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Cover of I Am Legend by Richard MathesonI Am Legend
Classic · Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror

I Am Legend

by Richard Matheson
1954 · 160 pages · Fiction
65.7Must-Read
Score Classic
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 4 hours to read · about 8 days at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth, but he isn't alone. Every other man, woman and child has become a vampire, and they hunger for his blood. By day he hunts them; by night he barricades himself inside his house.

Why it's worth reading

It's one of the most influential horror novels ever written, inspiring zombie and apocalypse stories for generations.

You'll love it if you liked

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The RoadCormac McCarthy
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The StandStephen King
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World War ZMax Brooks

Good to know

It's short, and its ending is very different from the 2007 film.

By the numbers

65.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers56 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller33 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Dark, Gripping, Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Horror booksTop 25 · 86 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1950sTop 25 · 75 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked

Quick answers

Is I Am Legend worth reading?

Yes. It's one of the most influential horror novels ever written, inspiring zombie and apocalypse stories for generations. It ranks #1,786 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is I Am Legend about?

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth, but he isn't alone. Every other man, woman and child has become a vampire, and they hunger for his blood. By day he hunts them; by night he barricades himself inside his house.

How long does it take to read I Am Legend?

About 4 hours (160 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after I Am Legend?

If you liked it, try The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Stand by Stephen King or World War Z by Max Brooks.