alexdelarge's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
iamthecircleand's review against another edition
3.0
***Second time reading(2019):
Ok I recently saw someone talking about the ending to this book and was like "Whaaaat? Did I even read the same book??" I didn't remember the ending at all (I know I sped-read the last of it because it was due at the library...so I most likely was not absorbing what I was reading.)
I decided to reread it and man... can't say that I enjoyed it this much around. Probably because I understood what I was reading better haha. I think the first time I read it I enjoyed the science part, where he's trying to figure out information on what's going on. But man, with the first read through I didn't get the part where he's just a lonely, horny, bastard. Like...he thinks he's too good to masturbate or something? It was so weird. He was so...thirsty (and rapey) over the "females." wtf.
Also, what kind of breakfast is, "a glass of orange juice, a slice of toast, and two cups of coffee"?????? Is he trying to give himself an ulcer so he can have sex with it? Oh wait, would that count as masturbating since it's with himself? And then, "after breakfast he threw the paper plate and cup into the trash box." So this guy used up a whole paper plate for ONE piece of toast?? You just know this guy ate the toast dry. So he needed to use a whole paper plate for that?
After being bombarded with how pent up this dude was, everything else started to sound like a euphemism. "He actually found himself jerking off the crossbar..." "His left hand beat once, feebly, on the bedspread." Ohh myy.
One quote I found very interesting was "In a world of monotonous horror there could be no salvation in wild dreaming." This stood out to me this read-through because I had just recently read Michael Scott Moore's book about being a prisoner of Somali pirates. He had to learn this the hard way. That having hope and expecting to finally be rescued just sets you up for heartbreak.
The way he treated was awful.
And then at the very end this joker descides to leave us with "So long as the end did not come with violence, so long as it did not have to be a butchery before their eyes…" What a hypocritical douche. This guy was hunting down and murdering everyone he could get his hands on.
To end I will say...I obviously did not enjoy this the second time around as much as I did the first, but hopefully that just means I have grown? And matured? Maybe? Please? Also, I did finally see the movie and it suuuuuuucked haha. The end.
***First time reading (2013): I really liked this. It was a lot better than I thought it would be. I never watched the movie so I had no idea really what was going to happen. I should watch it now though :)
Ok I recently saw someone talking about the ending to this book and was like "Whaaaat? Did I even read the same book??" I didn't remember the ending at all (I know I sped-read the last of it because it was due at the library...so I most likely was not absorbing what I was reading.)
I decided to reread it and man... can't say that I enjoyed it this much around. Probably because I understood what I was reading better haha. I think the first time I read it I enjoyed the science part, where he's trying to figure out information on what's going on. But man, with the first read through I didn't get the part where he's just a lonely, horny, bastard. Like...he thinks he's too good to masturbate or something? It was so weird. He was so...thirsty (and rapey) over the "females." wtf.
Also, what kind of breakfast is, "a glass of orange juice, a slice of toast, and two cups of coffee"?????? Is he trying to give himself an ulcer so he can have sex with it? Oh wait, would that count as masturbating since it's with himself? And then, "after breakfast he threw the paper plate and cup into the trash box." So this guy used up a whole paper plate for ONE piece of toast?? You just know this guy ate the toast dry. So he needed to use a whole paper plate for that?
After being bombarded with how pent up this dude was, everything else started to sound like a euphemism. "He actually found himself jerking off the crossbar..." "His left hand beat once, feebly, on the bedspread." Ohh myy.
One quote I found very interesting was "In a world of monotonous horror there could be no salvation in wild dreaming." This stood out to me this read-through because I had just recently read Michael Scott Moore's book about being a prisoner of Somali pirates. He had to learn this the hard way. That having hope and expecting to finally be rescued just sets you up for heartbreak.
The way he treated
Spoiler
[whatever that girl he found's name was?]And then at the very end this joker descides to leave us with "So long as the end did not come with violence, so long as it did not have to be a butchery before their eyes…" What a hypocritical douche. This guy was hunting down and murdering everyone he could get his hands on.
To end I will say...I obviously did not enjoy this the second time around as much as I did the first, but hopefully that just means I have grown? And matured? Maybe? Please? Also, I did finally see the movie and it suuuuuuucked haha. The end.
***First time reading (2013): I really liked this. It was a lot better than I thought it would be. I never watched the movie so I had no idea really what was going to happen. I should watch it now though :)
manuphoto's review against another edition
4.0
“I am Legend” is a great story. Riveting, well paced with great prose. The other stories are uneven. Some are great, some are OK. None are bad. Overall, a very good read.
jenbsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I've been wanting to compare books and their movies - I saw this movie first and quite enjoyed it. I did really enjoy the book as well. It brought up different aspects then were touched on in the movie. The relationship with the woman, and the end were very different ... despite this I like both the movie and the book!
frankiecully's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! Was very creepy to read.
I thought it was brillant from beginning to end.
One of my favourite books of all time ever!
That ending! WOW
I thought it was brillant from beginning to end.
One of my favourite books of all time ever!
That ending! WOW
oranges448's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
robreadsbooksalot's review against another edition
4.0
Well, to start I really liked this book.
It was very fun to read start to finish. First half started well and gave Robert Neville a regular joe outline. Just a dude who had a family but lost them to the virus and began exploring lots of alcohol and other pass-time activities.
This book is about loneliness and there is one particular chapter that genuinely made me sob at a train station in public on the way to work (it was vv sad).
The main character is a very pent up angry man smashing things for most of the book but then calms down and figures out bascic carpentry and science. He is not fully unlikeable but he is definitely very messed up. Lots of the descriptions of his thoughts made me feel very off but the story was held together with it. I don't really know if i'd go for a pint with this guy.
Ending was not expected.
Good book.
**** / *****
- Rob
It was very fun to read start to finish. First half started well and gave Robert Neville a regular joe outline. Just a dude who had a family but lost them to the virus and began exploring lots of alcohol and other pass-time activities.
This book is about loneliness and there is one particular chapter that genuinely made me sob at a train station in public on the way to work (it was vv sad).
The main character is a very pent up angry man smashing things for most of the book but then calms down and figures out bascic carpentry and science. He is not fully unlikeable but he is definitely very messed up. Lots of the descriptions of his thoughts made me feel very off but the story was held together with it. I don't really know if i'd go for a pint with this guy.
Ending was not expected.
Good book.
**** / *****
- Rob
fedak's review against another edition
4.0
Hard to separate the massive influence this one had on the “Zombie” genre and the actual book itself.
Of the multiple movies it inspired I had only seen the Will Smith vehicle. And unlike that movie- the main character here was an immensely unlikable alcoholic asshole.
But has somewhat of a character growth story arc and it was cool seeing the origin of many of the concepts that formed the basis of the books it influenced
Of the multiple movies it inspired I had only seen the Will Smith vehicle. And unlike that movie- the main character here was an immensely unlikable alcoholic asshole.
But has somewhat of a character growth story arc and it was cool seeing the origin of many of the concepts that formed the basis of the books it influenced