I Am Legend

I Am Legend is a groundbreaking 1954 post-apocalyptic horror novel by Richard Matheson that redefined the vampire genre and inspired generations of storytellers.

Robert Neville is the last known human survivor in a world devastated by a pandemic that has transformed the rest of humanity into nocturnal, vampire-like creatures. By day, Neville hunts the infected; by night, he barricades himself inside his fortified home, haunted by memories and the howls of the undead outside.

As Neville grapples with isolation and despair, he seeks to understand the science behind the plague, hoping to find a cure. But as he uncovers the truth, he realizes that he may no longer be the hero of the story—but a legend of fear in the eyes of the new society.

This novel has been adapted into several films, including The Last Man on Earth (1964), The Omega Man (1971), and I Am Legend (2007) starring Will Smith. It also served as a major influence on George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.