. I Am Legend was published in 1954 and subsequently filmed as The Omega Man (in 1971), starring Charlton Heston, and I Am Legend (in 2007), starring Will Smith. Matheson wrote the script for the film The Incredible Shrinking Man, an adaptation of his second SF novel The Shrinking Man. The film won a Hugo award in 1958. He wrote many screenplays as well as episodes of The Twilight Zone. He continued to write short stories and novels, some of which formed the basis for film scripts, including Duel, directed by Steven Spielberg in 1971. A film of his novel What Dreams May Come was released in 1998, starring Robin Williams. Stephen King has cited Richard Matheson as a creative influence on his work.

Photo by JaSunni at PicasaWeb [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and easy to get lost in. They also say the plot is thought-provoking and solid. Readers praise the pacing as great and the craftsmanship as good. They describe the themes as gripping and convey the sense of isolation perfectly. Customers also find the female characters complex. Opinions are mixed on the length and age, with some finding it fresh and up to date while others say it's outdated.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the story thought-provoking, atmospheric, and well-paced. They also appreciate the passages of great horror writing. Readers describe the book as a true sci-fi classic, with a cathartic ending. They mention that the writing about crushing loneliness is powerful.

"...hatred makes Neville a brilliant character and throughout well placed emotional flashbacks and emotional climaxes that combine action with anger,..." Read more

"...world is about as dystopian as you can get and there are passages of great horror writing ...." Read more

"...his 'horror' and 'sci-fi' talents to bear, creating a wonderfully original tale that stands as an equal to the very best in such genres...." Read more

" Classic story , obviously I watched the film first but I like how this differs - it doesn't seem like it was written in the 50s so it shows that..." Read more

Customers find the book well-written, descriptive, and well-executed. They also say the prose is thin, but the story is well-planned and executed. Readers say the first third of the book sets the scene well and is easy to get lost in. They find the story compulsions and engaging throughout.

"...first and foremost it is Matheson's writing style, his simple but beautiful lexical choice and his carefully structured centances make all of his..." Read more

"...But it’s also well written with some excellent clips of prose that have been heavily highlighted by readers...." Read more

"...The descriptive writing is spare but very effective in building an atmosphere of fear and tension, with occasional gleams of hope serving only to..." Read more

"...It's excellently written , with a fast - too fast! - pace...." Read more

Customers find the themes gripping, thought-provoking, and exceptional. They also say the scientific concept is believable and subversive. Readers also mention the book is brilliantly formed and created by an author of obvious genius.

"...I found this book to have a thought provoking rhetoric , whilst delivering both the action and emotion as to cater to the genre's core fan base...." Read more

"...The story and concept was good though. I found the science explanation very intriguing , I was hooked in those parts...." Read more

"...Yet everything about this book is subversive ...." Read more

"...It's a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller, with stark, matter-of-fact prose , punctured by moments of poetry and pathos, which perfectly captures..." Read more

Customers find the pacing of the book great, quick, and entertaining. They also say it's a perfect time killer if you travel.

"...It's excellently written, with a fast - too fast ! - pace...." Read more

"...So much is lost in the film transition and it’s a perfect time killed if you travel and need something for a few evenings to keep you busy." Read more

"...The tension is unrelenting and Matheson has paced it perfectly ...." Read more

"Great, quick service . Book arrived in very good condition.Regarding the book itself, it's rather short, angry and ends abruptly...." Read more

Customers appreciate the book's craftsmanship. They mention that it's a gritty and enjoyable book about survival and mental strength.

"...It's a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller, with stark , matter-of-fact prose, punctured by moments of poetry and pathos, which perfectly captures..." Read more

"This is a dark, brooding and intelligent novel.It has a strong , original narrative that takes you on the long-term emotional rollercoaster of..." Read more

"...It's a book about survival and mental strength . There is also an excellent ending (that's all I'll say about that)...." Read more

"...He loves the film so gave it a go and he loves it. Its in great condition and is a slim book (almost a short story size)...." Read more

Customers like the female characters in the book. They also say the character is complex and you can feel his mental.

"...to his solitary life, which, like his character, is convincingly portrayed throughout the book ...." Read more

"...Matheson writes in such a way, and develops the characters so well , that it's almost like you are there...." Read more

"...is brilliant, the pacing is excellent and the character of Neville is much better presented than Will Smith's version..." Read more

"...The author really shows the characters feelings and allows the reader to feel them to...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the length of the book. Some find it short and captivating, while others say it's a bit short.

"Though it is short in length , I really enjoyed this book from start to finish...." Read more

"...My husband loves this book to bits. It's only short so only took him (a speed reader) 30 mins to finish...." Read more

"...I think this is a really fantastic read, even though its a bit short , and i had a great deal of empathy for what Neville had to go through...." Read more

"...It is well written, short and holds the readers attention...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the age of the book. Some mention it's still fresh and up to date today, while others say it'll be outdated in a few years.

"...It is a remarkably prescient book too - like all good SF - and isn't so much a fantasy, but a comment on the world as it is today...." Read more

"...However, the book was a letdown due to its outdated and troubling portrayal of women and its insensitivities towards race, reflective of the 1950s'..." Read more

"...especially considering it was written in the 50s and still feels fresh and relevant ...." Read more

"Quite a book - not aged and in-depth look at how a man alone in the world would cope...." Read more

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#BookReview of I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

(Blurb for I Am Legend from Goodreads) 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?

I Am Legend is an interesting if somewhat depressing novel written by Richard Matheson. Set in Los Angeles, it tells the story of Robert Neville who appears to be the sole survivor of a pandemic which has turned the victims into vampires. At night he locks himself in his home out of reach from the vampires, playing loud music and getting drunk before eventually falling asleep. By day Neville has much to do such as patching up his house after overnight attacks, creating wooden stakes which he uses to kill dormant vampires and scavenging for supplies. Neville uses the traditional means of keeping the vampires at bay: garlic, crucifixes and mirrors.

Although the story is quite short, it’s a fairly difficult read. We learn about Neville’s daughter who had to be taken to the government fires after being claimed by the disease. His wife whom he buried but rose again from the dead as a vampire had to be killed, and his bouts of depression and alcoholism. He attempts to investigate the disease by foraging books from libraries, and microscopes from laboratories theorising that the disease is a strain of bacillus.

Neville does eventually get some company in the shape of a dog and later a female, but they are all too fleeting and the feeling that there is no hope exists throughout. The end of the novel in itself is quite prophetic given the title of the book. For me though, I prefer something less depressing.

Film/TV Adaption

I am Legend was written in 1954 and was adapted into three movies The Last Man on Earth (1964) , The Omega Man (1971) and more recently I Am Legend (2007) as well as inspiring a host of others including George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Reading the book you can also see shades of The Walking Dead series.

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• DVD & Streaming

I Am Legend

• Action/Adventure , Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Will Smith as Robert Neville; Alice Braga as Anna

Home Release Date

• Francis Lawrence

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Imagine New York City without the crowds. No queues for Broadway shows. No sardine-packed subways. No hustle and bustle in Times Square—except, of course, for the occasional herd of deer.

It’s not as great as it sounds. Trust Robert Neville on that point.

The year is 2012, and Robert is the last fully human resident in New York—perhaps in the world. Nearly everyone else was killed three years earlier by a horrific mutation of what was supposed to be a cure for cancer. Those who didn’t die outright turned into hairless, hungry monsters—light-loathing, zombified, vampiric creatures that hunt anything that moves.

Robert, a military scientist, is immune to the disease, and he spends much of his time developing vaccines—using his own blood as the core ingredient—that he hopes will cure his sunlight-phobic neighbors. He’s not had much luck: All of his less-than-willing subjects have died.

In his spare time, Robert whiles away the daylight by cooking, washing his dog, Sam, and going on inner-city hunting expeditions. He watches DVDs, too—regularly trekking down to the local rental store and chatting with the mannequins he’s placed there. Every day, he broadcasts that he’ll spend high noon at the seaport off East River Drive, where he desperately hopes another living soul will find him.

[ It’s impossible to discuss this film’s content without spoiling certain plot twists. So this review occasionally does so. ]

Positive Elements

They say man’s best friend is his dog. This is particularly true in Robert’s case, because his only companion is his German shepherd. He gently scolds Sam when she doesn’t eat her veggies. And he sometimes sleeps with her in the bathtub when the vampirish racket outside gets too frightening. He’s completely committed to her safety and well-being.

When Sam runs into a dark warehouse, Robert follows—even though he knows that vampires congregate in dark places like this, and his chances of surviving go down with each passing minute. “I gotta go, Sam,” he hisses in the darkness. “I gotta go.” But he doesn’t—not until he finds the dog and battles a beastie or two.

Robert shows the same dedication and tenacity in his work. In flashback mode, we learn that Robert had a chance to escape the city to “safety,” but instead sent his wife and daughter away while he stayed behind. “I can still fix this,” he tells his wife. Three years later, he’s still trying to fix things.

Robert eventually encounters other survivors and finds his cure—though only after he’s hopelessly cornered by a horde of vampires. He gives the vaccine to one of the survivors, tells her to hide in a secure shaft until daylight and then faces the vampires.

Spiritual Elements

I Am Legend is, at its core, a surprisingly sophisticated—but grim—rumination on faith and sacrifice. Robert is something of a Christ-like figure, whose work to “save” the city’s mutants lasts three years and requires, literally, an outpouring of his own blood and the sacrifice of his own life. The comparison is made more explicit by a magazine cover, hung on Robert’s refrigerator with a magnet, that depicts Robert in full military garb and the word “Savior” written beside him. Someone—most likely Robert—apparently added a chalky question mark beside the word.

Robert is also a doubting everyman whose life is filled with pain and his world with creatures that want to eat him. His Job-like trials bring him to the breaking point when he finally encounters another survivor, Anna. She tells Robert that it was God’s will they should meet. “If we listen, you can hear God’s plan,” she says.

“There is no God!” he shouts. “There is no God!”

Then, when things are at their darkest, Robert seems to change his mind—and proceeds to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Telltale spiritual touchstones are scattered throughout the film. The shape of a butterfly is used to hint at the fact that even the most ugly things—the vampires—can be made whole and beautiful again. Posters pasted onto now-vacant buildings read, “God still loves us.” Before Robert’s family separates, they pray. When Anna rescues Robert from the vampires, we see a cross dangling from her rearview mirror. A bucolic colony of survivors looks almost Amish, and an old-fashioned whitewashed church is the colony’s most notable landmark. When Anna looks at the photos of Robert’s experimental subjects—all of whom died—she exclaims, “My God!” “God didn’t do this, Anna,” Robert says. “We did.”

The film casts the late reggae artist Bob Marley as something of a spiritual sage, with Robert quoting him as saying, among other things, “Light up the darkness.” It’s Marley’s “Redemption Song” that plays as the credits roll.

Sexual Content

One vacant house has a pair of artsy, black-and-white ink drawings of nude females. The last subject Robert “collects” is—or was—obviously female; it wears a revealing tank top over its grey, almost transparent skin. Robert shows off his built physique by exercising without a shirt.

Violent Content

After he places his wife and daughter on a rescue helicopter, Robert helplessly watches them crash into another out-of-control chopper. (The scene cuts before the actual collision, but not before we see one body fall to the river below.) Robert shoots down a misplaced mannequin and, in a panic, pours bullets into several nearby windows. He then gets snared by a sophisticated trap that leaves him hanging upside down several feet above the ground. When he saws through the cord holding him, he falls—his knife blade embedding itself into his thigh. A lion kills a deer in Times Square.

As for the vampires themselves, they’re limber and fast, and they strike with lethal, animalistic quickness. One sinks its teeth into Robert’s neck and shoulder and shakes him around like a dog with a sofa cushion. Horrific mutated dogs attack Robert and Sam with wicked zeal. And a vampire begins to crawl into Robert’s car window with the intention of eating him. A mass of vampires crash repeatedly into a barrier of Plexiglas.

More often than not, though, the creatures get worse than they give. Robert shoots several, firing five or six times into their bodies. When Robert lunges out a window with a vampire on his back, the thing—now exposed to sunlight—flops about on the ground in agony before it dies. Robert captures a vampire to experiment on by knocking it out with his gun. Furious, frantic and at the end of his rope (possibly attempting suicide), he mows down dozens with his SUV. And, when the vampires attack his residence, we discover that he’s ringed his home with explosives, which he detonates—thereby killing several more. He blows up another batch with a grenade.

The hardest bit of violence to watch comes after Sam is mauled by an infected dog. Robert carries his bloodied companion to his car and takes her to the lab, where he injects her with the newest trial vaccine. He then sits on the floor and holds the dog on his lap, singing to her—until her hair starts to come off in clumps and she begins to breathe heavily, a sign she’s about to turn very bad. When Sam lunges for Robert’s face, Robert holds her by her neck and strangles her. The camera focuses on Robert’s anguished, tear-streaked face as we hear the dog gasp and scratch and struggle for life.

Crude or Profane Language

A couple of misuses of both Jesus’ and God’s names. Robert says “h—” and “d–n” about three times apiece.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Robert takes a handful of unidentified (presumably pain) pills the morning after he accidentally stabs himself.

Other Negative Elements

Robert pilfers pretty much anything he needs or wants. But everyone he’s “stealing” from is either dead or not in need of canned tomato paste. This raises a dilemma that goes something like this: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Or, more precisely in this case, “If you’re the only human left on Earth, is it wrong to eat food from the grocery store without paying?” Interestingly, Robert actually makes a point of returning the movies he “checks out” from the video store. (Probably so he can hang out with those cute mannequins.)

I Am Legend is based on a 1954 Richard Matheson sci-fi novel of the same name. The book has inspired at least two other films, The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price and The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston.

Despite the book’s popularity in Hollywood, neither those first two adaptations nor this most recent one have been completely faithful to Matheson’s novel. That story forces readers to mull, at least for a bit, whether Robert might be as monstrous as his enemies—the new race of vampires to whom the day-walking human is their version of the bogeyman.

This Will Smith-fronted tale is all about heroism, selfless sacrifice and final redemption. An enterprising movie buff might even be able to craft an I Am Legend devotional from it.

And such a tome might even sell reasonably well. Assuming, that is, its intended audience doesn’t flee in terror. Because I Am Legend is both stark and disturbing. Robert’s sense of isolation and loneliness is painfully palpable. And on top of the loads of violence, the film’s scariest moments take place when audiences can’t see anything at all. It’s heartbreaking and horrible and very, very creepy.

So, on second thought, forget about that devotional. This film has a few things going for it, spiritually speaking, but when folks make their way to the exits afterwards, they’re not going to be pondering the nature of redemption: They’ll be thinking about poor ol’ Sam, checking their rearview mirrors for vampires and locking their doors extra tight when they get home.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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The 'I Am Legend' Sequel Just Got an Epic Update From Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman

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The Big Picture

• Akiva Goldsman is penning a sequel to I Am Legend.
• Michael B. Jordan is set to join the film alongside Will Smith.
• Goldsman hints at an exciting storyline: exploring the return of New York City after 30 years in a post-apocalyptic but spectacular way.

Fans of I Am Legend have reason to celebrate! At San Diego Comic-Con, Akiva Goldsman , the screenwriter behind the original film, revealed that he is currently writing a sequel to the 2007 post-apocalyptic hit. Goldsman made this exciting announcement during the Producers on Producing panel, hosted by Collider's Steve Weintraub , where he appeared alongside fellow producers Roy Lee and Lorenzo di Bonaventura . Goldsman promised that there would be "good news soon" and shared that he is actively developing the story for the much-anticipated follow-up.

The original I Am Legend starred Will Smith as Dr. Robert Neville, a scientist who is seemingly the last human survivor in New York City after a virus intended to cure cancer mutates into a deadly strain. The virus wipes out most of humanity, turning the rest into aggressive, nocturnal creatures known as Darkseekers. Neville dedicates his life to finding a cure for the virus, using his own blood, which appears to be immune. The film is a thrilling blend of survival drama and horror, showcasing Neville's struggle to maintain his sanity and hope in an utterly desolate world. Goldsman confirmed that the sequel will follow the alternate cut of the original film where Neville survives. "We’re sequelizing the alternate cut. The one that we were talking about earlier, where Will lives and things didn't go so well for humanity."

Goldsman provided further details, including confirmation that Michael B. Jordan would be joining the film, saying, "Here’s what’s going on with I Am Legend 2 : I wrote a draft. The idea is both Michael B. Jordan and Will Smith. I wrote a draft, and that draft put me and Will and Mike, and our producing partners in a room where we spent a week doing really fun stuff of talking story. I wrote another draft based on that week, and I imagine there will be some very good news shortly."

Goldsman also commented on the potential storyline, saying, " Yeah, and I will tell you something about Legend —it's counterintuitive, what happens to New York after 30 years, because you imagine a post-apocalyptic scenario, but if you actually do research about what happens to cities, it's pretty much the opposite. The world returns, and it returns in a way that is kind of spectacular. So, that's a really exciting playground for all of us because it's not your father’s I Am Legend ."

Given the massive popularity of the original film and the continued relevance of post-apocalyptic stories, the sequel to I Am Legend holds immense promise. Goldsman’s involvement ensures that the new installment will likely maintain the emotional depth and continuity from the original film. The potential collaboration between Smith and Jordan could inject fresh energy into the franchise, appealing to both old fans and new audiences. Goldsman hinted at the progress of the sequel, adding, " What's interesting about both of these projects is both are gonna play, I would imagine, with the real use of time for these characters. So, what's happened with Constantine over the 20 years, and what's happened in the world of I Am Legend over those decades? "

Was 'I Am Legend' Successful?

Critically, the film received generally positive reviews. Critics praised Smith's performance as Dr. Robert Neville, as well as the film's visual effects and suspenseful atmosphere. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 68% approval rating based on reviews from critics, indicating generally favorable reviews. The audience score is even higher, reflecting strong approval from general moviegoers. I Am Legend was a major box office hit. The film had a production budget of approximately $150 million and went on to gross over $585 million worldwide. This impressive box office performance made it one of the highest-grossing films of 2007, and a sequel is arguably long overdue.

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I Am Legend

Loosely based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel of the same name, I Am Legend stars Will Smith as Robert Neville, a virologist who believes himself to be the last human on Earth. After a virus turns most of the world's population into vampiric creatures known as Darkseekers, Neville finds himself immune. Believing himself to be the last man of Earth, Neville stalks through the ruins of New York, hoping to create an antidote that will save humanity. 

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• Akiva Goldsman

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I am legend 2: confirmation, cast, story & everything we know.

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The latest i am legend 2 news, i am legend 2 is confirmed, i am legend 2 production status, i am legend 2 cast, i am legend 2 story details.

• I Am Legend 2: Further News & Info

After over 15 years, Warner Bros. is finally moving forward with I Am Legend 2 , a sequel to the 2007 sci-fi horror hit, but updates are still sparse. Will Smith starred in the original I Am Legend , a critical and commercial success directed by Francis Lawrence. The movie adaptation is based on the classic novel of the same name by the late Richard Matheson, and it's widely considered a highlight of the big-budget CGI blockbusters that 2000s cinema is now synonymous with. The sci-fi flick also remains one of the strongest entries in Will Smith's filmography.

Since the success of I Am Legend , there has long been talk of an I Am Legend 2 . However, Will Smith was a big factor in this success, but his character, Robert Neville, died in the controversial climax. While a prequel had been suggested, an I Am Legend sequel was eventually greenlit, with Michael B. Jordan signing on and Will Smith shockingly returning, even though Smith rarely returns for sequels . Though it'll be a while until I Am Legend 2 actually arrives, there are still plenty of exciting updates.

10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching I Am Legend, 16 Years Later

I Am Legend is now 16 years old, and though it's always worth a rewatch, the years have revealed some uncomfortable truths about the 2007 film.

A Director Is Courted For The Sequel

While Caple Jr. is not officially signed on yet, his experience with blockbusters like 2023's Transformers: Rise of the Beasts makes him a strong candidate for the job.

As development continues on the long-awaited sequel, the latest news confirms a director is being courted for I Am Legend 2 . According to inside reports, Warner Bros. has set its sights on Creed II director Steven Caple Jr. to helm the upcoming sequel . While Caple Jr. is not officially signed on yet, his experience with blockbusters like 2023's Transformers: Rise of the Beasts makes him a strong candidate for the job.

Francis Lawrence directed I Am Legend but it isn't clear if he is in the running to helm the sequel.

I Am Legend 2 Is On The Way

On March 4, 2022, reports confirmed that Warner Bros. was actively developing I Am Legend 2 . In an encouraging sign, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman is returning to pen the script . An I Am Legend sequel, originally planned as a prequel starring Smith, was teased for several years following the success of the original movie, but it ultimately didn't pan out.

The Sequel Is Still In Pre-Production

I Am Legend 2 has not escaped development hell yet, and there is no indication when it will.

Despite a wealth of exciting updates, I Am Legend 2 is still very much locked in the pre-production phase . The movie has been gestating for a decade and a half, and it has yet to completely solidify into an official piece of the Warner Bros. slate. Often referred to as "production hell", the sequel hasn't been able to get off the ground for a variety of reasons.

However, in May 2024, Smith reassured fans that work was still being done on the beleaguered sequel and expressed his enthusiasm for the project. Despite Smith's excitement, I Am Legend 2 has not escaped development hell yet, and there is no indication when it will.

Will Smith & Michael B. Jordan Will Lead The Cast

Will Smith will be returning as Robert Neville in I Am Legend 2 , and it has also been confirmed that Creed star Michael B. Jordan will join the cast. While there is no information about the character he's playing yet, Jordan's star-power will certainly help lift the long-awaited sequel. Given Alice Braga's comments about wanting to be a part of the cast, it's entirely possible she also could be returning in her role as Anna. No other names have been added, and casting probably won't start in earnest for quite some time.

The confirmed cast of I Am Legend 2 includes:

How Will Neville Return In The Sequel?

Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman gave some pivotal I Am Legend 2 updates regarding the movie's story details, and he confirmed it will take place decades after the events of the first movie . He also confirmed the new movie would do away with the original ending in which Neville sacrifices himself to kill the mutants and allows Anna and Ethan to escape. Instead, the sequel will follow the alternate ending that was closer to the I Am Legend book .

In the ending that I Am Legend 2 will follow, Neville realizes the infected aren't there to kill him, but rather to save one of their own — the infected that Neville captured as a test subject. He then understands that they see him as a monster, just as he sees them. Goldsman also pointed to The Last of Us as a strong inspiration for the sequel. He admitted that he was interested in examining a post-apocalyptic world after nature had taken over once again. He also hinted that the story would take place in New York City just as I Am Legend did.

The fact that Goldsman intends to make the sequel much closer to the source material is the best I Am Legend 2 update possible, as the movie can delve into the idea of zombie societies and how they separated themselves into different social groups. This also gives credence to the theory that Michael B. Jordan will play a Darkseeker in I Am Legend 2.

• I Am Legend 2

I Am Legend 2 is a sequel to the 2007 film that sees Will Smith reprise his role as Dr. Robert Neville. Despite the theatrical release of the original film showing Neville's demise, the film picks up where the alternate ending left off, with Neville surviving and heading off to spread the cure.

I Am Legend 2: Further News & Info

• Will Smith 'Probably' Won’t Appear in ‘I Am Legend 2’
• I Am Legend Sequel and Prequel Ideas Were Bad Says Director
• "I Was Super Surprised": I Am Legend 2 Return Addressed By Original Star
• I Am Legend 2 Gets Promising Update From Will Smith
• I Am Legend 2 Script Gets Optimistic Update From Michael B. Jordan
• “Not Your Father’s I Am Legend”: Will Smith & Michael B. Jordan’s I Am Legend 2 Gets Enticing Progress Update

• Literature & Fiction
• Genre Fiction

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I Am Legend: And Other Stories Mass Market Paperback – October 30, 2007

The New York Times bestselling classic tale of the last man on Earth, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson--one of genre literature's most honored storytellers. Now a major motion picture starring Will Smith! Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth 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 civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

• Print length 320 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Tor Books
• Publication date October 30, 2007
• Dimensions 4.15 x 0.8 x 6.75 inches
• ISBN-10 9780765357151
• ISBN-13 978-0765357151
• Lexile measure 760L
• See all details

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Editorial reviews.

“One of the most important writers of the twentieth century.” ― Ray Bradbury “I think the author who influence me the most as a writer was Richard Matheson. Books like I Am Legend were an inspiration to me.” ― Stephen King “Matheson is one of the great names in American terror fiction.” ― The Philadelphia Inquirer “Matheson inspires, it's as simple as that.” ― Brian Lumley

About the Author

Excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved..

PART ONE: January 1976

CHAPTER ONE

On those cloudy days, Robert Neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back.

If he had been more analytical, he might have calculated the approximate time of their arrival; but he still used the lifetime habit of judging nightfall by the sky, and on cloudy days that method didn’t work. That was why he chose to stay near the house on those days.

He walked around the house in the dull gray of afternoon, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, trailing threadlike smoke over his shoulder. He checked each window to see if any of the boards had been loosened. After violent attacks, the planks were often split or partially pried off, and he had to replace them completely; a job he hated. Today only one plank was loose. Isn’t that amazing? he thought.

In the back yard he checked the hothouse and the water tank. Sometimes the structure around the tank might be weakened or its rain catchers bent or broken off. Sometimes they would lob rocks over the high fence around the hothouse, and occasionally they would tear through the overhead net and he’d have to replace panes.

Both the tank and the hothouse were undamaged today.

He went to the house for a hammer and nails. As he pushed open the front door, he looked at the distorted reflection of himself in the cracked mirror he’d fastened to the door a month ago. In a few days, jagged pieces of the silver-backed glass would start to fall off. Let ’em fall, he thought. It was the last damned mirror he’d put there; it wasn’t worth it. He’d put garlic there instead. Garlic always worked.

He passed slowly through the dim silence of the living room, turned left into the small hallway, and left again into his bedroom.

Once the room had been warmly decorated, but that was in another time. Now it was a room entirely functional, and since Neville’s bed and bureau took up so little space, he had converted one side of the room into a shop.

A long bench covered almost an entire wall, on its hardwood top a heavy band saw, a wood lathe, an emery wheel, and a vise. Above it, on the wall, were haphazard racks of the tools that Robert Neville used.

He took a hammer from the bench and picked out a few nails from one of the disordered bins. Then he went back outside and nailed the plank fast to the shutter. The unused nails he threw into the rubble next door.

For a while he stood on the front lawn looking up and down the silent length of Cimarron Street. He was a tall man, thirty-six, born of English-German stock, his features undistinguished except for the long, determined mouth and the bright blue of his eyes, which moved now over the charred ruins of the houses on each side of his. He’d burned them down to prevent them from jumping on his roof from the adjacent ones.

After a few minutes he took a long, slow breath and went back into the house. He tossed the hammer on the living-room couch, then lit another cigarette and had his midmorning drink.

Later he forced himself into the kitchen to grind up the five-day accumulation of garbage in the sink. He knew he should burn up the paper plates and utensils too, and dust the furniture and wash out the sinks and the bathtub and toilet, and change the sheets and pillowcase on his bed; but he didn’t feel like it.

For he was a man and he was alone and these things had no importance to him.

It was almost noon. Robert Neville was in his hothouse collecting a basketful of garlic.

In the beginning it had made him sick to smell garlic in such quantity; his stomach had been in a state of constant turmoil. Now the smell was in his house and in his clothes, and sometimes he thought it was even in his flesh. He hardly noticed it at all.

When he had enough bulbs, he went back to the house and dumped them on the drainboard of the sink. As he flicked the wall switch, the light flickered, then flared into normal brilliance. A disgusted hiss passed his clenched teeth. The generator was at it again. He’d have to get out that damned manual again and check the wiring. And, if it were too much trouble to repair, he’d have to install a new generator.

Angrily he jerked a high-legged stool to the sink, got a knife, and sat down with an exhausted grunt.

First, he separated the bulbs into the small, sickle-shaped cloves. Then he cut each pink, leathery clove in half, exposing the fleshy center buds. The air thickened with the musky, pungent odor. When it got too oppressive, he snapped on the air-conditioning unit and suction drew away the worst of it.

Now he reached over and took an icepick from its wall rack. He punched holes in each clove half, then strung them all together with wire until he had about twenty-five necklaces.

In the beginning he had hung these necklaces over the windows. But from a distance they’d thrown rocks until he’d been forced to cover the broken panes with plywood scraps. Finally one day he’d torn off the plywood and nailed up even rows of planks instead. It had made the house a gloomy sepulcher, but it was better than having rocks come flying into his rooms in a shower of splintered glass. And, once he had installed the three air-conditioning units, it wasn’t too bad. A man could get used to anything if he had to.

When he was finished stringing the garlic cloves, he went outside and nailed them over the window boarding, taking down the old strings, which had lost most of their potent smell.

He had to go through this process twice a week. Until he found something better, it was his first line of defense.

Defense? he often thought. For what?

All afternoon he made stakes.

He lathed them out of thick doweling, band-sawed into nineinch lengths. These he held against the whirling emery stone until they were as sharp as daggers.

It was tiresome, monotonous work, and it filled the air with hotsmelling wood dust that settled in his pores and got into his lungs and made him cough.

Yet he never seemed to get ahead. No matter how many stakes he made, they were gone in no time at all. Doweling was getting harder to find, too. Eventually he’d have to lathe down rectangular lengths of wood. Won’t that be fun? he thought irritably.

It was all very depressing and it made him resolve to find a better method of disposal. But how could he find it when they never gave him a chance to slow down and think?

As he lathed, he listened to records over the loudspeaker he’d set up in the bedroom—Beethoven’s Third, Seventh, and Ninth symphonies. He was glad he’d learned early in life, from his mother, to appreciate this kind of music. It helped to fill the terrible void of hours.

From four o’clock on, his gaze kept shifting to the clock on the wall. He worked in silence, lips pressed into a hard line, a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, his eyes staring at the bit as it gnawed away the wood and sent floury dust filtering down to the floor.

Four-fifteen. Four-thirty. It was a quarter to five.

In another hour they’d be at the house again, the filthy bastards. As soon as the light was gone.

He stood before the giant freezer, selecting his supper. His jaded eyes moved over the stacks of meats down to the frozen vegetables, down to the breads and pastries, the fruits and ice cream.

He picked out two lamb chops, string beans, and a small box of orange sherbet. He picked the boxes from the freezer and pushed shut the door with his elbow.

Next he moved over to the uneven stacks of cans piled to the ceiling. He took down a can of tomato juice, then left the room that had once belonged to Kathy and now belonged to his stomach.

He moved slowly across the living room, looking at the mural that covered the back wall. It showed a cliff edge, sheering off to greenblue ocean that surged and broke over black rocks. Far up in the clear blue sky, white sea gulls floated on the wind, and over on the right a gnarled tree hung over the precipice, its dark branches etched against the sky.

Neville walked into the kitchen and dumped the groceries on the table, his eyes moving to the clock. Twenty minutes to six. Soon now.

He poured a little water into a small pan and clanked it down on a stove burner. Next he thawed out the chops and put them under the broiler. By this time the water was boiling and he dropped in the frozen string beans and covered them, thinking that it was probably the electric stove that was milking the generator.

At the table he sliced himself two pieces of bread and poured himself a glass of tomato juice. He sat down and looked at the red second hand as it swept slowly around the clock face. The bastards ought to be here soon.

After he’d finished his tomato juice, he walked to the front door and went out onto the porch. He stepped off onto the lawn and walked down to the sidewalk.

The sky was darkening and it was getting chilly. He looked up and down Cimarron Street, the cool breeze ruffling his blond hair. That’s what was wrong with these cloudy days; you never knew when they were coming.

Oh, well, at least they were better than those damned dust storms. With a shrug, he moved back across the lawn and into the house, locking and bolting the door behind him, sliding the thick bar into place. Then he went back into the kitchen, turned his chops, and switched off the heat under the string beans.

He was putting the food on his plate when he stopped and his eyes moved quickly to the clock. Six-twenty-five today. Ben Cortman was shouting.

“Come out, Neville!”

Robert Neville sat down with a sigh and began to eat.

He sat in the living room, trying to read. He’d made himself a whisky and soda at his small bar and he held the cold glass as he read a physiology text. From the speaker over the hallway door, the music of Schönberg was playing loudly.

Not loudly enough, though. He still heard them outside, their murmuring and their walkings about and their cries, their snarling and fighting among themselves. Once in a while a rock or brick thudded off the house. Sometimes a dog barked.

And they were all there for the same thing.

Robert Neville closed his eyes a moment and held his lips in a tight line. Then he opened his eyes and lit another cigarette, letting the smoke go deep into his lungs.

He wished he’d had time to soundproof the house. It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t that he had to listen to them. Even after five months, it got on his nerves.

He never looked at them any more. In the beginning he’d made a peephole in the front window and watched them. But then the women had seen him and had started striking vile postures in order to entice him out of the house. He didn’t want to look at that.

He put down his book and stared bleakly at the rug, hearing Verkl ä rte Nacht play over the loud-speaker. He knew he could put plugs in his ears to shut off the sound of them, but that would shut off the music too, and he didn’t want to feel that they were forcing him into a shell.

He closed his eyes again. It was the women who made it so difficult, he thought, the women posing like lewd puppets in the night on the possibility that he’d see them and decide to come out.

A shudder ran through him. Every night it was the same. He’d be reading and listening to music. Then he’d start to think about sound-proofing the house, then he’d think about the women.

Deep in his body, the knotting heat began again, and he pressed his lips together until they were white. He knew the feeling well and it enraged him that he couldn’t combat it. It grew and grew until he couldn’t sit still any more. Then he’d get up and pace the floor, fists bloodless at his sides. Maybe he’d set up the movie projector or eat something or have too much to drink or turn the music up so loud it hurt his ears. He had to do something when it got really bad.

He felt the muscles of his abdomen closing in like tightening coils. He picked up the book and tried to read, his lips forming each word slowly and painfully.

But in a moment the book was on his lap again. He looked at the bookcase across from him. All the knowledge in those books couldn’t put out the fires in him; all the words of centuries couldn’t end the wordless, mindless craving of his flesh.

The realization made him sick. It was an insult to a man. All right, it was a natural drive, but there was no outlet for it any more. They’d forced celibacy on him; he’d have to live with it. You have a mind, don’t you? he asked himself. Well, use it!

He reached over and turned the music still louder, then forced himself to read a whole page without pause. He read about blood cells being forced through membranes, about pale lymph carrying the wastes through tubes blocked by lymph nodes, about lymphocytes and phagocytic cells.

“…to empty, in the left shoulder region, near the thorax, into a large vein of the blood circulating system.”

The book shut with a thud.

Why didn’t they leave him alone? Did they think they could all have him? Were they so stupid they thought that? Why did they keep coming every night? After five months, you’d think they’d give up and try elsewhere.

He went over to the bar and made himself another drink. As he turned back to his chair he heard stones rattling down across the roof and landing with thuds in the shrubbery beside the house. Above the noises, he heard Ben Cortman shout as he always shouted.

Someday I’ll get that bastard, he thought as he took a big swallow of the bitter drink. Someday I’ll knock a stake right through his goddamn chest. I’ll make one a foot long for him, a special one with ribbons on it, the bastard.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’d soundproof the house. His fingers drew into white-knuckled fists. He couldn’t stand thinking about those women. If he didn’t hear them, maybe he wouldn’t think about them. Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

The music ended and he took a stack of records off the turntable and slid them back into their cardboard envelopes. Now he could hear them even more clearly outside. He reached for the first new record he could get and put it on the turntable and twisted the volume up to its highest point.

“The Year of the Plague,” by Roger Leie, filled his ears. Violins scraped and whined, tympani thudded like the beats of a dying heart, flutes played weird, atonal melodies.

With a stiffening of rage, he wrenched up the record and snapped it over his right knee. He’d meant to break it long ago. He walked on rigid legs to the kitchen and flung the pieces into the trash box. Then he stood in the dark kitchen, eyes tightly shut, teeth clenched, hands clamped over his ears. Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone !

No use, you couldn’t beat them at night. No use trying; it was their special time. He was acting very stupidly, trying to beat them. Should he watch a movie? No, he didn’t feel like setting up the projector. He’d go to bed and put the plugs in his ears. It was what he ended up doing every night, anyway.

Quickly, trying not to think at all, he went to the bedroom and undressed. He put on pajama bottoms and went into the bathroom. He never wore pajama tops; it was a habit he’d acquired in Panama during the war.

As he washed, he looked into the mirror at his broad chest, at the dark hair swirling around the nipples and down the center line of his chest. He looked at the ornate cross he’d had tattooed on his chest one night in Panama when he’d been drunk. What a fool I was in those days! he thought. Well, maybe that cross had saved his life.

He brushed his teeth carefully and used dental floss. He tried to take good care of his teeth because he was his own dentist now. Some things could go to pot, but not his health, he thought. Then why don’t you stop pouring alcohol into yourself? he thought. Why don’t you shut the hell up? he thought.

Now he went through the house, turning out lights. For a few minutes he looked at the mural and tried to believe it was really the ocean. But how could he believe it with all the bumpings and the scrapings, the howlings and snarlings and cries in the night?

He turned off the living-room lamp and went into the bedroom.

He made a sound of disgust when he saw that sawdust covered the bed. He brushed it off with snapping hand strokes, thinking that he’d better build a partition between the shop and the sleeping portion of the room. Better do this and better do that, he thought morosely. There were so many damned things to do, he’d never get to the real problem.

He jammed in his earplugs and a great silence engulfed him. He turned off the light and crawled in between the sheets. He looked at the radium-faced clock and saw that it was only a few minutes past ten. Just as well, he thought. This way I’ll get an early start.

He lay there on the bed and took deep breaths of the darkness, hoping for sleep. But the silence didn’t really help. He could still see them out there, the white-faced men prowling around his house, looking ceaselessly for a way to get in at him. Some of them, probably, crouching on their haunches like dogs, eyes glittering at the house, teeth slowly grating together; back and forth, back and forth.

And the women…

Did he have to start thinking about them again? He tossed over on his stomach with a curse and pressed his face into the hot pillow. He lay there, breathing heavily, body writhing slightly on the sheet. Let the morning come. His mind spoke the words it spoke every night. Dear God, let the morning come.

He dreamed about Virginia and he cried out in his sleep and his fingers gripped the sheets like frenzied talons.

COPYRIGHT © 1995 BY RICHARD MATHESON

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0765357151
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books; Media tie-in edition (October 30, 2007)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780765357151
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0765357151
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 760L
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.9 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.15 x 0.8 x 6.75 inches
• #55 in Ghost Fiction
• #134 in TV, Movie & Game Tie-In Fiction
• #214 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction

About the author

Richard matheson.

Richard Matheson was born in 1926. He began publishing SF with his short story 'Born of Man and Woman' in 1950. I Am Legend was published in 1954 and subsequently filmed as The Omega Man (in 1971), starring Charlton Heston, and I Am Legend (in 2007), starring Will Smith. Matheson wrote the script for the film The Incredible Shrinking Man, an adaptation of his second SF novel The Shrinking Man. The film won a Hugo award in 1958. He wrote many screenplays as well as episodes of The Twilight Zone. He continued to write short stories and novels, some of which formed the basis for film scripts, including Duel, directed by Steven Spielberg in 1971. A film of his novel What Dreams May Come was released in 1998, starring Robin Williams. Stephen King has cited Richard Matheson as a creative influence on his work.

Photo by JaSunni at PicasaWeb [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Customers say

Customers find the plot emotionally complex, scary, and action-packed. They also love the writing quality and find it thought-provoking, innovative, and subtle. Customers describe the characters as relatable, believable, and efficient. They say the book is timeless, entertaining, and creative. Opinions are mixed on the length, with some finding it short and others saying it's complete.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the plot complex, haunting, and original. They also say the moments of sheer terror are well done, and the novel remains original and haunting. Readers also mention that the depression and rage are understandable, and that the ending is satisfying. They mention that there's lots of action and interesting characters.

"...The psychological ramifications are endless , and I feel that the 3rd person narration seen through Neville’s eyes conveys this appropriately with..." Read more

"...of working science into legend really help to build up the mystery, suspense , and tension...." Read more

"...about the story that I wasn't a huge fan of was how little actually happened in the book ...." Read more

"Despite it's deliberate slow pacing this is one of the most chilling novels of the 20th Century...." Read more

Customers find the writing quality of the book great, with good pacing. They also say it's a quick read with an awesome story.

"...The writing is very impressive when you take into account that I Am Legend was originally published in 1954 and set with a futuristic Los Angeles..." Read more

"...And what can I say, I actually think this is a fairly cleverly written book , at least at times...." Read more

"... I loved the writing ." Read more

"...He's also quick-witted and capable of adapting, even turning himself into an armchair scientist as he struggles to understand what's befallen the..." Read more

Customers find the book incredibly thought-provoking, imaginative, and surprising. They also say the concept is great, the characterizations have depth, and the book allows the reader to think independently. Readers also say it's well-researched, innovative for its time, and leaves them with a message.

"...This is a keen observation of humanity through the eyes of one desperate and desolate human being...." Read more

"...The ending, which is a bit of a twist, sets a nice perspective on things . It’s dark and sort of unsuspecting...." Read more

"Though this novel is certainly quite well known , particularly amongst horror fans, it's not quite as famous as I'd imagine it would be, or as it..." Read more

"...It is very much the most important part of the novel. It leaves us with a message , questioning what we have known and what we believe...." Read more

Customers find the character development in the book very relatable, believable, and spot-on. They also appreciate the author's fantastic understanding of basic human nature and the in-depth dive into alcoholism.

"...Personally, I find Neville to be just about the most tragic character I've ever encountered in media of any sort...." Read more

"...Its a good story, Robert is a very relatable character that is believable and to some degrees likable...." Read more

"...They retain many of their human qualities , including their intelligence, personalities, and physical capabilities...." Read more

"...hundred different ways before, but I found I Am Legend to be far more character-focused and emotionally intense than I imagined it would be." Read more

Customers find the book timeless, original, and relevant even though it was written in the 1970s. They also say it has a bunch of neat, unrelated short stories.

"... It was nostalgic . So If you are in search a shorter audio book, this might be an ideal option...." Read more

"...It is also highly original , from the " scientific explanation" of how vampires came to be to digressions about religion,etc...." Read more

"...They are at best passing entertainment. This novel remains original and haunting. I found myself mulling it over in my mind days afterward...." Read more

"...It totally misses what makes the book so incredibly original and it makes so many changes to the story that renders it almost unrecognizable...." Read more

Customers find the book worth the money.

"...This book is worth the money I think, as long as the reader goes in expecting a vampire/zombie novel written in the contextual background of the 50's..." Read more

"...Today it's money well spent ." Read more

"...It is a quick read, and well worth the time !" Read more

"This is an enjoyable novella and very reasonably priced ...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the length of the book. Some mention it's pretty short, good for an entertaining couple of days, and surprised to see its size. They also say it fits well with the fascination with a post-apocalyptic world. However, others say it'd be better if it was longer.

"...The book is very short - a novella, really - and ends much more ambiguously than the the movie. Even if you've seen the movie, I recommend the book...." Read more

"...It floored me. Yep, it IS that good. It isn't a long book so those of you who don't have the time to tackle a large work will be glad..." Read more

"...The book is very short , I was disappointed when I Am Legend ended after only 100+ pages with the rest being short stories...." Read more

"...I was ordering the hardcover version of the book, but I was surprised to see its size . It's a little larger than a paperback...." Read more

Customers find the book to be a bit slow and hard to get through.

"...While the pace is somewhat slow , it is consistent and aids well in setting the atmosphere...." Read more

"...I felt the book was slow to start and they're were some areas that I thought about putting it down, I did not...." Read more

"...Overall, the book is very slow (much like the movie) but makes a reader think more about what is happening than simply watching one man try to..." Read more

"...For that I actually really liked it, though it did start out pretty slow but once I got past the first few chapters it quickly became a page turner..." Read more

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French police investigating abuse targeting Olympic opening ceremony DJ over ‘Last Supper’ tableau

Paris Olympics organizers apologized to anyone who was offended by a tableau that evoked Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” during the glamorous opening ceremony, but defended the concept behind it Sunday. Da Vinci’s painting depicts the moment when Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him. The scene during Friday’s ceremony featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch — an LGBTQ+ icon — flanked by drag artists and dancers.

FILE - Drag queens prepare to perform on the Debilly Bridge in Paris, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. A storm of outrage about the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony took a legal turn Tuesday July 30, 2024, with a DJ who performed at the show saying her lawyer is filing complaints over a torrent of threats and other abuse that the LGBTQ+ icon has suffered online in the ceremony’s wake. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)

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PARIS (AP) — A storm of outrage about the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony — including angry comments from Donald Trump — took a legal turn Tuesday, with French prosecutors ordering police to investigate complaints of online abuse from a DJ and LGBTQ+ icon who performed.

DJ Barbara Butch said she suffered a torrent of online threats in the wake of a contentious scene at the Games’ opening ceremony. A lawyer for Butch told The Associated Press that she had filed a formal legal complaint alleging online harassment, death threats, and insults. The lawyer, Audrey Msellati, said the complaint doesn’t name any specific perpetrator or perpetrators of the alleged crimes.

The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that it received Butch’s complaint and said it tasked a police unit that specializes in fighting hate crimes to investigate. The police probe will focus on “discriminatory messages based on religion or sexual orientation that were sent to her or posted online,” it said.

Although the ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly has repeatedly said that he wasn’t inspired by “The Last Supper,” critics interpreted part of the show that featured Butch as a mockery of Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting showing Jesus Christ and his apostles. Butch, who calls herself a “love activist,” wore a silver headdress that looked like a halo as she got a party going during her segment of the show. Drag artists, dancers and others flanked Butch on both sides.

Trump, in the United States, said Monday he thought it was “a disgrace.”

“I’m very open-minded,” the former president and current Republican nominee told Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who specifically asked about comparisons to “The Last Supper,” “but I thought what they did was a disgrace.”

French Catholic bishops and others were among those who said Christians had been hurt and offended. Paris Olympics organizers have said there was “never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group” and that the intent was to “celebrate community tolerance.”

Jolly has said he saw the moment as a celebration of diversity, and the table on which Butch spun her tunes as a tribute to feasting and French gastronomy.

“My wish isn’t to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock,” Jolly said. “Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide.”

Performer Philippe Katerine, who appeared in the next scene painted blue and nearly nude in a tribute to Dionysus, also told Le Monde newspaper that “The Last Supper” had not been referenced at all in preparations for the overall sketch.

In a statement of her own, posted on Instagram, Butch said: “Whatever some may say, I exist. I’ve never been ashamed of who I am, and I take responsibility for everything - including my artistic choices. All my life, I’ve refused to be a victim: I won’t shut up.”

She said she “was extremely honored” to perform in Friday’s ceremony and “my heart is still full of joy.”

“I’m committed, and I’m proud. Proud of who I am, of what I am, and of what I embody, both for my loved ones and for millions of French people. My France is France !” she wrote.

In an AP interview Tuesday, Msellati described Butch as in “a fighting spirit” — eager to defend herself and her choices, and still very proud of her participation. “She has no regrets, even now,” the lawyer said.

She said hateful messages targeting Butch are “arriving almost every minute,” and that Jolly and the ceremony’s drag artists have also been targeted by cyberbullying.

Another performer in the controversial scene, drag queen Paloma, said Tuesday that she had not filed her own complaint.

But, she said, “if the insults continue, I will join my friend Barbara Butch in her approach. For now, I am trying to focus on the on the thousands of loving messages I receive.”

Of the criticism, Paloma said her “first reaction is to say that if Donald Trump is not reacting, then we have not done our job. Unfortunately, we were going to get a negative reaction no matter what we did.” She also said it was hypocritical for critics to use religion as a basis for “a reaction that is very homophobic, very transphobic, queer-phobic, drag-phobic, even antisemitic and fatphobic.”

And another drag queen in the scene, Piche, said she was “really happy that queer people were able to be represented in this show. There was no moment that the idea of offending someone or a religion was on somebody’s mind. It was just a joyful, happy pop culture moment that most of the planet felt.”

AP journalists Nicolas Vaux-Montagny and Kwiyeon Ha contributed reporting.

For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games .

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Italian Boxer Quits Bout, Sparking Furor Over Gender at Olympics

The Italian, Angela Carini, stopped fighting only 46 seconds into her matchup against Imane Khelif of Algeria, who had been barred from a women’s event last year.

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By Tariq Panja and Jeré Longman

Reporting from Paris

An Italian boxer abandoned her bout at the Paris Olympics after only 46 seconds on Thursday, refusing to continue after taking a heavy punch from an Algerian opponent who had been disqualified from last year’s world championships over questions about her eligibility to compete in women’s sports.

The Italian boxer, Angela Carini, withdrew after her Algerian opponent, Imane Khelif, landed a powerful blow that struck Carini square in the face. Carini paused for a moment, then turned her back to Khelif and walked to her corner. Her coaches quickly signaled that she would not continue, and the referee stopped the fight.

Khelif, 25, was permitted to compete at the Olympics even though she had been barred last year after boxing officials said she did not meet eligibility requirements to compete in a women’s event. Another athlete also barred from last year’s world championships under similar circumstances, Lin Yu-ting, has also been cleared to fight in Paris.

The International Boxing Association, which ran those championships and ordered the disqualifications, offered little insight into the reasons for the boxers’ removal, saying in a statement that the disqualifications came after “the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test .”

The association said that test, the specifics of which it said were confidential, “conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.”

Those rules, which the boxing association adopted for the 2016 Rio Games, are the same ones the International Olympic Committee is operating under as the authority running the boxing tournament at the Paris Games. But the rules, the I.O.C. confirmed, do not include language about testosterone or restrictions on gender eligibility beyond a single line saying “gender tests may be conducted.”

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