I Am Legend

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Summary: The vampire terminator
Review: "I Am Legend" tells the story of Robert Neville, who is the only person left unchanged after a plague has reduced the rest of humanity to dim-witted semi- vampires or full vampires. The semi's are easy to kill; the true ones must be staked. Neville is obsessed with clearing his area of both types. He eventually discovers that the plague germs have mutated ( this lends the book a present-day relevance! ). But he cannot change his ways, and continues to be a 'serial killer'. The consequences are not entirely unexpected. Another reviewer was dismayed at the forthcoming Ridley Scott-Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. But Scott is a highly talented director who gave us "Alien" and "Blade Runner" and Arnold seems to be diversifying his style. Their movie should, at the very least, be the best-made of the three ( the others are "The Last Man On Earth" and "The Omega Man" ).

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Summary: Successful Recreation of a Powerful Myth.
Review: Picture this: a weird, half-crazed lonesome guy spends most of his time killing as much members of a society as he can in the most gruesome manner. He moves swiftly, mercilessly, doing his job at a time when his victims are most vulnerable. He's considered an aberration, the only one of his kind in the world, living alone in a kind of fortress. He's rightly considered by this society as an evil monstruosity that must be exterminated at all costs.
Well, if my description of this creature could very well fit Count Dracula, it's no coincidence, but I'm talking about Robert Neville, the tormented hero of "I Am Legend ". Neville is the only human being left in a world inhabited by vampires, and the beauty of Matheson's book resides in this reversion of roles. The monstruosity here isn't the vampire, but the human, now turned into a predator to this society of vampires. How does he feel, this lonely human? How does he come to terms with the ethical and moral problems of killing these intelligent creatures ? What is being human?What is being normal?? Those are some of the questions put foward by Matheson in this wonderful book, in wich he recreates a powerful myth for the modern times, giving new form to the Outsider. Be prepared: the Outsider in this one is all of us...

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Summary: Most believeable and frightening Fiction int 50 years
Review: The movie, Omega Man, based on the book proves once again the old adage that no matter how good the movie and the actors, it can't do justice to the orginal book. Anyone who has an interest in possible results of mans disregard of the environment will marvel at the way this story unfolds. A must for readers of all ages.

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Summary: Awesome
Review: This story actually made me react to it instead of me just reading it. The other stories in this book are good, but aren't even memorable compared to "I Am Legend".

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Summary: One of the finest horror stories ever written....
Review: Anyone who has seen the two filmed versions of this fine novel, "Last Man on Earth" with Vincent Price and "The Omega Man" With Charlton Heston, are in for a treat. This novel easily surpasses these films, and I suspect it will surpass the remake currently in pre-production. Matheson masterfully weaves the psychological torture of isolation and the gothic horror of of a good old fashioned vampire story into an unbelievable tapestry of terror and pity. The ending is a true classic. Even if you are not a fan of the genre, I implore you READ THIS BOOK! - you will not be disappointed.

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Summary: ever heard the song by "White Zombie"?
Review: This book was excellent, I didn't put it down until I was done. Robert Nevil is the last human on the planet earth. Everyone else that knows he's alive wants a piece of him. Everyone else is a vampier bent on having a Nevil sandwich for a late night snack. I had no idea that the "White Zombie" song "I Am Legend" was based on this book (well partly this book and partly the movie adaption called "The Omega Man". "Terminate another no one is my brother yeah the sun shines on me" sound familiar? It's talking about Robert Nevil being the only human left (no one is my brother) and how he is the only person able to go outside durring the day. There are lots of other parts in the song that are directly from the movie. Weather your into this type of book, or this type of music READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW.

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Summary: More than just vampires
Review: Hang on kids, here's a comment that will take you off guard. If you get beyond the vampires in this book, you will discover an excellent allegory about social morals and majoritarian politics. Here's the real question Matheson posits in the book: is there no way to determine good and evil other than on the basis of what the majority thinks?

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Summary: best post-apoc vampire novel written
Review: Matheson, noted author of novels, shortstories and screenplays (Twilight Zone, etc) brings you into a vampiric world easily recognizable to any baby-boomer.
It is Matheson's humanity thru the main character that pulls the reality(sic) along at an absorbing pace.
Known best perhaps for his "Shrinking Man" and "Somewhere in Time" novels-made-movies, this is Matheson at his best.
It is less a vampiric novel, more a social-commentary of "the ordinary man in extra-ordinary circumstances". READ THE BOOK! Forget the movies (Price or Heston)!
You'll return to it again and again.
If you want Matheson in an excellant, small bite, search out the short story (also Zone episode) "Little Girl Lost"; though rare and hard to find in a collection, it's worth the hunt. I AM LEGEND will make you sad when finished to realize this gifted 50's writer writes no more!

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Summary: BLEW MY MIND!
Review: I saw the movie the Omega Man which was based on this book. I thought the movie was good and then when I found out it was based on this book, I had to get it! I found it to be even better than the movie!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: My aunt, who loves horror, gave this book to me when I was only 14. The book effected me in unexpected ways. First, it was the sole reason reading become a serious occupation in my spare time (which kept me out of trouble in my adolescence); second, it's the only book I've read more than twice (I've read it 15 times since I was 14). However, I did become depressed when I AM LEGEND was rumored to be out of print. I'm ecstatic to learn that's not the case! To those who have never read this book, you have only my pity.