Warning: This post contains spoilers.
In one of my A to Z Challenge posts, I talked about how in my “to be read” stack was the book “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson. I didn’t set out to read it on purpose, but one day when I was perusing the library stacks and looking for a different Matheson book, I spotted that one. I recalled the movie and hearing how many people said the book was not only different, but better (don’t we always say that?). I decided to take a chance on the book and read it over this past weekend.
Final verdict?
I didn’t like it. In fact, I gave it two stars on GoodReads (read my full review here).
I know a lot of people will disagree with me and I will acknowledge that I was highly influenced by the seeing the movie first and I went into the book with very different expectations.
But the main reason I didn’t like this book (and the movie):
I hate depressing endings.
Despite my enthusiasm for the paranormal and my growing interest for the apocolytpic/dystopian type novels and movies, I hate disappointing endings. Especially when I have this inner build up of rooting for the character and hoping they win.
This ending – spoiler alert – was just as depressing as the movie. He died in the book AND the movie. I hated that! In fact, I hated it worse in the book because I thought it was a total cop out. Why didn’t he run away when he had the chance? He fought for so long and was suddenly afraid to keep fighting when it mattered the most? What the heck is that?
I thought in the book it just didn’t make sense that he had this fighting spirit the entire book and suddenly he was afraid to leave his house to keep fighting. I just didn’t get it.
And there was way too much depressing death in the book (like the dog dying, for starters), for me to feel good about this ending. Also, why did the author even bother with having this character try to find a cure, when at the very end, when this main character DID have a chance to find a cure, he didn’t take the opportunity.
As far as the movie goes, it did give you hope, but I seriously don’t get why Will Smith thinks zombies will listen to him when he screams that he has the cure. That was just dumb.
On the other hand, I think this book completes the disturbing mini-horror story that tends to get tossed around online:
I've never read the book, but did see the Smith movie. It was bleak to say the least.
I rather like the Browm suggestion.
Isn't it creepy? I loved that story!
Once the dog went, I lost interest in the movie. It might have been redeemable if Will Smith had lived, but I agree, no HEA was hard to take.
Yeah I hated how it was written in the end. Very depressing.
Leaves one wondering what was the whole point of the book? It sounds like it didn't even have closure. That sucks.
Reading the book first always ruins the movie for me. I've tried many times to read books after having watched the movie and I just lose total interest.
Yeah the two always conflict with each other somehow whatever order you read them!
yes, the movie and the book were very bleak- for once, I didn't like the ending. I honestly can say I don't mind dark endings, but there needs to be a point. Take I don't know, a book where the main character dies, (Dracula for example) but there is a reason for it (in this case there isn't) then it's okay in my books… but you are right, this was not good.
Yeah it seemed pointless, he didn't even kill off the vampires in the end. He just gave up. I HATE CHARACTERS GIVING UP. UNACCEPTABLE. Haha.