Rating: 
Summary: One of the best written books you will ever read
Review: I normally do not like to read books from the horror genre. Occasionally I will read a Stephen King book or something along those lines. I had read some reviews of I Am Legend on Amazon, and when I saw it at the library, it was a very thin book, so I thought why not.What I found was an Orwellian book about human nature, about the desire to continue on, to assimilate. I would compare this book to Animal Farm on several levels. Furthermore, the writing is superb. I understand that this was only Matheson's third book, but his brilliance with the written word, and his understanding of the human condition, was already evident. Horror fans should not miss reading this book. I am not an expert on horror writing, but I believe this book would have to be considered on of the best ever written in that genre. However, if you are not a horror or vampire fan, you should still try this book. I think it would be nearly impossible for anyone who is a fan of great writing to dismiss this book. Read it.
Rating:
Summary: Legendary
Review: This isn't just the best vampire story ever written, it is a great book in any genre. I have read this book so many times that I've nearly memorized it and yet I enjoy it intensely every time I pick it up. The book has many themes within it---loneliness, isolation, alienation are just a few---and you cannot help but put yourself in Robert Neville's situation. What would I do if I were in his shoes? It would make a tremendous movie if it stayed true to the original story (instead of Tom Hanks being marooned on an island, how about him marooned in a city of vampires?). Charlton Heston's "The Omega Man" was based on "I Am Legend" but makes major changes in the story to have a more upbeat ending. Don't watch the movie, read the book. I will confess that I haven't read the other Matheson short stories in this collection but he is a magnificent writer. "Somewhere In Time" is probably his most famous work after "I Am Legend." He wrote the screenplay for the memorable "Star Trek" episode where the Enterprise crew and the Klingons are trapped on the ship by an alien being who feeds off of the emotions of anger and hatred. He also wrote the screenplay for the sensational TV movie, "Duel" which was Steven Spielberg's first film. It is easy to see the parallels between the isolated Robert Neville doing battle with a world of vampires and Dennis Weaver's "everyman" commuter who is having to battle it out with a faceless, psychotic truck driver on an empty highway.
Rating: 
Summary: Offers a rich emotional atmosphere, but lacking in drama.
Review: Robert Neville is the last man on Earth. The rest have been turned into bloodthirsty abominations whose only goal is to pry, to tease Robert out of his shelter. By day, Robert mercilessly destroys them as they are frozen with rigor mortis at dawn. His life has turned into a game of survival against all odds. He lives to kill. "I Am Legend" desperately needs some cheap suspense. Otherwise, it just isn't scary. The novel's horror aspect is almost totally obscured by the measurely, prosaic depiction of its central character, his general safety in his well-protected home, and his scientific pursuits. True, there are several very powerful episodes, such as when Robert recalls the first days of the plague, when the victims of the desease return to a semblance of life. But other than that, there is few major thrills. In other words, it's not Matheson's goal to be scary. He depicts a complex, original, emotional mindscape: the gradual dehumanization of the survivor, and the mirror-image humanization of his predator-prey. Even despite the hurried ending, the gradual understanding of Robert's transformation is gripping. Furthermore, Matheson postulates a well-grounded scientific explanation of vampirism: the undeath and bloodlust are caused by a bacterium, and the fear of the cross, lack of reflection, etc. are given psychological causes. The short stories following the main piece are a mixed bunch. A number of them are exceedingly straightforward, word sketches of improbable concepts, like so many "Beyond Belief" episodes. None of them are really scary. Matheson settles for dark irony ("'When did she die?' 'As soon as I get home.'"). Some, like "From Shadowed Places", are outrageously old-fashioned. Read for the novel, skim the stories.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the Time
Review: I read in a review that this was the book that inspired Stephen King to write horror..so, of course, I ran to the library to check this bad boy out...I loved it! Your heart goes out to the main character Robert Neville. Imagine being the only one to survive the plague. A plague that has turned everyone into vampires. The vampires' lures and taunts became a part of his everyday life.....while he struggles with justifying reasons why he should keep on fighting if he's the only human left.After years of holing himself in his house at night, (complete with soundproof walls to block the vampires' screams), and slaying vampires during the day, he meets a woman. And together they fight to stay alive....With a twist at the end that you wouldn't believe...this is definetely worth the time...The only thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is that it was so short...it left me wanting more.....which is not a bad thing.....
Rating:
Summary: I Am Legend
Review: I am astonished at the fact that this novel recieved any bad reviews. I can understand the fact that some readers felt cheated by the fact that the book included short stories after the novel, but this was simply an added bonus for any Matheson fans. Enough about other ratings, now I'll explain why I feel the book deserves five stars. The idea of the book alone is enough to make you try reading it. A plague has turned the Earth's humans into vampires, and there is only one man left. After hearing this idea some readers may be thinking that it sounds silly, or has been done before, but belive me; nothing like this has ever been done before. For many vampire novels, the author simply gives the vampires the traditional powers and weaknesses, (crosses, garlic, etc.) but Richard Matheson goes so far as to explain why all this is true. The explanations he gives, though they may seem far-fetched, are extremely plausible when Matheson describes them. It seems as if Matheson did a lot of scientific research for this novel, because his explanations of DNA are terrific. Finally, don't read this novel if you're just looking for a normal horror novel. Read it if you're looking for an intelligent, suspenseful tale of a world overtaken by vampires.
Rating:
Summary: a classic and the best vampire tale written
Review: I re-read this book about every year to year and a half. that's how great it is. i've included this book with kerouac's on the road, kafka's work, and many other works that have had huge influence on me. everything about the book is great, the voice matheson uses, great plot (ahead of his time using science as an explanation for vampires), believable characters, and a good ending, with one of the best last lines i've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Vampire Lore At Its Best
Review: When most of us imagine vampire lore, we often connect the word immediatly to novels such as Dracula, by Bram Stoker, or The Vampire Chronicles (Interview With the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Body Thief, The Vampire Aramand, etc.), by Anne Rice. Novels of the vampire have entirely based upon the lore originally set by Bram Stoker. Matheson offers to us a new view of the vampire and how they came to be. The year is 1974, Robert Neville is the last surviving man on Earth after a plague had swept over the world obliterating the entire human population and reforming it in to a planet where the vampire is the dominant race on Earth, the human an endagered species. Every passing day, Robert Neville battles against the creatures that stalk the night growing garlic or creating stakes. Every night he is forced to drown out the calls of the vampire's from the comfort of his home fighting his very sanity as he loses himself in his drinking. One must admire Matheson for the development of the vampire. As most authors attribute it to some form of ancient evil, Matheson places it upon a biological mishappening. Anyone who shares interests in vampire literature most purchase this novel. It is perhaps one of the greatest vampire novels of the 20th century. It is a pity that the novel is roughly only 200 pages.
Rating:
Summary: New Reader, Pleasant Surprise
Review: I was apprehensive about getting this book because of all the "good" reviews surrounding it. I am somewhat skeptical of what everyone else thinks is good because I like to form my own opinions. It's not that I go out looking for things with bad reviews, (because most of the time, they're right *grin*) just that I don't like to be overly influenced by other people. However in this case I can assure you, the hype is all that. All the stories in this collection are worth your while. Some are funny, some gross, all intriguing. I am Legend is the stand alone best though. It reminded me of The Omega Man, a movie with Charleton Heston, or perhaps it should be other way around. . .I am not sure about the dates. The one "true" man against a world of monsters. It is fantastic, people at work kept giving me strange looks because of how obivously into the book I was. I read it very fast, then again, it goes fast once you get past I am Legend, which takes up most of the book. The book is set up with I am Legend which is like 126 pages or so, and the others are kind of tag alongs, they don't deal with the first story at all, in fact none of the stories are related in any way, but as I said before, each have their own flavor and I loved each one and began to respect Mr. Matheson more and more as I went on. Check it out, if you're into horror, you don't know what you're missing. Five worthy stars!
Rating:
Summary: Compelling
Review: "I Am Legend" consists ot the title novella and several short stories, spanning the life career of Richard Matheson. Snip: (...)
Rating:
Summary: Matheson is a Master!
Review: Nothing Matheson has ever written has disapointed me (what can I say, all those rave reviews aren't just a smoke screen) but "I am Legend" is different because it is a landmark in the vamp genre. In a world where so much garbage is pumped out into the public and passed off as literature it's nice to read something of substance, something gothic and dark and big enough to make you forget your life. The plight of Neville in this gem made me forget my own worries, and Matheson's unique use of the English language allowed me to visualize that plight in detailed horror. If you enjoy the works of Stoker and Rice, but haven't read Matheson, you don't know what you're missing.
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