4.5 stars. I Am Legend is a legendary short story of a lone man surviving against a pandemic of vampires. This book is renowned in story, having inspired much of the vampire, zombie, and apocalyptic media we love today. It also has an incredibly powerful tone, the short story also having been an inspiration to horror writers like Steven King. The commentary, especially with the ending, is what really made the book worth the read for me. All of this to say, if not for the story itself, the books historical importance makes it a worthy read.

I originally added this to my to read list after recognizing the title from the 2007 movie with Will Smith, which I remember enjoying. They share some small commonalities but ultimately are very different. In the book, the main character Robert Neville is harsh and unlikeable, but reasonably so. He has been alone for three years, fighting to survive. The violence is this book is interesting, described not in excruciatingly gorey detail but in an unemotional and practical manner. Everything has to be unemotional and practical, that is the only way to survive such an existence. But humans are emotional beings, and Neville is only human.

More than just an apocalyptic science fiction novel, this book makes the reader consider the human condition. How do we deal with the strongest of emotions such as grief, loneliness, and despair? How do we survive?

Also the audiobook by Blackstone Publishing was one of the most dramatic audiobooks I have ever listened too. Intense at times, but the narrator really brought Neville to life with his acting.