I am Legend - Richard Matheson
Finally getting around to reading a beloved book can be a task filled with apprehension. After years of hype and praise, there is a good chance that the book might be a disappointment, due to no faults of its own. Often times, I avoid these books. Not because they are popular, or for any silly reasons as such, but because I figure books like these are already well-loved and respected, and I would rather spend some time discovering and praising other books. So, with a little hesitation, I finally took the plunge and read Richard Matheson's I am Legend, and I am really glad that I did.
I've had the book for a few years, but upon a careful and recent hunt I was unable to locate my copy. And so, I ended up buying it again - I felt compelled to read it. Unfortunately, my new copy has a giant-ass red star printed (not a sticker) on the cover proclaiming, “Now a major motion picture starring Will Smith!” It looks really silly on the otherwise well designed face. I have not seen the film, yet, and I really want to, so don't take this comment as disparaging towards the adaptation. I actually like Will Smith as an actor, and I think the film looks good.
Anyhow, to get back on track, I am Legend is a very solid work of fiction. Just in case there are those out there who don't know yet, here is a brief synopsis. It tells the story of Robert Neville, a man who finds himself alone in a world overrun by vampires. He is the last pure-bred human. He has become the ultimate prey. Neville lives each day for only one thing: survival. He hunts and gathers supplies by day, hides and drinks by night. It's a mentally taxing existence to be sure, and there are a handful of moments where he almost loses it completely. Through bull-headed determination, and with the blessing of long and lonely days, he begins to piece together the truth behind the vampire mythos, and discovers just what in the hell is happening to the world around him.
I like that the story is as much a study of the pursuit of knowledge as it is a tale of survival horror. What makes a legend? What are the ingredients of a long lasting mythos? Through Neville's scientific and philosophical ponderings, Matheson examines these very questions. Neville is determined to discover the root of vampirism, and he begins to question the legend that surrounds these monsters. Why do vampires shy away from garlic? What power does the cross hold over them? Why do wooden stakes kill them? Why do they shrivel up in the sun's light? Neville examines each of these questions and actually discovers the truth behind the myth.
In doing so, Matheson creates a new myth, a new legend. I love these kinds of meta-textual stories, stories that examine the very fabric of fiction in the process. What is most remarkable is that Matheson does all of this in a very short amount of time. This is a short book, thankfully; it is written with brevity, and does not spend a great deal of time on world-building or “fleshing things out.” I hate this term, “fleshing things out.” To me, it means, “add padding to make a short book longer for no reason.” I am Legend does everything it sets out to do in a timely manner, and does not waste the reader's time on any amount of nonsense.
I am not prepared to declare this the greatest vampire book of all time. I know some that do. I won't even say it is a timeless genre classic. But what I will say should carry more weight, because it is without an ounce of hyperbole: I am Legend is a well-written, solid tale. It's a good book. I don't need a lot of adverbs to say this. It is a book with a one-track mind, and delivers a focused story of one man's quest for survival and knowledge. At the end of the day, I am happy I read it, and even with the amount of hype surrounding it, coupled with my heightened anticipation, I finished it with satisfaction. It's just a good book.
