I Am Legend

By: Richard Matheson

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

The basis for the film starring Academy Award nominee Will Smith, I Am Legend is a classic of horror and suspense.

In I Am Legend, a terrible plague has decimated the world, and those who were unfortunate enough to survive are transformed 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, 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 the dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

Richard Matheson’s chilling tale is a white-knuckle ride into a world of darkness and terror.

©1954, 1982 by Richard Matheson (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"One of the ten all-time best novels of vampirism." ( Fangoria)
"The most clever and riveting vampire novel since Dracula." (Dean Koontz)
"I think the author who influenced me most as a writer was Richard Matheson. Books like I Am Legend were an inspiration to me." (Stephen King)

Very good

Vastly different than the movie but so much better. Very entertaining, I did see the movie first, but listening to the audio book was so well done it made me not even think about the movie.

Awesome!

Very entertaining, creepy, dark and suspenseful! Great story to continousdly read in short period of time!

Interesting story

I did enjoy this story but was very surprised at how different it was from the recent movie which is what prompted me to read the book. The book has a completely different storyline and outcome and actually is more thought provoking than the movie was. It wasn't quite the thriller I was looking for but a interesting read.

=( this book is sad.

great book sad ending, didn't see that coming, not the will Smith version lol bdjxndnxmxkd

Saw the film, wanted to read the book

I thought the film was interesting, but I understood it to be fairly different from the book. So, I came to have a listen. I was not disappointed. It was indeed very different, and I feel it has a stronger ending. The film does what most films do and puts the "Hollywood spin" on it as I tend to think of it.

If you were disappointed by the film, give the book a try. There's a very strong likelihood you'll enjoy it better.

I am Legend (or Why I hate Will Smith)

If you saw the Will Smith film of this same name, I'm sorry. But on the bright side this novel bears almost no relation to that film.

I first read this after the third or fourth time I heard a writer or director of modern vampire films reference it, as well as references, homages and out-right ripoffs of it in a dozen role-playing and video games.

It's a real classic, and this performance of it is excellent. It would be worth the credit and the time just to see what all the fuss is about, but honestly the ending still gets me. I've read it half a dozen times. I listened to this version and least twice, and the ending still gets me every time.

not what I expected at all

I made the mistake of thinking it would be at least SOMEWHAT like the movie that I've seenany times and loved. TOTALLY different story, just with the same main character name. Story and narrarator were a bit dull

it's better

omg I thought the movie was good but the book is better than I ever thought
I see why the critics have hated the movie so much
I now too would rather have seen the book in it's true character on the movie screen

Good as I expected

Surprisingly intelligent. I expected the vampirism to be some mystical, spooky force, but instead was greeted with a scientific, (semi-)realistic story of how a plague can actually spread.
Would suggest for everyone.

NOT THE MOVIE

if you're expecting the movie. you're not going to get that. this is the story before the Hollywood re-write. It's good. I recommend it.