Richard Matheson I Am Legend

[Hazel]

Richard Neville is the last of his kind, a human, in a world now populated by the undead, the dying, and vampires. A plague has infected the human population and most become vampires. By day, Richard hunts down the sleeping vampires and kills them, whilst stocking up on groceries and supplies. By night, he holes up in his house, playing extremely loud music to drown out the calls of the vampires outside his house. His vampire-hunting is all a bit chaotic until he starts to investigate how garlic, running water, daylight and crosses are effective against the vampire.

 

I enjoyed this book very much - there's not much by way of style but the plot is pacy enough and interesting enough twist on the traditional vampire story to keep you reading. Sometimes, the science of Richard's investigations made my eyes glaze over, but his findings and subsequent consequences of such make up for that. The ending is just perfect, and utterly redeems any small flaws you may have with the rest of the book.

 

By now, I must have read nearly a gazillion vampire books and if you think you have had enough of them, you really must read this one before declaring so.

[Jeremy DEagle]

I loved this book too. Its completely unputdownable.

 

The Omega Man was the film version of it (don't bother, it's awful).

 

Will Smith is currently filming (may have finished now) the new version of it. Which looks pretty good.

[Hazel]

The Omega Man was the film version of it (don't bother, it's awful).

 

Is that the one starring Charlton Heston? If so, don't worry, I don't watch anything with him in it.

 

Will Smith is currently filming (may have finished now) the new version of it. Which looks pretty good.

 

Really? I take it he will play Richard Neville? I'll have a look at that on IMDB.

[Grammath]

I have to agree with Hazel and JDE, this is a superb novel and deserves to be remembered as more than just pulp genre fiction.

[Jeremy DEagle]

The film is due out fairly soon and there are trailers starting to leak out...

[Hazel]

There is quite a lot of fuss on the IMDB message board about essentially 2 topics - why is a black man (Will Smith) playing Richard Neville, and why there is no mention of vampires in the movie (humanity will be infected with some nameless virus and just become mutant zombie things)? It's not looking good JeremyDEagle.

[El_Scubadiver]

There was an adaptation in the 70's called 'The Omega Man' starring Charlton Heston - this also omitted vampires and replaced them with plague-ridden zombies(?)

 

'I am legend,' is one of the best things I've read in ages - clever premise desperately executed . I hope the Will-Smith version doesn't trample over it with special effects and a safe conclusion.

[Royal Rother]

I've seen a trailer and really liked the look of it. Didn't even know it was a book until now. Hmmm, should I read it first? Books are almost always better than films so I guess I should, but I did really like the look of the trailer...

[Jeremy DEagle]

I've seen a trailer and really liked the look of it. Didn't even know it was a book until now. Hmmm, should I read it first? Books are almost always better than films so I guess I should, but I did really like the look of the trailer...

 

I'd possibly wait until after the film to read the book. I doubt if it will live up to the book and so will be an anti climax.

[roddglenn]

There was another film version of I am Legend before Omega Man - The Last Man on Earth (1964) starring Vincent Price. It's a much better version than Omega Man.

 

I'm busy re-reading this book at the moment. It is still a fantastic read.

[finrod]

(Sorry, though I trailed through the thread, I missed the message immediately preceding this one)

 

There is a 1964 TV version available (public domain), The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price at

 

http://www.publicdomaintorrents.com/nshowmovie.html?movieid=229

 

You do not have to download it to watch. I haven't seen this yet, but others have stated it to be more faithful to the original, and it gets generally appreciative reviews.Your comments have made me want to read the book too.

[Royal Rother]

I have never gone down the bit torrent route. What is PC2TV and how good is it? What stuff (espec Sports channels) would I be able to watch after paying $29.97 or whatever? Or is it not available over here? What do I need to get it working?

 

Thanks.

[finrod]

I have never gone down the bit torrent route. What is PC2TV and how good is it? What stuff (espec Sports channels) would I be able to watch after paying $29.97 or whatever? Or is it not available over here? What do I need to get it working?

 

Thanks.

Thanks for your reply. I will reply in full in a more appropriate forum, and will get back you when I've found it.

 

btw - you shouldn't need anything to watch it on the link I supplied, you should be able to watch it from there. Please note it is public domain, and therefore quite legal.

 

Fuller reply (and some...) on the Films, tv and radio section. (Continued page 94)

[Gorrigan]

I have read this book many many times and I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately I don't think that the film was anywhere as near as good as the book. They strayed too far away from the book and took out all the bits that made it good.

[Hazel]

Unfortunately I don't think that the film was anywhere as near as good as the book. They strayed too far away from the book and took out all the bits that made it good.

 

That's why I won't go and see it. Plus, to take away the 'vampire' thing makes the title pointless - so why have they retained the title? It's a watered down version of the point and it drives me insane that they did this.

[Hans VonBohr]

I just can't wait to watch Will Smith play Neville!

[Stewart]

By now, I must have read nearly a gazillion vampire books and if you think you have had enough of them, you really must read this one before declaring so.

Same here. By far one of the best vampire novels I've read, just for daring to invert the notion of vampire as boogeyman. I finished this morning, just before work. I was buzzing on it all day.

[Hazel]

Same here. By far one of the best vampire novels I've read, just for daring to invert the notion of vampire as boogeyman. I finished this morning, just before work. I was buzzing on it all day.

 

I am glad you like it Stewart - I was new to it last year and still the ending resonates loudly with me. However, the downside of treading this book is that you are even less tolerant of the Will Smith film. They can't even get away with using the same title as all meaning in that phrase is ripped out by the film.

[Stewart]

I wonder if Matheson had Robert Neville in mind as a sort of Jesus figure, because, as I said on my blog review, it inverts the bit from the New Testament where Jesus meets the man possessed, asking him his name, to which he gets the reply, "I am Legion, for we are many". The title, I am Legend, must surely have its roots in that quote, although I've not seen it mentioned around in whatever searches I've been doing.

[Hazel]

It completely echoes that phrase, and of course it has been used as well, by William Peter Blatty in his follow-up to The Exorcist, Legion, with all the obvious religious connotations. It surprises me that you haven't found anything connecting the two because the meaning behind the two phrases are pretty much the same, and Matheson cleverly exploits that. It is also why the end resonates so loudly.

[Stewart]

Ah, I never could finished Blatt's The Exorcist III: Legion in novel form. Never did see the film version.

[fireball]

Stewart, hi there, to be honest with you the Exorcist book was brill and the film was fair to middling, even if Blatty did write both, bit miffed he left out the sub story, about the 'Butler's' daughter that he'd in the book but left out in the film, as too Exorcist 111,? horse poo..! Really flogging a "dead horse"

never mind the execrable E2.!

 

Sorry Off Topic there. Meanwhile back on it....I've just started on the book and it certainly hits the ground runing doesn't it. Strange to relate though, I don't know why but I was brought up fast by the rather 'adult language' at first, I mean it was written in the 50's, for some daft reason I'd thought that books in America fell under the same censorship thingie as their films, pleasntly surprised to find it wasn't so.

 

Believe it or not it's the first book of Richard Matheson's I've ever read,! so, even at my age, (and I've been around the block MORE then several times.!!!) I'm a newbie to the world of Matheson, he's certainly...different and gets you attention from the off.!

 

Mind you with the neighbours Neville has/d, is it anywonder he hit the bottle by chapter three.!

 

 

El_Scubadiver wrote

'I am legend,' is one of the best things I've read in ages - clever premise desperately executed . I hope the Will-Smith version doesn't trample over it with special effects and a safe conclusion

AVOID the latter part of your posting please it's bloody dire, hunt out instead "The Last Man On Earth" with Vincent Price it's in B/W and only adds to the dread, and is more nearer to the book then the re-telling/up-dated version which is sh.!

[roddglenn]

I thought Will Smith acted very well in the latest remake, but I was disappointed with some many changes to the book. I was also disappointed that they had gone with cartoon-like CGI for the infected. I agree that The Last Man on Earth is still the better version, but Will Smith's still jumps ahead of Heston's Omega Man.

[fireball]

Anythings better then Heston's Omega Man,

 

And yet again P/C lot are getting up to mischief, I mean Will's a great actor, when he puts his mind to it, but changing the mans ethnicity, is a bit much as for the film no where near the book are as good either .

[BobusMaximus]

Loved the book, but also loved The Omega Man too. I think if you can see them as two separate things, it's easier. Not too sure if I'm going to like the Will Smith version.