Review

“I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson is a book of its own. It is a very honest, relatable and realistic book about living in a post-apocalyptic world for the last man on the Earth. The power of the book resides in the introspective view of the main character and his approach to surviving, not just in a physical sense, but also dealing with the emotional damage of all that has been lost to him. The central question of story is, what does humanity do at the end of all things?

Somehow, the book is a remarkably simple story, but it is written in a crisp and clear way, which makes it powerful in its own way. There is little or no grandiosity, just simply a man trying to make it through his life on his own. I wonder if the feeling of the safety of ones own home is what makes this book so relatable? The main character ventures out into the world, always to return to the safety of his own walls and perhaps it’s this feeling of safety, which everyone hopefully recognise, that makes it so captivating.

I cannot remember reading many books quite like this one, in terms of the introspective nature, so the closest I can suggest it “The Man who Fell to Earth” by Walter Tevis. I cannot consciously make another comparison, except maybe that this book could have inspired at least one season of “The Walking Dead”.

Score: 8/10

I cannot remember if I’ve read anything by Richard Matheson before, but I can truly say that I thoroughly enjoyed his style. It is very clear and straightforward, which is often a joy to read.

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