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A review by ojtheviking
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
5.0
Every now and then, there's a novel that you just know you should have read already, but you just haven't gotten around to it yet. Everybody talks about it, and there's been several movie adaptations of it; you may even have seen a couple of the movies. A friend of mine asked if I'd like to be reading buddies this year, and we've initially talked about two titles, with Matheson's novel being one of them. This was my excuse to finally check out this novel, and now that I have, I feel genuinely grateful.
I know that Matheson has written other well-received stories too, as well as having written for the original Twilight Zone, so I already had a strong feeling that I was in for a treat. I was not disappointed.
First of all, telling a story that's essentially a one-man show for the majority of the novel can be a risky thing. There is a chance it could drag out a bit and become monotonous. But Matheson's style keeps the narrative alive, there is a constant drive, much thanks to the main character's determination to survive and look for answers. There is a quiet desperation underneath the surface of Neville, which helps the story never have a dull moment. (Of course, sometimes that desperation also breaks through the surface, in his most frustrated and destructive episodes)
This book is also one of the finest examples I've come across so far in my life of what science fiction does best; establishing a fictional scenario to comment on real, societal issues. Topics like prejudice and persecution, almost similar to how there was a certain group in history who considered themselves to be the master race. This book was published in 1954, some years after WWII ... I'm just saying.
And I love the angle this story is approached from; science and hard facts vs. faith and superstition. Matheson has taken the classic vampire myth, and attempted to scientifically explain how they can exist. The main character even begins as a skeptic, not believing in vampires, until he manages to see past the ancient mythology and looks more closely at them from the viewpoint of biology and medicine. As I was reading this book, it made me think of The X-Files, with Mulder always being the believer and Scully always looking for rational explanations. Then it dawned on me that at some point on the show, there was even a character named Senator Matheson, so it's safe to say that this author has been an influence one way or another.
I'm even reminded of something like the Resident Evil franchise, where there is a specific explanation to where zombies come from (as opposed to George A. Romero's universe where it's never quite clear what caused the outbreak). I kind of feel like the vampire myth and the zombie myth blend together in Matheson's universe, as the vampires here are less like the magical, demonic being that Dracula is, and more like a horde that's constantly multiplying through infection.
It's a short novel that speaks volumes and has many layers that can be interpreted into many themes. And that is when you know you have a timeless classic on your hands, because people are still discussing it and analyzing it to this day.
And it makes me eager to check out more of Matheson's work eventually.
I know that Matheson has written other well-received stories too, as well as having written for the original Twilight Zone, so I already had a strong feeling that I was in for a treat. I was not disappointed.
First of all, telling a story that's essentially a one-man show for the majority of the novel can be a risky thing. There is a chance it could drag out a bit and become monotonous. But Matheson's style keeps the narrative alive, there is a constant drive, much thanks to the main character's determination to survive and look for answers. There is a quiet desperation underneath the surface of Neville, which helps the story never have a dull moment. (Of course, sometimes that desperation also breaks through the surface, in his most frustrated and destructive episodes)
This book is also one of the finest examples I've come across so far in my life of what science fiction does best; establishing a fictional scenario to comment on real, societal issues. Topics like prejudice and persecution, almost similar to how there was a certain group in history who considered themselves to be the master race. This book was published in 1954, some years after WWII ... I'm just saying.
And I love the angle this story is approached from; science and hard facts vs. faith and superstition. Matheson has taken the classic vampire myth, and attempted to scientifically explain how they can exist. The main character even begins as a skeptic, not believing in vampires, until he manages to see past the ancient mythology and looks more closely at them from the viewpoint of biology and medicine. As I was reading this book, it made me think of The X-Files, with Mulder always being the believer and Scully always looking for rational explanations. Then it dawned on me that at some point on the show, there was even a character named Senator Matheson, so it's safe to say that this author has been an influence one way or another.
I'm even reminded of something like the Resident Evil franchise, where there is a specific explanation to where zombies come from (as opposed to George A. Romero's universe where it's never quite clear what caused the outbreak). I kind of feel like the vampire myth and the zombie myth blend together in Matheson's universe, as the vampires here are less like the magical, demonic being that Dracula is, and more like a horde that's constantly multiplying through infection.
It's a short novel that speaks volumes and has many layers that can be interpreted into many themes. And that is when you know you have a timeless classic on your hands, because people are still discussing it and analyzing it to this day.
And it makes me eager to check out more of Matheson's work eventually.