Richard Matheson
I Am Legend (1954)
Author: Richard Matheson
Genre: Horror (Vampire/Storyteller)
Plot Summary:
Robert Neville is the only human being left after a terrible plague decimated the world. Any others who survived were transformed into vampires. Neville survives by raiding former stores for food and other goods and remaining safely barricaded in his house at night. During the day, Neville also kills as many as the “undead” as possible, dreaming of the day when he can band together with other humans to save the world. To keep himself sane, Neville researches the way people become vampires and concludes that it is a sort of virus spread in spore form in dust. By the end of the novel, Neville realizes that the vampires are no longer the feared minority but have redefined “normal.” Neville is now abnormal and must die to keep the status quo. The copy of the book that I read also included several other short stories by Matheson.
Geographical Setting: Los Angeles
Time Period: Set in the future, 1976-79
Appeal Characteristics:
The novel is somewhat slow-moving as it details Neville’s extensive research on vampires. It is character-driven, so the reader gets to know Neville very well but doesn’t learn much about the vampires. There are moments of suspense and terror, but overall it is not that scary. It is more philosophical, causing the reader to reflect on definitions of normal society. The story is also pretty short.
Red Flags: Lots of vampire killing with stakes, bullets and other means
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