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Summary
In Matheson's vampire classic I Am Legend, a plague has decimated the world, and transformed the unfortunate survivors into bloodthirsty creatures of the night. Robert Neville is the last living man on earth. Every other man, woman, and child has become a vampire, 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 the dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?
I skipped the short stories on this audiobook after reading the previous reviews, which seemed to suggest it was the best choice (too many negative reviews). "I Am Legend" itself was an okay story. I particularly liked certain aspects of the story, such as the ending, the woman, and the close call. However, the fact that there was only one main character throughout most of the book made it somewhat dull at times. This book made me realize how much I enjoy exploring different characters and their growth, because in this particular story there was only one true character to really get to know, and that didn't quite satisfy me.
This book, 'I Am Legend, and Other Stories,' is one of those rare cases where I actually preferred the movie over the book. There were some really promising moments in the story, but unfortunately, they didn't seem to lead anywhere significant.
I thought I Am Legend was alright, but personally, I think the movie is even better (I don't usually say that, but this time it's true). The other stories in the book were a mixed bag, ranging from silly to confusing, and some of them were so boring that they could put you to sleep. It's frustrating that this author's only readable story got turned into a movie, while I believe I've written better ones myself. Some of the stories vaguely reminded me of Lovecraft, but not in a good way – it's like Lovecraft on a really bad bender. Despite the negative reviews, I ended up buying this book and regretted not getting the version that only has I Am Legend. The narrator did a decent job with a limited range of voices, but it wasn't enough for books with more than a couple of characters. If you don't want to waste your time, go for the version without the snooze-inducing stories, unless that's exactly what you're looking for.
Wow, those stories in 'I Am Legend, and Other Stories' were seriously confusing, you know? I gave it my best shot, but had to throw in the towel after the sixth story. They were just so strange, man. Definitely not what I was anticipating, that's for sure.
Forget about the movie, because this audiobook is a whole different ballgame. The scientific aspect might leave you wanting more, and the plot itself may not be the strongest, but there's a fascinating blend of vampires and the somber theme of depression that keeps things interesting.
If you're unsure about whether you should purchase the Matheson Collection or just I Am Legend, I strongly urge you to go for I Am Legend alone. The second narrator, who narrates everything besides I Am Legend, is honestly the most terrible one I've encountered on this service so far. His pronunciation is incredibly distracting and many of his character voices are simply impossible to distinguish.
The narration for 'I Am Legend, and Other Stories' was fantastic. However, the performance by the other narrator was downright terrible. It was quite challenging to listen to after experiencing the greatness of 'I Am Legend'.
I really hoped that the vampire story would be more captivating, so that I wouldn't have to constantly listen to the main character complaining about his desires. Additionally, I was hoping that the main plot twist would be well-executed to compensate for the evident sexism in the book. If only the monotonous narrator had put me off from the start, I wouldn't have wasted so much time hoping it would improve.
The fact that it was written in the fifties is quite apparent, which is why I didn't even manage to finish the main story and will be returning it.
I was so hyped up about the movie that I thought the book would blow me away. Boy, was I mistaken. The narrator did a fantastic job, but the story itself mostly revolved around the protagonist's inner monologue—his constant battle with depression, grappling with desires, unravelling the mystery of the disease and devising strategies to exterminate the infected individuals and vampires. The ending felt rushed and left me feeling unsatisfied. I came close to giving up on the audiobook a couple of times, but I pushed myself to reach the end. The dynamic between the main character and his tormenting neighbor was by far the highlight of the story. However, the narrator for the other short stories was downright abysmal, as if he deliberately aimed to be the worst. It's a total letdown.
"In a world filled with constant horrors, there is no solace to be found in wild imaginations." - Richard Matheson, I Am Legend
I had watched the Will Smith movie, but I hadn't seen the two previous film adaptations of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend. It was expected that the book would differ quite a bit from the film, and I was taken aback to discover that it greatly influenced George Romero when he created Night of the Living Dead. After reading the book, I fully grasp the inspiration behind it.
I approached this book with low expectations - a 1950s science fiction and vampire horror. I wasn't prepared for how effectively Matheson depicted the despair of isolation, alcoholism, and fear. Perhaps if I had read this in 2018 or later, the concept of a mutated biology spreading fear and panic, ultimately forcing someone to lock themselves at home, would have resonated with me differently. Nevertheless, even without that post-pandemic perspective, the writing is exceptional.
Despite considering myself knowledgeable about history and striving to broaden my reading horizons each day, I still tend to perceive the 1950s as a more sanitized era. But this book breaks that notion. It goes all in. To put it in modern terms, it doesn't hold back. One quote, which contains a minor spoiler, stands out as an example:
"Should I kill her now? Should I not even investigate, but kill her and burn her? His throat tightened. Such thoughts were a horrifying testament to the world he had come to accept; a world where murder was easier than hope."
Despite having already seen a Hollywood adaptation, I was still greatly surprised by the unfolding of the book and the profoundly bleak outlook on humanity that persisted throughout. I absolutely adored it.
Great story, well written to see the evolving psyche of the protagonist all alone. Much better than the new remake of the movie. There is an old black and white movie that is much closer to the book. The short stories are great as well. all were excellently narrated.
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