Micro-Review #139: I Am Legend

by Richard Matheson

This 1954 novel bears only a passing resemblance to the Will Smith movie. It’s considered a classic of the genre, and it ages fairly well. The story—about a man who might be the last man in a world full of vampires—is timeless thanks to its clarity and its focus on the character, Robert Neville, rather than on jump scares and horror-shtick action. There’s even some good science that modern readers won’t see as dated. Couple these qualities with a thought-provoking ending and refreshing brevity (the story is more novella than novel), and you have a great read that’s likely to remain relevant for a long time to come.

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